And the cutting begins

Marv95 wrote:Dude $1.70 for a one zone fare (which was only a dollar only 9 years ago) and no more RT off peak round trip discounts is just pure lunacy. If they wanna jack up prices, do it for NYC commuters. Why should the intrastate commuters have to suffer because of those who choose to travel to or work in NYC?

Uh what? I believe intrastate commuters have to suffer because of New Jersey's fiscal condition, not because of NYC commuters.

Marv95 wrote:Dude $1.70 for a one zone fare (which was only a dollar only 9 years ago) and no more RT off peak round trip discounts is just pure lunacy. If they wanna jack up prices, do it for NYC commuters. Why should the intrastate commuters have to suffer because of those who choose to travel to or work in NYC?

The one zone train ride is currently $1.75 and is proposed to go up to $2.25. I've been at NJT 11 1/2 years, and the local fare was never as low as $1. The 1990 thru 2001 fare was at least $1.20 or $1.25.

And as far as the ORT's, I agree, they should keep them for the intermediate riders only since they were never the problem. They were accepted at any time. The problem was with the Hoboken/Newark Penn/NY Penn riders where there were restrictions during the peak hours. Scam artists, cheap bastards, and ignorant people were constantly trying to use the ORT's on peak trains, and refusing to pay the appropriate step ups. Unfortunately, it seems that NJT wants to treat everybody equally by proposing to eliminate ALL ORT's.

fredct wrote:Looking at some of the details, I'm really taken aback by them eliminating the off-peak discount for rail. That's pretty bad, because it means the off-peak ticket prices aren't going up by 25%, they're going up by 40%! Just at the times of the day when its *most* convenient to drive too. I love the train, but its hard to justify spending $32 for 2 to go to Manhattan on a weekend when the tunnels are probably no wait (a 42.2% increase in my case!).

Which leads me to a question: single tickets (one way, ORT) don't expire, right? So would it make sense to go and buy a couple hundred bucks worth now, and use them over the next few years? Or is there some rule that would prevent that?

After the last couple of fare increases, old tickets purchased at the old fares were accepted with no problem. However, I'm not sure about this time because if the proposal that ORT's be eliminated goes through, then they may not want to accept any more ORT's, especially during the peak hours. Especially since the trainmen will no longer have a need for a peak/off-peak "step up" table anymore to calculate the amounts to charge. Either way, it's gonna be really hard on the trainmen for a while...

checkthedoorlight wrote:

Roadgeek Adam wrote: Then it'll become the Southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey Transportation Authority, also known, as two troubles for the price of one. NJT would see its first Delaware train thouh :D

Ooh, ooh! SEPTA and NJT need to combine for the sole purpose of being able to run a train from Newark to Newark!

Totally agree

Port Jervis wrote:
What I don't understand is the reasoning behind abandoning all midday Boonton service, while trains 851/854 are retained. Can't these two trains be eliminated? Save 873 and have 1024 run thru via the Montclair-Boonton line to Hob to replace 854. This preserves one midday eastbound Boonton line train while achieving the same cost savings (one train, one crew).

Sorry, but I don't understand YOUR reasoning.

Train #1024 has averaged about 5 passengers 4 out of the 5 times I have ridden that train. Train #854 has many more passengers then that and probably doesn't loose as much money as the two midday Montclair-Boonton line trains.

mcmannors wrote:

Marv95 wrote:Dude $1.70 for a one zone fare (which was only a dollar only 9 years ago) and no more RT off peak round trip discounts is just pure lunacy. If they wanna jack up prices, do it for NYC commuters. Why should the intrastate commuters have to suffer because of those who choose to travel to or work in NYC?

The one zone train ride is currently $1.75 and is proposed to go up to $2.25. I've been at NJT 11 1/2 years, and the local fare was never as low as $1. The 1990 thru 2001 fare was at least $1.20 or $1.25.

And as far as the ORT's, I agree, they should keep them for the intermediate riders only since they were never the problem. They were accepted at any time. The problem was with the Hoboken/Newark Penn/NY Penn riders where there were restrictions during the peak hours. Scam artists, cheap bastards, and ignorant people were constantly trying to use the ORT's on peak trains, and refusing to pay the appropriate step ups. Unfortunately, it seems that NJT wants to treat everybody equally by proposing to eliminate ALL ORT's.

I meant one zone bus fares, as well as the NCS.

And those restrictions should have never been put into place in the first place.

I take the 814 from Middlesex every afternoon and its already hard enough to have $1.35 ready. Its going to be a pain in the neck for $1.70 - thank god May 1 is 10 days before the semester ends.

