Riders could be paying 15% more for train and bus transportation starting July 1 if NJ Transit approves a proposed fare increase.  

The proposal — announced last month — also calls for an additional annual 3% systemwide fare increase, which will go into effect by July 1, 2025 and increase on July 1 for every subsequent year, according to an NJ Transit news release.  

NJ Transit says the increases are needed to close a $106.6 million budget gap that they attributed to a loss of COVID-19 relief funding, inflation, and the rising costs of services. The agency expects that these changes will lead to a fully funded 2025 operating budget that will avoid reduced service levels for the corporation.  

NJ Transit’s Board of Directors will vote on the measure on April 10. Before the voting, 10 public hearings will be held in various New Jersey counties from March 4 to March 8. The hearings include morning and evening sessions for the public to learn more about the proposed fare increase and provide comments.  

Comments can be sent via email to [email protected] and through an available online comment form until 11:59 p.m. on March 8: https://njtransit.my.salesforce-sites.com/customerservice/site_app#/fare_adjustment 

This proposal will be enacted on July 1 if approved by the NJ Transit’s Board of Directors.  

The public hearings schedule is as follows:  

Monday, March 4; 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. 

Cherry Hill (Camden County) 

Cherry Hill Public Library 

1100 Kings Highway North, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034  

 

Monday, March 4; 6 – 8 p.m. 

Atlantic City (Atlantic County) 

Atlantic City Convention Center – Meeting Room 309 

1 Convention Blvd., Atlantic City, NJ 08401 

 

Tuesday, March 5; 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. 

Paterson (Passaic County) 

Passaic County Community College – Paterson room 

1 College Blvd, Paterson, NJ 07505 

 

Tuesday, March 5; 6 – 8 p.m. 

Hackensack (Bergen County) 

Bergen County Administration Building – Conference Center 

2 Bergen County Plaza 1st Floor, Hackensack, NJ 07601 

 

Wednesday, March 6; 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. 

Trenton (Mercer County) 

Trenton Transit Center 

72 South Clinton Ave., Trenton, NJ 08609 

 

Wednesday, March 6; 6 – 8 p.m. 

Belmar (Monmouth County) 

Belmar Municipal Building – Council Chambers 

601 Main St., Belmar, NJ 07719 

 

Thursday, March 7; 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. 

Woodbridge (Middlesex County) 

Berkeley College Woodbridge Campus Student Center 

430 Rahway Ave., Woodbridge, NJ 07095  

 

Thursday, March 7; 6 – 8 p.m. 

Union (Union County) 

Kean University – North Avenue Academic Building 

Conference Center, Room 606, 6th Floor, 1000 Morris Ave., Union, NJ 07083 

 

Friday, March 8; 2024 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. 

Secaucus (Hudson County) 

Frank R. Lautenberg Station at Secaucus Junction – Long Hallway 

County Road & County Avenue, Secaucus, NJ 07094 

 

Friday, March 8; 6 – 8 p.m. 

Newark (Essex County) 

NJ TRANSIT Headquarters – Board Room 

1 Penn Plaza East, Newark, NJ 07105