TRENTON, New Jersey — Assemblyman Christopher P. DePhillips, R-Bergen, is again calling for legislative hearings to hold NJ Transit accountable for what the lawmaker says are multiple failings.
NJ Transit reported 1,820 train cancellations between June 1 and Aug. 31 that left commuters stranded along its Northeast Corridor line, the busiest rail in the nation. It is also the oldest rail infrastructure in New Jersey, if not the nation, making it vulnerable to adverse weather and mechanical issues.
NJ Transit officials also blamed Amtrak, from whom it leases tracks along the northeast line, for many of those service disruptions.
According to reports, the agency’s performance over that three-month period was the second worst of Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy’s seven-year tenure, only outdone by the summer 2020 season due to Tropical Storm Isaias, which shut down some train service for days.
“NJ Transit’s self-reporting condemns its abysmal service record,” DePhillips said. “It’s past time that we hold bipartisan and bicameral legislative hearings to demand real answers, not excuses. We need a top-to-bottom deep dive to identify inefficiencies and waste. New Jersey commuters and businesses deserve better.”
DePhillips, a member of the Assembly Transportation Committee, has repeatedly argued the problems are not due to lack of funds. Commuters were hit with a 15% rate hike July 1, with an automatic 3% fare increase every year. In addition, Gov. Murphy created a new tax on businesses making over $10 million annually to fill budget gaps at the agency.
The governor offered an olive branch to travelers, announcing a fare holiday Aug. 26 through Sept. 2 on NJ Transit train and bus rides. DePhillips blasted the move as a poorly timed public relations gimmick that reportedly cost $19 million.
“There are no free rides. People are rightly disgusted with meaningless gestures at taxpayer expense,” DePhillips said. “We need substantive change. Residents need reliable and affordable public transportation. Our economy and our families depend upon it. The governor and NJ Transit and Amtrak officials need to start taking this seriously. The blame lies solely with them at this point.”
