NJ Transit will be free for a week after service woes, governor says

( The Hill ) — NJ Transit will offer free rides to customers for one week this month after service interruptions and rate hikes sparked frustration among regular riders.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) announced Thursday a “fare holiday” for the week leading up to Labor Day — from Monday, Aug. 26 to Monday, Sept. 2. Fares on all modes of transportation on the state transit network will be waived during this period.

NJ Transit will offer a 25 percent discount on September monthly passes for commuters who purchased monthly passes for August.

A press release from the governor’s office described the fare holiday as “a way to express the sincere appreciation for customers’ continued loyalty and patronage, particularly during a time when transit service has not consistently met their expectations — or our own.”

“As we work diligently with Amtrak to investigate and address the issues that have occurred this summer, especially on the Northeast Corridor, we hope this fare holiday offers our commuters some relief,” Murphy said in the press release.

“We also encourage New Jerseyans to take advantage of this opportunity, and we continue to be thankful to the many New Jerseyans who depend on public transit,” he added.

The spring and summer months have been plagued by service disruptions, many of which, the governor’s office said, have occurred on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor.

The root cause of the disruptions has not yet been identified, the governor’s office said, but NJ Transit and Amtrak have made some short-term adjustments to address some of the issues. NJ Transit has increased equipment inspections on platforms, while Amtrak has increased efforts to inspect the overhead wiring, track signal systems and substations on the corridor more frequently.

“Our collaborative efforts have already led to a noticeable reduction in service incidents,” the NJ Transit press release read, referring to its joint efforts with Amtrak.

The announcement also comes less than two months after NJ Transit raised its fares by 15 percent, with scheduled annual increases of 3 percent, as the state’s transit system stands on shaky financial ground. The announcement Thursday did not mention the fare hike, which sparked fierce criticism from riders when it was announced.

The announcement, posted to social media, invited outrage from users in the comment section, with some demanding that Murphy reverse the fare hike rather than give a one-week reprieve. Many X users also noted that commuters are often on vacation for the week leading up to Labor Day , when the fare holiday is scheduled.

Another user compared the fare holiday to “asking for a raise at work and getting a pizza party instead.”

Murphy, in his original statement, said he’s committed to “improving service for our customers over the long-term,” but did not specify any changes to the fare hikes.

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