Possible NJ Transit Fare Increase and Service Cuts

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http://www.nj.com/traffic/index.ssf/201 ... cart_river" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Well well, like one poster said on NJ.com "Pay more for less" and another one "NJ Transit...a great argument for driving to work"

Another very valid point "As another note, fares of MTA Metro North are slightly lower than NJT. They provide express service to outward stations also.

I know someone will talk about the grade crossing accident. That was the driver's fault for failing to pass the idiot test."

I couldn't agree any more.

If your going to raise the fares that's fine but DON'T CUT SERVICE.

And I know this isn't a politics forum but believe it or not NJ Transit isn't 100% at fault on this one. (shocker I know, I always blame them)

With the looney tune in the GOV office I know it's hard to get any sort of funding. And don't say it's a political position because it's the absolute truth.

There are different ways of looking at this. You have to pay for what you get. But our distance based fares cost people more (a lot more) the farther they ride. Fares are already surprisingly high.
I'm not itching for a new labor contract because it will probably cost us our pass privileges the way non union workers on Transit have lost theirs.

Any numbers on how much the healthcare coverage costs have risen this year? Does NJT buy group insurance, or do they self-insure?

loufah wrote:Any numbers on how much the healthcare coverage costs have risen this year? Does NJT buy group insurainsurance, or do they self-insure?

I'm an old clerk, and the company gives me Horizon BCBS, a cadillac plan. I imagine the company pays a lot for it. New hires don't get as much.

CentralValleyRail wrote:Another very valid point: "As another note, fares of MTA Metro North are slightly lower than NJT. They provide express service to outward stations also.

The Princeton Branch is $2.75 one way, as is the New Canaan Branch. However the latter is significantly longer. There should be some form of "fare parity" by distance.

R36 Combine Coach wrote:

CentralValleyRail wrote:Another very valid point: "As another note, fares of MTA Metro North are slightly lower than NJT. They provide express service to outward stations also.

The Princeton Branch is $2.75 one way, as is the New Canaan Branch. However the latter is significantly longer. There should be some form of "fare parity" by distance.

It's different companies, with different circumstances. NJ Transit's fare structure on the former Erie lines is different from that on the rest of its lines, due to agreement with Metro North, which subsidizes the lower fares.

A major determinant of fares is the amount of subsidy received from public sources. New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut are all different and do things according to their perceived needs. Given where the money comes from, it's not realistic to expect coordination over such a large area.

philipmartin wrote:quote="loufah"]Does NJT buy group insurainsurance, or do they self-insure?

I'm an old clerk, and the company gives me Horizon BCBS, a cadillac plan. I imagine the company pays a lot for it. New hires don't get as much.[/quote]
We clerks have a choice of several Horizon BCBS plans to join; I suppose that's the same for other unionized workers on NJT.

philipmartin wrote:

R36 Combine Coach wrote:

CentralValleyRail wrote:Another very valid point: "As another note, fares of MTA Metro North are slightly lower than NJT. They provide express service to outward stations also.

The Princeton Branch is $2.75 one way, as is the New Canaan Branch. However the latter is significantly longer. There should be some form of "fare parity" by distance.

It's different companies, with different circumstances. NJ Transit's fare structure on the former Erie lines is different from that on the rest of its lines, due to agreement with Metro North, which subsidizes the lower fares.

ExCon90 wrote:A major determinant of fares is the amount of subsidy received from public sources. New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut are all different and do things according to their perceived needs. Given where the money comes from, it's not realistic to expect coordination over such a large area.

I agree. it is unrealistic to compare NJ with other railroads in general, but especially MTA operations. LIRR and Metro-North receive operating subsidies from MTA bridge and tunnel tolls. Every time someone pays the 16 dollar toll on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge (among others), they help subsidize the LIRR, Metro-North, MTA buses and the subways.

NJT may glom money from the Port Authority on occasion, but it is not a common occurrence.

loufah wrote:Does NJT buy group insurance, or do they self-insure?

NJ Transit self-insures.

The articles do not mention that because ORT fares have been eliminated, many fares (other than passes) have effectively increased by 50% compared to the previous fares, which was no easy pill to swallow. Any increase is certainly going to make the train a less attractive option. I have always taken the train if it is feasible (call me crazy it is already several more dollars than driving though I value the convenience) but if they go up, it will become more of a no-brainer.

The point about ORT fares being eliminated is a good one. The last increase saw a 25% rise in fares, which was pretty astronomical. The loss of ORT saw off-peak fares really spike, since every fare purchased, regardless of time of day, had to be a one-way full fare.

I think it's absurd NJT doesn't have an off-peak fare like LIRR and Metro-North. Even before, when ORT did exist, it wasn't possible to buy a one way off-peak ticket - they always had to be round trip. Yet, look at ridership during holidays - it's still pretty high, so the railroad is obviously making out okay and likely didn't lose many customers with the loss of ORT tickets.

Unfortunately, the state is not in good shape and it isn't getting any better.

Actually, I would be curious to see the revenue difference from before the elimination of ORT/RTX and after.

How about they raise the gasoline tax? Seems like it would solve more than just this issue.

I think the stated purpose of the RTX tickets was to encourage use of off-peak or reverse-commute trains that would otherwise be mostly empty. IIRC, the elimination of these tickets coincided with service cuts (on the M&E, off-peak trains went from 2 per hour to 1 per hour), so presumably NJT didn't need to worry as much about empty trains. RTX tickets also helped out poorer customers who commuted between outlying stations (e.g. workers in Dover and Morristown), but a more logical way to help these people is to give discounts based on family income rather than on time of day.