NJ Transit will be free for a week at the end of a summer plagued by delays

Gov. Phil Murphy announced Thursday that NJ Transit will offer a fare holiday from Aug. 26 through Sept. 2, waiving all fares on buses, trains and light rails as a gesture of appreciation to commuters after a challenging summer marked by service disruptions.

"We want to end the summer on a positive note," Murphy said during an appearance on "Good Day New York." "It won’t cure everyone’s lack of patience, but it's a small way to thank our hundreds of thousands of customers for their patience."

The fare holiday comes after a recent 15% fare increase in July, the first in nine years, with plans for 3% annual increases moving forward. Riders using expiring discount programs have seen even steeper hikes.

NJ Transit recorded a 69% on-time performance rate in June, significantly lower than the usual 80%. The service disruptions were largely attributed to issues with Amtrak's infrastructure, which is responsible for two-thirds of the delays. However, Murphy emphasized that NJ Transit is actively addressing these challenges with daily meetings and working groups, alongside a $300 million federal grant awarded to Amtrak to repair overhead wires.

NJ Transit delays this summer

For North Jersey residents who rely on NJ Transit to get to work, the train system has been anything but reliable to start the summer. The agency has been plagued by repeated delays attributed to Amtrak overhead wire issues, disabled trains, and even a brush fire near the station in Secaucus.

Commuters have previously sounded off on their frustrations. At New York Penn Station, Adil Sarwar, a regular commuter from Hoboken who travels to the city daily for work, expressed frustration with the growing unreliability of the trains. “The issues extend beyond the infrequent service at night and on weekends, including an additional stop in Hoboken,” Sarwar said. “Frequent breakdowns and delays have caused me to miss several morning meetings.”

The repeated problems have forced some commuters to get creative. Casi Cortese, preparing to board the 11:07 a.m. train out of Morris Plains on Tuesday, said she has started traveling during off-peak hours, “hoping I can avoid all the mess.”

"We've had a tough summer, and we recognize the frustration our riders have felt," Murphy said. "This is our way of tipping our cap to them."

In addition to the fare waiver, monthly pass holders will receive a 25% discount as further compensation for the summer’s subpar service. Murphy stressed that this initiative is not politically motivated but is rather a genuine effort to acknowledge and thank NJ Transit's loyal riders.

While the root causes of these incidents have not yet been identified, significant short-term actions have already been taken. NJ Transit personnel have increased equipment inspections on platforms, while Amtrak has intensified its efforts to inspect and repair the catenary (overhead wires), track signal systems and substations along the Northeast Corridor. These collaborative efforts have already resulted in a noticeable decrease in infrastructure-related incidents.

NJ Transit also acknowledges that the River Line light rail service has not been meeting performance standards in recent weeks. To address this, NJ Transit implemented a supplemental bus plan this week to improve service reliability and predictability for weekday travelers. The agency is also holding its contracted operator accountable to expedite necessary repairs and upgrades to the light rail vehicles, aiming to restore reliable weekday service as quickly as possible.

In response to the fare holiday announcement, New Jersey Business & Industry Association President and CEO Michele Siekerka issued a statement expressing concern. “We understand the affordability challenges facing NJ Transit riders with a 15% fare increase. However, providing this fare holiday on the heels of a massive corporate tax increase to support the budget woes for NJ Transit is a frustrating message and wholly disregards the latest hit our business community just took on competitiveness."

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ Transit will be free for a week at the end of a summer plagued by delays