Budget Crisis Looming at NJ Transit: Nine Percent Fare Hikes and Service Cutbacks

A looming NJ Transit budget crunch may require a nine percent fare hike and service cutbacks to several train and bus lines, the publically funded transportation agency announced on Monday.

According to a release, the agency is facing a $60 million budget gap for the 2016 fiscal year. NJ Transit officials are blaming the shortfall on increasing service contract costs, healthcare and benefits.

The proposed service changes would take place in September, and the fare changes would commence on October 1.

“I recognize the impact of the previous fare and service adjustments and the resulting burden on many of our customers,” stated NJ Transit Executive Director Veronique Hakim. “Please be assured that no final decisions have been made.”

Any proposed changes would be subject to public hearings and a vote by NJ transit board members.

HIKES AND CUTS

NJ Transit officials stated that the potential nine percent fare hike would affect both train and bus riders in several municipalities, including Hoboken, Montclair and Livingston.

The hike would be the agency’s first in five years. [See related Patch article]

Proposed service changes would include:

• Montclair-Boonton Line: Elimination of Train #1043, the 12:32 a.m. departure from Hoboken
• Pascack Valley Line: Elimination of Train #1601, the 12:45 a.m. departure from Hoboken
• 872 Morristown - Route 10 - Livingston: Elimination of Service Between Mack-Cali (Parsippany) and Livingston Mall

Read full details about the proposed fare and service changes here

COMMUTER REACTIONS

Several commuters took to the Internet to voice their displeasure of the proposed changes.

Some travelers blasted the potential fare hike under the Twitter hashtag #nofareincrease:

“It’s absurd we won’t raise revenue for roads, but rail users always get hit,” one commenter wrote.

Others chose to express their concerns on a NJ Transit Facebook post:

“Some of these cuts should be taken off the table...eliminating the 307 bus between Freehold & Great Adventure... So how are a lot of the folks that live in Freehold and work at Great Adventure supposed to get to work? Walk?”

Another commenter wrote:

“As I am writing this we have now sat on this bus for over an hour getting through the tolls. Can’t wait to pay an additional nine percent for gross incompetence.”

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