In our spotlight on business report tonight, SEPTA's so-called doomsday plan has officially been put on pause Sparing riders from fare hikes and service cuts just days before they were set to go into effect The move comes after a court order this weekend halted the plans But SEPTA is still facing a massive budget shortfall and not all the cuts can be reversed Raven Santana has more on what happens next for riders who rely on the rail line Now boarding on track 2 is the 1059 westbound SEPTA train to Philadelphia SEPTA is officially hitting the brakes on its planned fare hikes and regional rail service cuts, at least for now A Philadelphia judge has ordered the transit agency to halt any new increases or reductions that weren't already in place well without the SEPTA line of hundreds of commuters that don't have Adequate transportation need to get to their jobs down the line, which is in Philadelphia And it keeps people out of their cars.

They don't have to worry about parking or congesting the roads so we hope that Pennsylvania really sees the importance of keeping this line alive.

The cuts to about 20% of regional rail service were set to begin today.

Trenton's mayor says they could have been devastating.

We have couples.

One works in New York, one works in Philadelphia and they like the convenience of having this transit center right here so that both partners can see each other off and We hope it maintains its viability.

It's really needed and it's really important to the commuters That that go across the state line for work every day I'm certainly hoping that everybody in Pennsylvania can get their heads together and figure out the problem and then try to fix it.

Inevitable that there will be some raises, rate fares, increases, you know, that's going to be the inevitable.

But the idea is they need to get more people onto trains and buses as opposed to getting out of them and getting them on the road.

That's ridiculous.

But the challenge isn't over.

SEPTA still faces a $213 million budget gap, meaning fare hikes could resurface, impacting towns like Ewing, which is served by the West Trenton Line.

"My greatest concern is that the influx of people that are coming here because of this train station is going to stop.

So it's going to put pressure on the town center to try to get occupants in there.

So we need this to be a functional train station."

While SEPTA riders say they are relieved that those fares will not go up as originally planned, some that I spoke with say that any type of major service cuts could be detrimental, especially to those who rely on public transportation to get around.

"A lot of things have changed.

I won't be able to jump on a train or nothing, you know?

See, I ain't got no license.

They took my license, so I got to catch buses and trains and stuff like that, you know?

I have to re-evaluate, 'cause if not, if I have to drive all the way there or take an Uber or Lyft, it's not affordable.

You know what I'm saying?

This is $5 to where I need to go and $5 back, so it's affordable.

$80, $90 in the lift.

Not worth going to work.

I'm going to have to find another job.

That's what I mean, honestly.

I'll have to find something closer and local.

For now, SEPTA's Regional Rail Service and the future of the commuters who depend on it remains uncertain.

The next court hearing is set for Thursday, September 4th.

For NJ Spotlight News, I'm Raven Santana.

Support for the Business Report is provided by Riverview Jazz.

Presenting the Jersey City Latin Jazz Festival, September 5th through 6th.

Event details, including performance schedules and location, are online at jerseycitylatinjazzfestival.com.

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