PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy are sparring back and forth over SEPTA safety and funding. Federal regulators have ordered SEPTA to pull a majority of its Silverliner IV rail cars for inspections, which has led to overcrowding and cancellations.
In an open letter to the governor on Thursday, Duffy blamed Shapiro for failing to fund SEPTA. He said it is “only a matter of time before SEPTA’s crumbling commuter rail system erupts in flames and kills someone.”
The federal inspections of SEPTA’s rail cars came after five incidents of either fires or thermal emergencies this year. Duffy demanded that SEPTA be ready to transport tens of thousands of additional riders when the World Cup comes to Philly next year…