SRTA tells Cumberland County finance panel it won $25M grant, plans transfer centers and asks for $300,000 local match

Rich Barb, a representative of the Susquehanna Regional Transportation Authority, told the Cumberland County Finance Committee on Nov. 5 that SRTA is pursuing a three‑year service redesign centered on ‘‘high‑intensity mobility corridors’’ and major capital projects, and that the authority will need local matching funds to secure federal grants.

The initiative aims to concentrate resources on the busiest routes, increase frequency, improve stop infrastructure and use signal priority to shorten travel times and raise ridership. Barb said the concept grew from experiences elsewhere in SRTA’s service area: when frequency on a busy route was increased from 30 minutes to 15 minutes, “Ridership increased 18%, and the satisfaction from the riders really skyrocketed.”

Why it matters: SRTA said the redesign is intended to boost passengers per revenue hour — currently a limiting factor for revenue growth — and that new transfer centers are required to reduce wasted driver ‘deadhead’ time and enable more efficient cross‑river service. The authority reported success in a recent PennDOT five‑year performance review under Act 44 (2007), describing a nearly 10% reduction in operating cost per revenue vehicle hour since 2019 and full compliance in the review categories.

What SRTA proposes: Barb described a new Le Moyne Transfer Center (Cameron Street) and a companion Illinois transfer center as foundational to a route redesign. The Le Moyne site is about 60% into design, with a plan to bid in 2027 and complete construction by 2028. Barb said the existing facility is in poor condition and that the new centers will include additional bays, bidirectional circulation, improved lighting and driver restrooms.

Funding and schedule: SRTA said it has set aside approximately $16,000,000 in its formula funds (partly by using CARES Act dollars); the authority reported receiving a $25,000,000 RAISE grant and has two other pending federal grant applications (about $29 million and $39 million). Barb cautioned that the agency is moving forward with design and early work before all federal pieces are secured because construction costs are likely to rise. He said the county will be asked to provide a $300,000 local match for the year; that match can be provided up front or spread over up to three years but must be in place before project closeout and ribbon‑cutting.

Other projects and procurement: Barb said the Rittner Road facility procurement was delayed after state procurement rules limited the originally proposed approach; bids are scheduled to open Dec. 1, and SRTA hopes for a 2027 ribbon‑cutting. He also described transferring a $35,000 local match from Rittner to the Willow Pointe Transfer Center because PennDOT agreed the Rittner work can be state‑funded.

Fare policy and operations: SRTA will consolidate five legacy fare regimes into one integrated system in March, creating two fare tiers (urban $2.00, rural $1.50) so fare media work across the Rabbit Transit network. Barb said he is not pursuing universal free fares at this time and emphasized the operational benefits of a paid fare in managing vehicle dwell and turnover. He also explained that moving riders to an account‑based tap/pay system reduces cash handling: “I collect a dollar. Only 60¢ of that actually goes to the operation. I spent 40¢ collecting it.”

Service challenges and coordination: Barb flagged operational issues at several transfer centers, including people staying in public spaces and shelters being misused. He said transit has no police power and that SRTA must work with cities and business groups to manage the plaza and secure necessary bus stops, particularly where SRTA does not own the land. He also noted new ADA‑related requirements: a stop now typically requires an ADA‑accessible sidewalk connection, which complicates adding stops quickly.

Next steps: SRTA expects to return with further updates as design work progresses. Barb asked county staff to consider the local match request; he said the authority will continue pursuing federal grants while advancing design and expects new service patterns to be implemented after transfer centers are built and the new fare system is deployed.

Quotes from the meeting included Barb’s summary of a service experiment that increased frequency and ridership: “Ridership increased 18%, and the satisfaction from the riders really skyrocketed.” The presiding commissioner added, “This public transportation, this bus service is so important to the people of Cumberland County.”

SRTA will follow up with the county as funding details firm up and to coordinate any formal local‑match request and schedule for payments.