NJ Transit’s week of free rides began Monday, as an apology for this summer’s service disruptions
On Monday, some riders buzzed on social media about the freebies, while others were quick to point out their train delays.
People affected by NJ Transit’s service disruptions this summer will never get the time wasted back. But in a mea culpa of sorts, the state of New Jersey hopes a “fare holiday” starting Monday will offer some sort of consolation.
All modes of transportation will be free through Sept. 2 as a “thank you,” according to Gov. Phil Murphy.
Still, the summer’s connectivity issues have been largely concentrated along the Amtrak Northeast Corridor line, affecting commuters from Harrisburg to Philadelphia and as far as Connecticut because of downed power lines or power outages. Trains were suspended for three hours during a June snafu.
“As we work diligently with Amtrak to investigate and address the issues that have occurred this summer, especially on the Northeast Corridor, we hope this fare holiday offers our commuters some relief,” Murphy said in a statement earlier this month.
For those who will be out of town or already bought their monthly passes, a reprieve in the form of a 25% discount will automatically register when they buy their September passes.
According to the administration, the causes of the disruptions have yet to be identified.
Yet the state’s transit agency has stepped up inspection and repair work of overhead wire and track signal systems along the corridor as a short-term solution.
NJ Transit has been also been working with Amtrak in its pursuit for additional grant funding to replace aging transit infrastructure.
The service disruptions and fare holiday come as the transit system tries to get ridership back to pre-pandemic levels and avoid service cuts as it tries to fill a $106.6 million gap in its operating budget.
Citing financial woes and despite public outcry, NJ Transit increased fares by 15% in July, with annual 3% increases slated for subsequent years.
Commuters and local leaders have characterized the increase as a “backdoor tax” on working families that is at odds with what they describe as increasingly unreliable service.
For his part, Murphy signed off on a “dedicated funding stream” for the transit system by taxing the Garden State’s most commercially successful companies.
Businesses that make more than $10 million a year in profits will pay a 2.5% surcharge to the state’s 9% corporate income tax rate.
Once implemented, the surcharge could bring about $800 million in additional revenue, according to the Murphy administration. Those funds won’t start coming in until mid-2026, a big year for North Jersey and NJ Transit as the region braces itself for the World Cup final to be played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.
Whether the week of free rides will be enough to wipe the memories of summer strandings remains to be seen. On Monday, some riders buzzed on social media about the freebies, while others were quick to point out their train delays.