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 @ISIDEWITHNewsPublic TransportationU.S.New JerseyBudget deficitNJ Transitfare hike•••1yr ago

New Jersey Transit Implements 15% Fare Hike Amid Budget Shortfalls

New Jersey Transit, the state's primary public transportation agency, has announced a significant fare increase that will impact commuters across the state. Starting July 1, fares for NJ Transit services, including trains and buses, will rise by 15%, a move aimed at addressing a substantial budget deficit. This decision marks the first fare hike for the agency since 2015, ending nearly a decade of stable prices. The increase comes as NJ Transit grapples with a $100 million budget gap, with projections indicating potential future deficits nearing $800 million. In addition to the immediate 15% increase, the agency's board has approved a perpetual 3% annual fare hike beginning in 2025, intended to keep pace with inflation and reduce the need for future budget-driven fare increases. Despite protests and pleas from the public, the board voted in favor of the hikes, emphasizing the necessity of the measures to maintain service levels and financial stability. The fare adjustments are part of a broader strategy to secure the agency's financial future, but they have sparked concerns among commuters about the affordability and accessibility of public transportation in New Jersey.

8 Replies

 @ISIDEWITHasked…1yr1Y

Do you think public transportation should prioritize affordability for users or financial stability for the system, and why?

 @9LGQYWR from Washington  answered…1yr1Y

Priority for users. The idea is to improve public transit. Doing so attracts more users, which in turn attracts more income, which improves public transit.

 @9LGQY4R from Nevada  answered…1yr1Y

Yes. It should be affordable for all those who have low income and need transportation.

 @ISIDEWITHlinked…1yr1Y

NJ Transit approves massive increase to train and bus fares

https://nj1015.com

The increase, NJ Transit's first since 2015, will take effect July 1 with an automatic 3% increase every year that will not require public hearings.

 @ISIDEWITHasked…1yr1Y

If you had to choose between higher fares or reduced services on your local transit system to close a budget gap, which would you pick and why?

 @ISIDEWITHasked…1yr1Y

How would you feel if your daily commute cost suddenly increased by 15%, and what changes would you consider making to your travel routine?

 @BallotOwlProgressivefrom Georgia  commented…1yr1Y

"Raising NJ Transit fares by 15% hits working families the hardest and is a step back for public transit accessibility and climate justice."

 @PeskyJ0intComm1tteeLibertarian from Georgia  commented…1yr1Y

Typical government solution, just make it more expensive for the average Joe instead of finding a real fix for their budget mess.

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 @ISIDEWITH submitted…7mos7MO

Biden will issue a pardon of his son Hunter Biden

President Joe Biden has decided to issue a pardon for his son Hunter and is expected to announce it Sunday night, according to a senior White House official with direct knowledge of the decision.The decision marks a reversal for the president, who has repeatedly said he would not use his executive authority to pardon his son or commute his sentence. The pardon comes ahead of Hunter Biden’s Dec. 12 sentencing for his conviction on federal gun charges. Hunter Biden also is set to be sentenced in a separate criminal case on Dec. 16, after pleading guilty in September on federal tax evasion charges.The pardon is expected to cover both Hunter Biden’s gun charges conviction and guilty plea.The senior White House official said Biden decided over this weekend to grant his son a pardon and began to inform his senior aides on Sunday. Using his pardon power to assure Hunter Biden does not spend time in jail comes as the 82-year-old president is near the end of his term in the White House and has no future election to face. In recent months Biden has said he would not pardon his son or commute his sentence.“I will not pardon him,” the president said of his son in June after a jury found him guilty on three federal gun charges.President Biden has discussed issuing a pardon for his son with some of his closest aides since at least Hunter Biden’s conviction in June, two people with direct knowledge of the discussions about the matter said. They said a decision was made at the time for the president to publicly say he would not pardon his son even though doing so remained on the table.White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters earlier this month that the president’s position has not changed.

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