NJ Transit chief explains fare hike

NJ Transit chief explains fare hike

	Published : Tue, 13 Feb 2007 22:47 By : Agencies Print this Story

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - New Jersey Transit commuters can expect a fare hike of nearly 10 percent beginning in June, with different increases for different rail and bus lines.

NJ Transit Executive Director George D. Warrington offered a more detailed breakdown of the proposed fare increase, the first since July 2005, at a meeting of the agency's board of directors on Tuesday.

Pending approval from the board in April, the hike would begin on June 1 and close a budget deficit of about $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, Warrington said.

Among the changes:

--A 9.9 percent increase for rail and interstate bus customers who ride from New Jersey to New York or Philadelphia and longer-distance buses between suburbs and urban areas.

--A one-way ticket from Trenton to New York City would increase from $11.50 to $12.50 and the monthly pass would increase from $320 to $352.

--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 for the New York-Meadowlands Sports Complex bus purchased on board would increase from $5 to $6 and fares purchased from ticket windows or vending machines would increase from $4.50 to $5.

--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 northern New Jersey and from $41 to $45 in southern New Jersey.

Warrington said the increase would also pay for new and expanded service, such as new multilevel rail cars with more seating and additional parking spaces.

NJ Transit will hold more than a dozen public hearings in February and March, and written comments will be accepted through March 8.

Warrington, who is retiring at the end of March, said fares did not increase for 12 years during the 1990s and beyond.

'During that period, the underlying annual operating need to fund inflation, extraordinary cost growth and new service was masked with a steady diet of increased transfers from the capital budget to cover operating expenses,' he said.

He said the agency should find other ways to fund the operating budget without 'further burdening the capital program.'

'The history of fare increases has been erratic and unpredictable,' he said.

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, 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.

While the policy makers engage in lofty discussions about long-term funding strategies, the increase will be felt by riders in the short term.

For commuters like Ed Haas, who takes NJ Transit to his job in Manhattan from Maplewood, the increase would tack on about 90 cents to his ride each day. Because he doesn't buy a monthly pass, his ticket is $4.50 each way.

'It's a lot,' said Haas, 54, arriving at Penn Station Tuesday morning.

He said taking mass transit should be more cost-effective than driving into the city.

'It's unfortunate that driving and parking is considered as economical as riding the train for some people,' he said.

NJ Transit is the nation's largest statewide public transportation system, providing nearly 857,000 weekday trips on bus routes, light rail and commuter rail lines. Systemwide ridership is up 4.6 percent so far in this fiscal year, the third year of record-high levels.