(The following story by Thomas Barlas appeared on the Press of Atlantic City website on March 8, 2010.)
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — NJ Transit would cut six train runs — including four on the weekend — from its Atlantic City Rail Line as part of a plan to help close a $300 million budget deficit through service reductions and fare increases.
While none of the region’s bus routes will be eliminated, there will be cuts in weekend service on four Atlantic City-based runs that will cause some riders to wait longer for a bus.
All the service and fare proposals take affect May 1. NJ Transit will first hold a series of public meetings on the plan, with one scheduled from 1 to 4 p.m. March 27 at the Atlantic City Rail Terminal in Atlantic City.
Spokesman Dan Stessel said every comment will be considered before NJ Transit takes final action on its plan. Public comments resulted in changes to NJ Transit’s proposed schedule and fare changes in 2005 and 2007, he said.
“The public comment period is very important,” Stessel said. “It’s very easy to come up with a proposal from where we sit, but there are some times where things get overlooked.”
Travelers at the Atlantic City Rail Terminal on Monday had mixed reactions about the proposed rail service cuts and fare increase.
“That’s crazy,” said Leslie Lawson, a Harrisburg, Pa., resident who uses the line once a month to get to and from the civil courthouse in Atlantic City. “For someone on a budget, that’s absolutely crazy.”
Bruce Foster, a retired Rowan University professor who lives on Farragut Avenue in Mays Landing, said he takes the train when he has errands to run in Atlantic City.
“There may be times when I drive,” Foster said of how the changes will affect him. “I do feel sorry for low-wage earners who will have to adjust.”
Larry Ettore is a construction worker who commutes to Atlantic City from his home in Waterford Township, Camden County, and the cost of his trip will increase from $3.75 to $4.75.
Ettore said he’ll still ride the train because the cost remains “cheap,” but added, “An increase isn’t going to do anybody any good now.”
The plan to increase fares and reduce rail and bus service is aimed at cutting a $300 million budget gap. Gov. Chris Christie also cut NJ Transit’s current state subsidy by $33 million, saying the agency must become more financially self-sufficient.
NJ Transit officials said the service cuts mirror a 4 percent drop in ridership caused by the slumping economy and previous falling gasoline prices.
The Atlantic City Rail Line runs between the Atlantic City Rail Terminal and 30th Street Station in Philadelphia.
Four of the six cuts involve weekend trains that now leave Atlantic City at 5:45 a.m. and 11:47 p.m., and depart Philadelphia at 1:50 a.m. and 7:54 a.m. The other runs to be cut are weekday trains that leave Atlantic City at 12:46 a.m., and depart Philadelphia at 4:24 a.m.
NJ Transit estimates the change will affect about 100 customers during weekdays, and about 425 customers on the weekend.
As on other NJ Transit rail lines, fares on the Atlantic City Rail Line will increase by 25 percent. The cost of an Atlantic City-Philadelphia trip will rise from $8 to $10.
While NJ Transit’s plan doesn’t cut any of the region’s bus route, it creates some weekend schedule changes. They include:
• Reducing service frequency to every 30 minutes after 6:45 p.m. on the Atlantic City-Hamilton Mall-Atlantic Cape Community College Route 502 on Saturdays. The 7:48 p.m. outbound trip from Atlantic City will be canceled.
• Reducing service frequency between 4 a.m. and 7 a.m. on the Atlantic City-Margate-Longport Route 505 on Saturdays and Sundays. The 7:14 p.m. trip from Margate will be cut on Sundays.
• Reducing service frequency during midday hours from 30 minutes to one hour on the Philadelphia-Atlantic City Route 561 on Saturdays and Sundays.
• Reducing service frequency to 30 minutes between Wildwood and Crest Haven on the Cape May-Atlantic City Route 552 on Saturdays and Sundays.
• Bus fare increases depend on the number of fare zones traveled during each trip.