NJ Transit fare hike: 10% jolt

Wednesday, February 14, 2007
By GREG HANLON
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

New Jersey Transit commuters can expect a fare hike of nearly 10 percent starting this June, representing the second such fare hike since July 2005, pending approval of the agency's board of directors in April.

Authorities hope the fare hike will close a budget deficit of approximately $60 million in the agency's proposed $1.5 billion budget.

The third fare increase since 1990 would mean about 9.6 percent on a systemwide average to accommodate expanded services, meet increased rider demand and keep up with inflation, NJ Transit Executive Director George D. Warrington said yesterday.

If the fare hike is approved, fares for local bus routes would increase 9.9 percent and base one-zone rides would increase from $1.25 to $1.35 and base one-zone passes would increase from $45 to $49 in Hudson County.

In addition, the base fare on the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail would increase from $1.75 to $1.90 and the base pass rise from $53 to $58.

Fares cover about 44 percent of NJ Transit's operating expenses, and the rest is picked up mostly by the state

Warrington said he doesn't expect an increase from the state's contribution of $300.7 million. But as NJ Transit service continues to grow, the state needs to find new ways to fund the system, he said.

The agency will continue to expand significantly over the next decade or so and cannot rely on fare increases alone to fund new services, he said.

Damien Newton, New Jersey coordinator for the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, a public transportation advocacy group, said the Legislature and the governor need to find new long-term revenue streams to fund mass transit.

"We need to start treating transit like a public benefit for everyone, not just the rider," he said.

But while government officials discuss long-term funding strategies, the fare hike will be felt by riders in the short term.

"This will definitely affect me. Fare increases always hurt the little guy," said Henry Jenkins, 58, of Jersey City, who takes the No. 16 bus.

"What else is new?" Madeline Haggemiller, 55, of Jersey City asked rhetorically while standing in the Journal Square bus depot waiting for the No. 2 bus to take her home from her job with the United State Postal Service. "Just another day in the U.S.A., where everything goes up except your paycheck."

Some commuters, like Bernard Freeman, 51, of Jersey City, questioned whether service would improve with a fare hike. "The quality won't get any better," he said. "We will be paying the same money for the same bad service."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.