(The following article by Larry Higgs was posted on the Asbury Park Press website on October 14.)
ASBURY PARK, N.J. — When fares go up, ridership usually goes down, but that wasn’t the case this summer when NJ Transit fares increased and more people continued to ride the agency’s trains and buses anyway.
From July 1 to Sept. 30 — the first quarter of fiscal year 2006 — ridership systemwide was up 5 percent. During that time, the North Jersey Coast Line saw 7.5 percent more riders or almost 30,000 passengers a day, said Dan Stessel, NJ Transit spokesman.
“Normally there is a diversion of 2 to 3 percent. Instead we saw an increase,” Stessel said. “We bucked the trend and swung to get 5 percent.”
NJ Transit fares increased by an average of 9 percent on July 1.
Bus ridership increased 3 percent, with some lines to New York seeing the greatest growth of 6 percent, and rail ridership was up 7 percent, he said.
“It’s difficult to attribute that to a single factor; the high cost of gas would have something to do with it,” Stessel said. “More importantly is the additional service.”
In fiscal year 2005, an average of 28,950 riders took North Jersey Coast Line trains each weekday, he said.
That doesn’t mean cost is no object for some riders interviewed waiting for a New York train at Red Bank.
“It’s a little expensive,” said Suzy Naguid of Old Bridge, a student at Rutgers Newark. “I get a discount but it’s a killer.”
For two other passengers, the increased fare is still cheaper than driving and wouldn’t make them change travel modes.
“It’s an easier way to go,” said Colin Dykstra of Fair Haven.
His friend, Brian Allen, also of Fair Haven, agreed.
“I thought of the (Academy) bus, but I don’t know what their prices are,” Allen said. “Plus the price of gas went up a lot.”
For most riders, taking another means of transportation isn’t an option, said Douglas Bowen, president of the New Jersey Association of Railroad Passengers.
“The threat of taking my business elsewhere isn’t that easy, and that’s before we get in to rising gas prices,” Bowen said. “We’re pleased they’re touting the numbers — it’s promoting their reason for existing.”
To meet the increased demand, new schedules, which will take effect on Oct. 30, will add trains and buses, Stessel said.
The greatest increase of 3,000 seats will be on the Northeast Corridor. An additional 400 seats will be added on the Coast Line by adding one train car to two morning rush hour trains, Stessel said. Those seats will be gained by better utilization of equipment, he said.