Commuters can enjoy endless free train rides under new initiative & they don’t need to apply – but it won’t last forever
MILLIONS of train riders could be in for a free commuter treat.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced a calendar of fare-free days on the state's trains after a year of headline-grabbing issues.
Starting August 26 through September 2, 2024, all rides on NJ Transit will be free, the Governor announced.
The fare waiver applies across all NJ Transit options.
Riders who have already purchased their August monthly pass can also snatch a bonus.
The state is offering a 25% discount on their September pass.
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The discount will automatically apply via the transit's mobile app. Riders can also obtain their discounts through ticket machines and ticket windows.
Governor Murphy said the fare holiday is a gesture of gratitude to the hundreds of thousands of loyal riders who rely on the state's public transit network.
He also said it's in response to a summer plagued by service disruptions.
"We want to end the summer on a positive note," Murphy said, according to My Central Jersey.
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"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."
The fee freeze comes months after transit officials bumped the price of getting on a train.
In July, NJ Transit launched a 15% fare increase.
It was the first fare bump in nine years.
New Jersey train riders have endured a year of service delays as the commuter rail makes short and long-term infrastructure improvements.
Riders have experienced growing delays along the Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor, the state said.
On-time rates dropped to just 69%, an 11% drop from the transit's average.
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
Phil Murphy
State regulators have sent more inspectors to the stations to resolve small infrastructure issues, while Amtrak officials have applied electrical repairs to the trains.
Amtrak also announced that the federal government had granted the company a $300 million grant to fix the wiring in the corridor.
The state said the changes have led to a "noticeable decrease" in delays across several lines.
The Transit also faced a barrage of headlines last December after a free-roaming bull escaped a nearby slaughterhouse and ran along the tracks.
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The animal's freedom cost riders a 45-minute delay from Newark's station as police attempted to wrangle the bull.
The bull now lives at Skylands Animal Sanctuary in Wantage, New Jersey.