Also, doesn't this money go to repairing buses? Bus 1188, which runs along the 814 broke down Wednesday afternoon. Its already 11 years old.

Since 1990, fare increases occured on 4/1/02, 7/1/05 and 6/1/07. 12 years without a fare change (1990-2002) was very long. The base one-zone cash fare for bus and Newark City Subway was $1 in 1990, $1.10 in 2002, $1.25 2005 and now $1.35. The new $1.70 cash fare would bring it to the rate of MBTA (with CharlieCard), but still lower than NYCTA, SEPTA, CTA. The base local rail fare was $1.20 in 1990-2002, now $1.75.

fredct wrote:Looking at some of the details, I'm really taken aback by them eliminating the off-peak discount for rail. That's pretty bad, because it means the off-peak ticket prices aren't going up by 25%, they're going up by 40%! Just at the times of the day when its *most* convenient to drive too. I love the train, but its hard to justify spending $32 for 2 to go to Manhattan on a weekend when the tunnels are probably no wait (a 42.2% increase in my case!).

Which leads me to a question: single tickets (one way, ORT) don't expire, right? So would it make sense to go and buy a couple hundred bucks worth now, and use them over the next few years? Or is there some rule that would prevent that?

IDf they do get invalidated with the new fare plan, NJTransit would have to refund the purchase price. Might as well go for it if you can afford to stock up.

boxcar wrote:This is the 4th fare increase since 1991. April 2001 10%. July 2005 10%. June 2007 15%. and now, lets call this one 25%. Thats 60% over 19 years.

what grade did you get in math by the way?

Also I don't think June 2007 was 15%, it was more like 10%, at least for monthlies.

So they are going to try to get rid of ORTs again huh? That went so well in 2002 (or was it 05?), I don't believe it made it past the public hearing rounds.

You folks don't like the plans GO TO THE PUBLIC MEETINGS!!! It really is that simple. Go there, make a statement (or email/fax/write a letter to NJT) about your opinions on it, and at the same time, do the same thing to your legislatures and the Governor.

Make a big enough stink about things, and maybe they will be changed. Maybe the Gov will relent a little bit and give some cash back. Maybe service won't be cut as bad, maybe the fare increase won't be as much, maybe the ORTs will be kept (they were once before).

But there is one guarantee, that if you don't do anything, guess what, everything mentioned will happen, and who knows whats next.

Man, the AC line got slaughered.....ugh Who did they piss off? hahahaha and the two 2300 trains slated to be cut? I don't think that will happen. I think they will remain. Maybe cut back to Newark, but still there in the end, IMO of course.

The South Amboy locals are some of the most crowded trains on the whole system. Eliminating them will SEVERELY overburden the other, already crowded trains and not be much help for anyone, and making MORE local trains for the Coast Line.....which is not necessary..........

Jtgshu wrote: You folks don't like the plans GO TO THE PUBLIC MEETINGS!!! It really is that simple. Go there, make a statement (or email/fax/write a letter to NJT) about your opinions on it, and at the same time, do the same thing to your legislatures and the Governor.

But he's the people's elected Governor!

jimzim66 wrote:

Jtgshu wrote: You folks don't like the plans GO TO THE PUBLIC MEETINGS!!! It really is that simple. Go there, make a statement (or email/fax/write a letter to NJT) about your opinions on it, and at the same time, do the same thing to your legislatures and the Governor.

But he's the people's elected Governor!

Of course he is, and everyone wants him to make all these changes unless of course, it affects them personally, then, well, the world might as well come to an end......and we will continue to have what 500 plus school districts and police forces and all that nonsense?

At least cuts to NJT affect EVERYONE. Liberal, Conservative, Republican, Democrat, Christie Supporter, Corzine Supporter, Athletic Supporter, Rich, Poor, Male, Female, Black, White, etc, etc, etc etc. EVERYONE is going to be miserable!

I think if NJ Transit need to raise the on board surcharge to $10.00 out of major terminals like New York, Hoboken, New Penn Station and even Trenton. This should raise some much need cash and weed out some of these lazy bastards who are to important to use a ticket machine, and to holy to use a ticket window.

newjackRR wrote:I think if NJ Transit need to raise the on board surcharge to $10.00 out of major terminals like New York, Hoboken, New Penn Station and even Trenton. This should raise some much need cash and weed out some of these lazy bastards who are to important to use a ticket machine, and to holy to use a ticket window.

For years, I have suggested that the on board surcharge should be higher at those stations than the intermediate stations since there are many more machines available as well as the availablilty of ticket agents...ironically those are the only places where they waive the surcharge on days like Thanksgiving Day morning because of larger than normal crowds...