NJ Transit released the following statement ahead of a public hearing regarding proposed fare increases and service cuts.
Throughout the past five years, NJ TRANSIT held the line on fare increases while maintaining high quality services and implementing new customer amenities including MyTix, Departurevision, and MyBus Now.
However, costs such as contract services – Access Link, the organization’s paratransit service, Hudson-Bergen Light Rail and private carriers – and healthcare and benefits, general liability insurance, workers’ compensation and pensions have steadily risen. As a result, NJ TRANSIT has been left with a significant budget gap.
Although NJ TRANSIT has identified more than $40 million in reductions in overtime, fuel savings, energy and vehicle parts efficiencies, the agency still faces an approximate $60 million budget gap for the 2016 fiscal year. To close the gap, fare and service adjustments are being proposed.
NJ TRANSIT will hold nine scheduled public hearings and one information session beginning Saturday, May 16, 2015 to allow the public the opportunity to learn more about the proposed fare increases and service changes and offer comments before the plan is considered by the Board of Directors on July 8, 2015.
The proposed service and fare changes would take effect in September 2015 and on October 1, 2015, respectively. The proposed fare adjustment would be an average of 9 percent for the majority of NJ TRANSIT customers.
Examples include:
NJ TRANSIT Rail
| Origin | Destination | One-way
Current – Proposed (Proposed Increase) |
Round Trip
Current – Proposed (Proposed Increase) |
Monthly
Current – Proposed (Proposed Increase) |
| Metropark | Penn Station New York | $10- 10.75
($0.75) |
$20- 21.50
($1.50) |
$284- 310
($26) |
| Clifton | Hoboken | $5.25- 5.50
($0.25) |
$10.50- 11.00
($0.50) |
$156- 170
($14) |
| Cranford | Newark Penn Station | $4.00- 4.25
($0.25) |
$8.00- 8.50
($0.50) |
$116- 126
($10) |
| Brick Church | Summit | $3.50- 3.75
($0.25) |
$7- 7.50
($0.50) |
$95- 103
($8) |
NJ TRANSIT Bus
| Origin | Destination | One-way
Current – Proposed (Proposed Increase) |
Ten Trip
Current – Proposed (Proposed Increase) |
Monthly
Current – Proposed (Proposed Increase) |
| Hoboken | Port Authority Bus Terminal | $3.20- 3.50
($0.30) |
$27.00-29.50
($2.50) |
$98- 107
($9) |
| Lakewood | Port Authority Bus Terminal | $17.50- 19.00
($1.50) |
$149-162.50
($13.50) |
$411- 448
($37.00) |
| Newark | Willowbrook Mall | $2.90- 3.15
($0.25) |
$25.00-27.00
($2.00) |
$85- 93
($8) |
| Fair Lawn | Port Authority Bus Terminal | $5.50- 6.00
($0.50) |
$47.00-51.00
($4.00) |
$153- 167
($14) |
| Gloucester City | Philadelphia | $3.90-$4.25
($0.35) |
$34.00-$37.00
($3) |
$123-$134
($11) |
NJ TRANSIT Light Rail
| Origin | Destination | One-way
Current – Proposed (Proposed Increase) |
Monthly
Current – Proposed (Proposed Increase) |
| Tonnelle Avenue | 8th Street | $2.10- 2.25
($0.15) |
$64- 70
($6) |
| Camden | Trenton | $1.50- 1.60
($0.10) |
$50- 54
($4) |
| Newark Penn Station | Grove Street | $1.50- 1.60
($0.10) |
$54- 59
($5.00) |
The proposed rail and bus service changes are:
RAIL:
| · Pascack Valley Line: | Proposed Elimination of Train #1601, the 12:45 a.m. departure from Hoboken (Details at Hackensack and Secaucus Hearings)
|
| · Montclair-Boonton Line: | Proposed Elimination of Train #1043, the 12:32 a.m. departure from Hoboken (Details at Newark and Secaucus Hearings) |
BUS:
| · 419 Camden – Pennsauken – Burlington:
|
Proposed Elimination of Service Between Riverside and Burlington City (Details at Camden Hearing) |
| · 463 Woodbury – Avandale Park-Ride:
|
Proposed Elimination of the Last PM Trip in Each direction (Details at Camden Hearing) |
| · 307 Freehold – Great Adventure | Proposed Service Discontinuance (Details at Freehold Hearing) |
| · 318 Philadelphia – Great Adventure:
|
Proposed Service Discontinuance (Details at Camden Hearing) |
| · 655 Princeton – Plainsboro:
|
Proposed Service Discontinuance (Details at Trenton Hearing) |
| · 872 Morristown – Route 10 – Livingston:
|
Proposed Elimination of Service Between Mack-Cali (Parsippany) and Livingston Mall (Details at Morristown Hearing) |
Assembly Transportation Committee Chairman John S. Wisniewski (D-Middlesex) released the following statement:
“Working class families struggling with stagnant wages have barely recovered from the last, record fare hike. Now New Jersey Transit is telling them it’s going to cost even more to get to work every day.
“These latest proposed hikes are emblematic of a larger problem plaguing this administration – a complete lack of foresight when it comes to public transportation planning. The administration’s borrow-and-tax approach is hurting those who can least afford it.
“Support from the General Fund for New Jersey Transit’s operating budget has gone down significantly over the past five years while the size of the agency’s budget has steadily increased in that time. This is both unsustainable and irresponsible.
“Compounding the problem is the governor’s failure to put forth a plan for the nearly depleted Transportation Trust Fund. Instead, he has decided to make New Jersey Transit repay a $240 million loan to the state to help plug the hole in the trust fund for another year, only adding to New Jersey Transit’s fiscal woes.
“The governor’s inaction has all but assured that commuters will pay the price. It’s time for him to acknowledge the transportation crisis that exists and deal with it head on,” said Wisniewski.
Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson/Bergen) released the following s statement:
“To say I’m disappointed by NJ Transit would be an understatement. I’m appalled at this terrible approach to transportation policy and astonished by the lack of regard for the working people of New Jersey who rely on NJ Transit to make ends meet.
“No one should be mistaken – this fare hike would be a tax increase on working people that would fail to do anything to solve New Jersey’s long-term transportation funding crisis. It would cause pain to working class residents without providing any benefit. That’s awful public policy.
“I’ve been advocating nonstop for a sensible and responsible solution to our transportation crisis precisely so we can avoid reckless decisions such as this one by NJ Transit.
“Let’s not forget how the administration is patching together transportation funding for next fiscal year by using $241.5 million from NJ Transit, along with more borrowing that will saddle future generations with debt. How does that decision to take that money from NJ Transit impact fares and services? That’s a question that needs a clear answer.
“In April 2010 NJ Transit implemented the largest fare increase in state history. And now we have this plan. Enough is enough. The working people of New Jersey deserve better than haphazard planning built around fare hikes and service cuts.”
[TLS]
I bet the money they want will go to pay salaries and nothing will go into repairs and up keep. The top executives need a pay raise for the great job they are doing.