It’s been a tough summer for NJ Transit, marked by a 15% price increase, frequent delays, and many frustrated commuters. On August 15th, 2024, Governor Phil Murphy announced that NJ Transit will offer a fare holiday from August 26th through September 2nd, making all fares FREE on buses, trains, and light rails. This was done, he shared publicly, as a gesture of appreciation to commuters after a challenging summer marked by service disruptions. And no, this isn’t an April Fool’s joke — NJ Transit really will be free for a week at the end of August throughout the state of New Jersey. Read on for more about the fare holiday.
The Announcement from Governor Murphy
“We’ve had a tough summer, and we recognize the frustration our riders have felt,” Murphy shared on Good Day New York. “This is our way of tipping our cap to them. We want to end the summer on a positive note.”
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A statement via the Governor’s office said: “Understanding that our commuters have faced many disruptions this summer, we are providing a one-week fare holiday for NJ TRANSIT riders,” said Governor Murphy. “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.”
When Does the NJ Transit Free Rides Initiative Start?
The NJ Transit Free Rides initiative starts on August 26th.
So Which NJ Transit Transportation Options Does it Include?
The NJ Transit free rides announcement includes:
- Buses
- Trains
- Light Rail
It does not include the PATH train, as it is a separate agency, according to NJ Transit.
In addition to the free rides for the week, monthly pass holders will receive a 25% discount as further compensation for the summer’s subpar service.
^ NJ Transit shared the above graphic on X on August 15th, 2024.
He also added that this initiative is not politically motivated; he noted in his discussion that it’s a genuine effort to thank NJ Transit’s loyal riders and “give them a break” for the last week of summer.
“It won’t cure everyone’s lack of patience, but it’s a small way to thank our hundreds of thousands of customers for their patience.”
NJ Transit’s Tough Summer
NJ Transit has seen a plethora of delays throughout the region in 2024, compounded by an announcement of a 15% transit fare increase starting July 15th. It also reported a 69% on-time rate, versus its average 80%, which is a significant decrease.
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Against the backdrop of a July 1st system-wide fare increase, NJ Transit faced delays because of a brush fire on June 20th, an earthquake, the bumpy rollout of the TAPP program, and the usual delays and hot cars and stations of summer. Another big transit-related headline this summer was the approval and then indefinite pause on NYC’s congestion pricing plan, which would have seen commuters paying tolls upwards of $30 or more to enter certain parts of Manhattan by car.
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