News
Train Riders To See 25 Percent Fare Increase
By John Burton
RED BANK - Last week, NJ Transit announced that train fares will increase by 25 on May 1 while fares for much of NJ Transit's bus service and light rail lines will rise by 10 percent.
According to Jim Weinstein, executive director of NJ Transit, the increases are needed to address a $300 million budget shortfall.
Gov. Chris Christie announced in February that he would cut NJ Transit's state subsidy by $33 million, or about 11 percent, to help address the state's budget woes. "We have a clear responsibility to balance NJ Transit's budget and at the same time we recognize the importance of quality system public transportation for all New Jersey residents," NJ Transit Chairman Jim Simpson said in a statement on the fare increases released last week. But increase to go into effect at the end of next week is causing those riders spoken to this week to re-evaluate their own budgets.
"I got to cut back on a lot of things," said commuter Steve Ader, Ocean Township. For Ader the monthly rate will increase by $70 for his daily commute to New York City. That amounts to a considerable hit for him, Ader said. "That's my biggest concern," he said, "getting back and forth to work."
"You got to get to work," a resigned Benny Mangione Jr., Middletown, conceded. "You got to do what you got to do." Mangione said he would pay an additional $35 a month for the ride back and forth to his Old Bridge job. "They're all so quick to raise everything," he said of the decision. "They don't look at the whole picture."
"I don't want anybody to lose their job,(s)" said Sabrena Stokes, Red Bank. "But they should look to cut somewhere before they raise the prices."
Stokes said she travels about three times a week to visit her ailing mother in Jersey City. And given she and her husband are on fixed incomes, the fare increase to $14.50 round trip is a burden. "I mean service is pretty good; the trains are clean and usually on time," she acknowledged. However the increase, "I think it's ridiculous."
And as for her trips to visit her mother, "Maybe I'll go two times a week."
"The people who do this every day," said Fran Schults, "I don't know how they do it." Schults, who lives in Sea Bright, said she was on her way into New York for a doctor's visit and doesn't have to rely on mass transit to get to work.
"They should re-evaluate how they spend money," before raising the fares, she said of NJ Transit.
"Where is it going to come from?" Schults said, referring to the cost of commuting.
"You can't walk into your boss and say my fare went up, I need a 25 percent raise," she said. "It's not going to happen." According to NJ Transit's Web site, this marks the largest increase in at least 30 years. The last raise in prices occurred in June 2007 when they fares were increased 9.6 percent. The largest spike in fares prior to the most recent one happened in 1982 when NJ Transit raised ticket prices by 22 percent.
The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders last month passed a resolution opposing the price increases and the proposed elimination of some bus lines, citing the hardships that move would create for county residents, especially in this economy.
Freeholder John D'Amico also raised concern about the NJ Transit proposal to eliminate the M833 and M835 bus lines, which operate from Red Bank to Fair Haven, Rumson and Sea Bright, and from the Red Bank train station, to Brookdale Community College, in Lincroft, and on to Freehold. The loss of those lines, D'Amico said, would disproportionately hurt the county's most vulnerable, especially those making their way to the college without the benefit of a car.
New Jersey Transit will continue those lines, but with a fare increase, from $1.35 to $1.50 for a one-way trip. For that D'Amico said he was grateful. "However, on the train front," he added, "the 25 percent fare increase is going to be counter-productive."
The rate hike would likely reduce ridership on the trains, and would mean that more commuters will find other ways to work, such as driving or taking the commuter ferry, which will impact revenues and the environment, the freeholder said. "From a financial standpoint, riders will be diverted because it's getting so expensive to ride the trains," D'Amico said.
Currently a one-way rail fare from Red Bank to New York/Penn Station is $11.75. The monthly fare is $414. "I could drive," Ader said. "It's still going to cost you money either way."
"It's more money, " observed Jason Bilanin, Fair Haven, who commutes to New York every day. "But I have to pay it; I need to get to work." Besides, he added, given that NJ Transit receives state funding," if it's not here, they'll hit me someplace else."
