NJ Transit Announced 25% Fare Hikes and Service Cuts

NJ Transit has announced 25% fare hikes and service cuts along all of its train lines. Meanwhile, it's only called for 200 layoffs among the 11,000 employees, which means that it's attempting to balance its budget not by improving efficiencies, but by demanding more from commuters who are already pinched by a slow economy and who may see the fare hikes drive them right back on to the roads and off mass transit.

Service changes would occur by June 30 while the fare increases would hit beginning May 1.

Here's the list of service cuts across all the train lines. The Main/Bergen line would see four trains eliminated, including one just before and just after rush hour.

Note too that the Atlantic City service, which dispatched six trains, would have affected all of 100 people during the week and 425 on the weekend. Similarly, the Montclair-Boonton line cuts would affect eight trains (including via consolidation) and all of 100 people. This is exactly the kind of service that should have been eliminated long ago - or at least replaced with bus service to follow the route since it's cheaper than running train service for those numbers.

Also note that there's no word on cuts to the River Line, despite its sparse usage. That boondoggle continues to sap resources that are better devoted elsewhere within NJ Transit.