NJ Transit raising fares? Here's what Middletown is doing to fight back for commuters

Olivia Liu, Asbury Park Press
·2 min read

MIDDLETOWN - The township committee may reduce NJ Transit parking fares under its jurisdiction in response to NJ Transit’s 15% fare increase.

An ordinance that is expected to be introduced by the township committee on Monday, April 22, and voted on at the May 6 meeting would reduce daily parking fees from $6 to $5 and annual parking permits from $375 to $315.

According to Mayor Tony Perry, the township sets the prices for Middletown’s six NJ Transit commuter lots. The revenue also goes to the township. In 2023, fees from those lots came to about $177,000.

Perry said the township is a “very big commuter town” with residents taking the North Jersey Coast Line and bus lines 834 and 817 up to Newark, Jersey City and New York City.

NJ Transit bus 817 at stop 25093 from Middletown to Keyport on Friday, March 18, 2022 in New Jersey.
NJ Transit bus 817 at stop 25093 from Middletown to Keyport on Friday, March 18, 2022 in New Jersey.

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The unanimous vote by the NJ Transit Board of Directors on April 10 to raise fares 15% as of July 1 was met with over 900 public comments objecting to the fare increase.

“With no true audit or rationale as to why 15% was the right number, plus an automatic 3% in subsequent years, that was what led us to the decision to try and help blunt the blow of the fare hikes (and) to try and help our residents,” Perry said.

NJ Transit officials argue the 15% fare increase would allow the commuter service to close a $106.6 million operating budget gap without reducing service.

The agency continued, “the increase also allows NJ Transit to continue operating the additional bus service abandoned by private carriers such as DeCamp, A&C and Coach USA’s O.N.E Bus.”

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Middletown’s six NJ Transit lots include two lots by the Middletown train station and four bus lots along Route 36.

According to a news release, Middletown’s fare reduction would take effect immediately after the second vote.

Olivia Liu is a reporter covering transportation, Red Bank and western Monmouth County. She can be reached at oliu@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: NJ Transit fare hike: Middletown cuts commuter parking fees