NJ Transit parking hike hits commuters as tolls and gas tax soar

💲NJ Transit parking rates are rising at 25 locations

💲The agency says the rates still trail local market prices

💲The hike adds to a growing list of 2026 transportation cost increases

New Jersey commuters are getting another hit to the wallet with a hike in the parking rate at select NJ Transit lots and garages.

Starting Thursday, the daily and monthly rates will go up at 25 stations, including most of the stations along the Northeast Corridor and several bus lots. The increases are to “balance affordability with the realities of rising operating and maintenance costs,” but are still below local market levels, according to the transit agency.

"NJ Transit remains committed to providing a safe, reliable, and high-quality transit experience, and these adjustments are one of the ways we can continue meeting customer needs today while sustaining service into the future," the agency said in a statement.

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Toll hikes, bridge fees and gas tax compound commuter costs in 2026

Parking rates last increased when they were phased in throughout the year in 2019, with a final hike on Jan. 1, 2020, according to NJ Transit.

Commuters have been hit with a half dozen toll increases in the new year, including:

• A 3% toll hike on the Garden State Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike
• A 3% toll hike on the Atlantic City Expressway, along with going completely cashless
• A 3% increase on the Lincoln & Holland tunnels, the George Washington, Bayonne & Goethals bridges, and the Outerbridge Crossing, along with a 25-cent flat fee to help fund capital projects
• Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission tolls increased by 50 cents for E-ZPass users and more than doubled for non-E-ZPass users from $2 to $5 on Jan. 1

New Jersey's gas tax also went up by 4.2 cents on Jan. 1 due to a $23.8 million shortfall in the state Transportation Trust Fund. Drivers haven't taken notice of that, though, as a downward trend in gas prices continues, allowing many stations to absorb the increase.

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