All rides on NJ Transit will be totally free for a week

💲NJ Transit says it is thanking its "loyal commuters"

💲Gov. Phil Murphy acknowledged it has been "an ugly summer" for NJ Transit

💲Fares also went up 15% on July 1

NJ Transit will end the summer with a fare holiday for all riders following a summer of long delays, cancelled trains and a fare increase.

All fares across NJ Transit's rail, light rail and buses will be waived between Monday, Aug. 26 and Monday, Sept. 2. Monthly pass holders who have already purchased an August pass will automatically receive a 25% discount on their September monthly pass purchase through the mobile app, at ticket vending machines or ticket windows.

The agency called it a "thank you" to their "loyal customers who depend on public transit."  NJ Transit told New Jersey 101.5 the fare holiday will cost the agency $19 million in revenue. The agency said it is currently working on "identifying offsets."

NJ Transit faces a budget deficit of nearly $1 billion by 2026 which led to a 15% fare increase that took effect on July 1.

“Understanding that our commuters have faced many disruptions this summer, we are providing a one-week fare holiday for NJ Transit riders,” Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement. “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. 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.”

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Murphy: 'an ugly summer'

During an appearance on Fox 5 New York's Good Day New York on Thursday morning Murphy said it has been an ugly summer that wore the his patience along with those of commuters.

Riders have dealt with weather-related delays and cancellations all summer which led to NJ Transit and Amtrak meeting to work on a joint plan to improve communications with commuters. Amtrak, which owns and maintains the Northeast Corridor, has started on inspections and repairs to repairing their catenary (overhead wire), track signal systems, and substations.

The governor called June one of the worst summers in NJ Transit's history with a 69% on time rate which would normally be around 80%.  Murphy said that things are looking up for the fall but admitted that message is a tough sell.

"We want to end the summer on a grace note. This not to say it will cure everyone's lack of patience and understanding," Murphy said. "I'm not naive enough to think that if you've had the summer our commuters have had that one week will do it but it is an acknowledgment in thanking our customers."

Murphy denied that politics played a role in declaring a fare holiday because elections for state offices are not being held this year.

"This has nothing to do with politics. This is between NJ Transit and its hundreds of thousands of loyal commuters who have suffered mightily this summer," Murphy said.

Not everyone a fan

The New Jersey Business & Industry President & CEO Michele Siekerka said the fare holiday is unfair to businesses that are paying the new corporate tax that is supposed to be dedicated to NJ Transit.

“New Jersey’s largest employers were just socked with a $1 billion tax increase – retroactively and without warning after the year started – supposedly to help fund NJ Transit. That gives them the largest corporate business tax rate in the nation, by far, on top of other sky-high business taxes. And it required legislative approval," Siekerka said in a statement.

She said that many of the employees working for the affected businesses don't use NJ Transit in their commute.

“New Jersey businesses aren’t asking for a free ride. But they are asking for fairness. Today’s announcement sadly smacks of unfairness to New Jersey’s business community," Siekerka said.

State Sen. Brian Bergen, R-Morris, wants top NJ Transit executives to take a temporary paycut until NJ Transit until the agency's problems are fixed. He says it not the cause for celebration Murphy believes it is.

“Considering riders have had to pay 15% more and businesses forked over a billion to fund NJ Transit this year, one would expect some improvement, but it’s an absolute dumpster fire. Free rides on a dumpster fire do not make up for the constant failures at NJ Transit,” Bergen said.

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