New Jersey Assemblyman Brian Bergen panned Gov. Phil Murphy’s NJ Transit fare holiday announced Thursday, saying the last thing commuters need is a free week of hell.
Instead, he wants to see the agency’s top brass take a big pay cut until the problems are fixed.
“Giving away a week of bad service is not the cause for celebration Murphy thinks it is. The headlines should read, ‘Free week of hell for NJ Transit riders because we are too inept to fix it,’” Bergen (R-Morris) said.
NJ Transit commuters have been plagued by constant cancellations, delays and disruptions this summer. Power outages, overhead wire issues and broken tracks have suspended service and disabled trains. On July 31, commuters were trapped on a train under the Hudson River tunnel for almost three hours in the dark and stifling heat with no information as to why or when they would be moving.
“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 added.
NJ Transit’s 15% fare hike went into effect this July and will increase 3% every year going forward. The fare increases are on top of a five-year 2.5% corporate tax on businesses earning over $10 million. The extra revenue is meant to address NJ Transit’s budget deficit.
Bergen is proposing a temporary pay cut for NJ Transit leaders to force them to meet certain performance standards.
“Cut the salaries of all executives at New Jersey Transit to minimum wage, then give them a bonus at the end of the year to make them whole for their typical salary only if they meet certain service uptime standards. If they leave, they leave, we can replace them with higher performers. I mean, they can’t get worse,” Bergen said.
