Transit riders and advocates expressed outrage at NJ Transit's proposed fare policy during public hearings on Jan. 2. Despite cold weather and the inconvenient timing of the meetings - late at night the day after a holiday - many of the six meetings were well attended by citizens opposing the plan.

At NJ Transit headquarters in Newark, protestors gathered outside with bullhorns and banners and the standing-room-only crowd shouted and hissed during NJ Transit's presentation. The diverse group spoke against several aspects of the plan, including elimination of round-trip excursion fares, service cuts, and Transit's plan to reserve the right to hike fares again without board approval or more hearings. 

Riders in Camden also made a strong showing, despite conditions that demonstrated a shocking level of disrespect for transit customers. The meeting was held in a freezing bus terminal atrium with no microphones. About 50 stayed anyway, saying Transit's rate hikes would stretch already limited incomes.

Many voiced shock and anger as they calculated the increases for their routes - many much higher than the advertised 10% increase. "Increasing the round-trip excursion fare hits me the hardest," Long Hill resident Brad Payeur told the Courier News. "That's a forty percent increase, not ten percent."

Others said they understood that NJ Transit needs more revenue, but were not willing to pay more without getting better service. "Your fare increase isn't fair," Chris Blaise of Edison told the Courier News. "I pay enough for the service you provide."

Many said aspects of the plan would make driving a more attractive option. Owen Leach of Princeton Borough told the New Jersey Times that he would no longer use transit for trips into NYC. "Somewhere well short of $39 it becomes much more attractive to endure the tunnel and take the car," he said. 

         NJ Transit Fares Aren't Cheap
   - Selected U.S. Commuter Rail Costs - 
 

Agency	City	Suburb	Miles	Monthly pass price
NJ Transit	New York	Princeton Jct	48	$249
		Metuchen	27	$185
SEPTA	Philadelphia	Frazer	24	$163
Metro-North	New York	Brewster	52	$211
		Port Chester	26	$152
LIRR	New York	Smithtown	49	$200
		Hicksville	25	$154
MBTA	Boston	Fitchburg	50	$169
		Lawrence	26	$145
MARC	Washington	Brunswick	49	$164
		Dorsey	25	$123
METRA	Chicago	Fox Lake	49	$147
		Wheaton	25	$95
Caltrain	San  Francisco	San Jose	49	$142
		Redwood City	25	$89

New Jersey Association of Rail Passengers

Tri-State's press release and testimony for NJ Transit hearings

NJ Transit Pushes Lame Duck Fare Hike (Dec. 17 2001)

NJ Transit Budget Rises, But Long-Term Deficits Still Loom (Feb. 26, 2001) 

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