Eyeing $60M budget gap, New Jersey Transit lays out proposal for 1st fare hikes since 2010

Bus and rail commuters on New Jersey Transit would face fare increases for the first time in five years and see some service cuts under proposals released Monday that seek to close an estimated $60 million budget gap.

The increases average roughly between 7 and 9 percent and would be the first imposed by NJ Transit since 2010, when it hiked fares by an average of 22 percent. Last month NJ Transit Executive Director Ronnie Hakim said she would seek to keep increases in the single digits.

Reaction against the increases was swift. Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto, a Democrat, said the increases would disproportionately affect working-class New Jerseyans. He said in an emailed statement he was "astonished by the lack of regard for the working people of New Jersey who rely on NJ Transit to make ends meet."

Among the increases would be a 75-cent hike for a one-way ride from Metropark to New York, which currently costs $10. The proposed monthly rate for that route would rise by $26, to $310, an increase of 9 percent. Shorter rides, such as from Clifton to Hoboken, Cranford to Newark and Brick Church to Summit, would rise 25 cents.

NJ Transit also is proposing to eliminate one post-midnight departure from Hoboken on each of the Pascack Valley and Montclair-Boonton lines.

Bus fares also would rise.

A one-way ride from Lakewood to New York would go up $1.50 to $19.00, for example, and a monthly pass would rise $37, to $448, a 9 percent increase. NJ Transit also wants to eliminate service on several routes in southern New Jersey, including service from Freehold and Philadelphia to Six Flags Great Adventure amusement park in Jackson.

Nine public hearings and one information session have been scheduled for May 16 to 21.

The public sessions will be held in New Brunswick, Atlantic City, Freehold, Secaucus, Camden, Newark, Hackensack, Trenton, Morristown and Paterson.

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New Jersey Transit:

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