Philadelphia-Area Commuter Rail on Strike

Two rail unions have forced a shut-down of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority commuter rail service on Saturday (June 14), but not affecting SEPTA bus, trolley, subway or high speed rail service. Gov. Tom Corbett may take action.

1 minute read

June 15, 2014, 1:00 PM PDT

By Irvin Dawid


"The strike shut down 13 Regional Rail lines that provide 60,000 passengers with 126,000 rides on a typical weekday," writes Paul Nussbaum. "Local transit and the Norristown High-Speed Line - which (together) carry about 85 percent of SEPTA's riders - were not affected."

The members of the two rail unions have been working for years without new contracts - the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) since 2009 and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) since 2010.

SEPTA, a five-county transportation agency, informed their riders of alternative transit options. They were not willing to "ask (President) Obama to create an emergency board and order the strikers back to work," a SEPTA spokesperson said. However, Gov. Tom Corbett could make that request. "Under federal railroad law, the creation of such a board would compel the workers to return to the job for 240 days," writes Nussbaum.

The strike comes after a remarkable turnaround in SEPTA, which had been a "debt-mired subject of federal investigation", as we noted last year.

See Inquirer's strike photo gallery.

Saturday, June 14, 2014 in Philadelphia Inquirer

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight