Official: 'Real World Consequences' For Commuters From Lack Of NJ TRANSIT Funding
TRENTON (CBSNewYork) -- Delays and system breakdowns have been on the rise throughout the NJ TRANSIT system, with some local officials saying lack of state funding is to blame.
With system-wide ridership rising to over 272 million, NJ TRANSIT is struggling with declining funding to maintain repair and expand the system, according to a new report.
To begin putting New Jersey on the right track, Assembly Deputy Speaker and Transportation Chair John Wisniewski said the state needs to adequately fund public transit, WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reported.
"I get the emails, I see the tweets and the Facebook posts about people who go to work every day and they're late because the train is late," Wisniewski said. "They're late because there's traffic and congestion or they can't get their bus into Port Authority bus terminal. These are real world consequences of our failure to invest."
Wisniewski said the path for NJ TRANSIT's operations is not sustainable in a climate where ridership is increasing and increasing inflation stretches dollars thin.
"You can't run one of the nation's largest transportation systems on a hope and a prayer, you need real money and real investment," Wisniewski said.
The report looked at 15 years of capital funding for NJ TRANSIT.
This new report comes as NJ TRANSIT officials work to strike a deal with its unions over wage hikes, as workers threaten a potential strike in upcoming weeks.
