(erielack) Newark STAR-LEDGER: NJ Transit to keep discounts

["Gary R. Kazin" <gkazin_@_yahoo.com>]

This is yesterday's longer report on the NJT fare increase changes.


NJ Transit to keep discounts 
01/06/02
BY JOE MALINCONICO, STAR-LEDGER STAFF

Bowing to criticism from its passengers, NJ Transit is backing away from
an attempt to eliminate its off-peak discount program, which accounted for
7 million tickets last year. The state's mass transit corporation also is
dropping its controversial bid to give itself the power to impose fare
increases in the future without public hearings or approval from the
governor, according to transportation officials. 

But NJ Transit is moving ahead on the centerpiece of its plan -- raising
fares by an average 10 percent, effective April 1, affecting 400,000
train, bus and Newark subway riders. Several other aspects of the new fare
proposal are under review and could be changed before the agency's board
of directors votes on the increase at its meeting tomorrow afternoon at
its headquarters in Newark, according to transportation officials. 

Critics feared few people would show up for public hearings on the fare
increase right after the holidays, but more than 350 people attended the
hearings at six sites around the state last Wednesday. "In spite of the
sneak attack by NJ Transit, I think a lot more people came out to the
public hearings than they expected and it seems their voices were heard,"
said Ralph Braskett, New Jersey coordinator of the Committee for Better
Transit, a watchdog group. 

"I think a lot of this was put out there and they were ready to take it
back," said Leonard Resto, president of the New Jersey Association of
Railroad Passengers, suggesting the initial proposal included some trial
balloons. "But if they could have gotten away with some of this stuff,
they were certainly going to try to do it." 

NJ Transit spokeswoman Penny Bassett Hackett said the decision on the fare
increase was in the hands of the agency's board of directors. "NJ
Transit's board of directors has received the information from the
hearings and had been reviewing the public comments, e-mails and
correspondence regarding our proposal," said Hackett. "Once they complete
their review, they will then decide on how they should proceed. Basically,
nothing is official until the board's decision is made on Monday." 

NJ Transit has been pushing for the fare increase to help offset a $169
million operating deficit for the coming year and a $3.1 billion funding
gap for operating expenses and capital projects over the next five years. 

The original fare increase was expected to generate $44 million in extra
revenue a year. But once they drop plans to eliminate the off-peak
discount, officials expect to collect about $38 million in new revenue. 

Under the revisions, NJ Transit would still seek additional fare increases
over the next five years to match the rate of inflation. But the inflation
increases no longer would be automatic and instead would require public
hearings and the governor's approval. 

Janine Bauer, director of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, a
watchdog group, said that change would make the inflation increases much
more difficult to enact, particularly for political reasons. "That
probably means it's going to happen a lot less," Bauer said. 

NJ Transit also is scrapping a clause in its fare proposal that would have
classified the monthly commuter passes as a promotional fare, subject to
increases without public input and formal votes. The agency's attempt to
give itself the new powers to raise the price of monthly passes had been a
prime target during the public hearings. 

Even more people spoke out against NJ Transit's plan to eliminate its
so-called rail excursion fare, which gives 25 percent discounts to riders
who buy round- trip tickets during off-peak periods. The elimination of
the excursion discount, coupled with revisions of fares between Newark
Penn Station and Manhattan, would have resulted in an 89 percent increase,
from $3.50 to $6.60, for round-trips costs for many passengers. 

Amy Davidow of Manhattan, who takes the train off-peak to work in Newark,
said she was considering switching to her car if the full increase went
into effect. "They're entitled to some increase, but $6.60 was too much,"
said Davidow, who attended the hearing in Newark on Wednesday. "It's nice
to know we had some impact." Under the revision, the off-peak discount
fare will remain in effect but it will be subject to the standard 10
percent average increase. 

Also, NJ Transit is going ahead with plans to restructure fares between
Newark Penn Station and Manhattan to match the higher fares charged to
passengers who ride out of Newark Broad Street Station. Under the revised
plan, the round-trip discount fare between Newark Penn Station and
Manhattan will rise from $3.50 to $5. 

Even with the revisions, some critics still insist the average 10 percent
increase is too high. 

Braskett, from the Committee for Better Transit, said officials should not
adopt the increases during acting Gov. Donald DiFrancesco's last days in
office, but rather wait for Gov.-elect James E. McGreevey to take charge.
McGreevey has not taken a public position on the proposed fare increase
since its announcement on Dec. 11. 

Joe Malinconico covers transportation. He can be reached at
jmalinconico_@_starledger.com or at (973) 392-4230. 

=====
Gary R. Kazin
DL&W Milepost R35.7
Rockaway, New Jersey

http://www.geocities.com/gkazin/index.html

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