TRENTON, New Jersey – NJ Transit is back in the news, this time for problems with its River Line, a light rail that serves points between Trenton and Camden, as well as issues with its Jersey Shore trains in recent weeks.
Assemblyman Christopher P. DePhillips, a member of the Assembly Transportation Committee, wants answers for NJ Transit’s abysmal service record amid continued service disruptions and cancellations. He is calling for a bipartisan, bicameral hearing to hold the failing transportation organization to account.
“Delays and cancellations seem to be the only thing riders can count on with NJ Transit,” DePhillips, R-Bergen, said. “I’m impatient with the same old excuses year after year. We can all see it is not a money problem, but a leadership problem. NJ Transit is beyond reform. We need new people who are going to be proactive, not reactive, leaving customers stranded and poorer.”
DePhillips vocally opposed the 2.5% corporate surcharge on businesses earning more than $10 million annually to plug NJ Transit’s budget. With that enacted, over his protests, the agency still went ahead with its 15% fare hike, which took effect July 1. He has demanded a top-to-bottom review of the agency to identify waste and pinpoint cost-saving measures.
“Colleagues on both sides of the aisle need to come together to get answers and create solutions that keep public transportation affordable, make New Jersey attractive to businesses and talent, and foster a thriving economy,” DePhillips said. “NJ Transit can be a part of that. We need leaders in there who share that vision.”
