NJ Transit tickets will be priced higher for the first time in nine years on Monday, July 1. The 15% fee increase follows a train service disaster last month, highlighted by several delays.
Price Hike and Changes
According to News 12 New Jersey, the one-way price between Middletown and New York City is going up from $15.25 to $17.50. The popular PATH ticket into New York Penn Station will be unaffected by the fee increases in Hoboken, but the cost of going to Hoboken will be higher.
The pricing increase will also affect bus tickets. According to NJ Transit, the fare from Jersey City to the Port Authority Bus Terminal will increase by 50 cents, or $4, for just one trip.
Although this is not the final rate increase, it is the biggest in quite a while. Every year, on July 1, there will be a 3% rise in the general rate.
In addition to the price hikes, the flex plan is also going away, and one-way tickets will now only be valid for 30 days.
Weakened Customer Confidence
NJ Transit reports a passenger decline after the pandemic caused a financial deficit of almost $100 million. Authorities in charge of public transportation have said that increasing fees will prevent them from cutting service.
Customer confidence in its efficacy has waned after nine incidents of service interruptions or delays at New York Penn Station in the last month, according to an interview with News 12.
Radio producer and frequent commuter Brandon Tagoe told the New York Post that recent issues and delays in NJ Transit have made him habitually late for work, which has not pleased his boss. He said delays occur often, and no action is being taken to rectify the situation.
At the height of last week's delays, 39-year-old sanitation worker Kanesha Hayes believes the firm can do better. "I am paying $200 monthly, they're telling me it's going up, but yet the service is still terrible."
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