[Njagdu] Important, please review

Wed May 6 10:50:46 UTC 2015

NJT-15-031

Greetings to all!

**

April 20, 2015

NEWARK, NJ -Throughout the past five years, NJ TRANSIT held the line on fare
increases while maintaining high quality services and implementing new
customer amenities including MyTix, Departurevision, and MyBus Now.

However, costs such as contract services - Access Link, the organization's
paratransit service, Hudson-Bergen Light Rail and private carriers - and
healthcare and benefits, general liability insurance, workers' compensation
and pensions have steadily risen. As a result, NJ TRANSIT has been left with
a significant budget gap.

Although NJ TRANSIT has identified more than $40 million in reductions in
overtime, fuel savings, energy and vehicle parts efficiencies, the agency
still faces an approximate $60 million budget gap for the 2016 fiscal year. 

To close the gap, fare and service adjustments are being proposed.

NJ TRANSIT will hold nine scheduled public hearings and one information
session beginning Saturday, May 16, 2015 to allow the public the opportunity
to learn more about the proposed fare increases and service changes and
offer comments before the plan is considered by the Board of Directors on
July 8, 2015.

The proposed service and fare changes would take effect in September 2015
and on October 1, 2015, respectively. The proposed fare adjustment would be
an average of 9 percent for the majority of NJ TRANSIT customers.

Examples include:

NJ TRANSIT Rail

Origin

Destination

One-way

Current - Proposed

(Proposed Increase)

Round Trip

Current - Proposed

(Proposed Increase)

Monthly

Current - Proposed

(Proposed Increase)

Metropark

Penn Station New York

$10- 10.75

($0.75)

$20- 21.50

($1.50)

$284- 310

($26)

Clifton

Hoboken

$5.25- 5.50

($0.25)

$10.50- 11.00

($0.50)

$156- 170

($14)

Cranford

Newark Penn Station

$4.00- 4.25

($0.25)

$8.00- 8.50

($0.50)

$116- 126

($10)

Brick Church

Summit

$3.50- 3.75

($0.25)

$7- 7.50

($0.50)

$95- 103

($8)

NJ TRANSIT Bus

Origin

Destination

One-way

Current - Proposed

(Proposed Increase)

Ten Trip

Current - Proposed

(Proposed Increase)

Monthly

Current - Proposed

(Proposed Increase)

Hoboken

Port Authority Bus Terminal

$3.20- 3.50

($0.30)

$27.00-29.50

($2.50)

$98- 107

($9)

Lakewood

Port Authority Bus Terminal

$17.50- 19.00

($1.50)

$149-162.50

($13.50)

$411- 448

($37.00)

Newark

Willowbrook Mall

$2.90- 3.15

($0.25)

$25.00-27.00

($2.00)

$85- 93

($8)

Fair Lawn

Port Authority Bus Terminal

$5.50- 6.00

($0.50)

$47.00-51.00

($4.00)

$153- 167

($14)

Gloucester City

Philadelphia

$3.90-$4.25

($0.35)

$34.00-$37.00

($3)

$123-$134

($11)

NJ TRANSIT Light Rail

Origin

Destination

One-way

Current - Proposed

(Proposed Increase)

Monthly

Current - Proposed

(Proposed Increase)

Tonnelle Avenue

8th Street

$2.10- 2.25

($0.15)

$64- 70

($6)

Camden

Trenton

$1.50- 1.60

($0.10)

$50- 54

($4)

Newark Penn Station

Grove Street

$1.50- 1.60

($0.10)

$54- 59

($5.00)

The proposed rail and bus service changes are:

RAIL:

.         Pascack Valley Line:

Proposed Elimination of Train #1601, the 12:45 a.m. departure from Hoboken
(Details at Hackensack and Secaucus Hearings)

.         Montclair-Boonton   Line:

Proposed Elimination of Train #1043, the 1:35 a.m. departure from MSU 

(Details at Newark and Secaucus Hearings)

BUS:

.         419 Camden -    Pennsauken - Burlington:

Proposed Elimination of Service Between Riverside and Burlington City 

(Details at Camden Hearing)

.         463 Woodbury - Avandale Park-Ride:

Proposed Elimination of the Last PM Trip in Each direction (Details at 

Camden Hearing)

.         307 Freehold - Great Adventure

Proposed Service Discontinuance (Details at Freehold Hearing)

.         318 Philadelphia - Great Adventure:

Proposed Service Discontinuance (Details at Camden Hearing)

.         655 Princeton - Plainsboro:

Proposed Service Discontinuance (Details at Trenton Hearing)

.         872 Morristown - Route 10 - Livingston:

Proposed Elimination of Service Between Mack-Cali (Parsippany) and 

Livingston Mall (Details at Morristown Hearing)

Beginning on Monday, April 20th, customers may log on to www.njtransit.com 

for additional information regarding the budget and service adjustment plan.

To ensure an inclusive public comment process, NJ TRANSIT has scheduled nine

public hearings and one information session at locations across the state 

from May 16 through May 21.  The hearings and information session will be 

held in the evenings and on Saturday to encourage participation.

In addition to appearing in person, members of the public also may submit 

comments via mail to: PUBLIC HEARING OFFICE - FARE PROPOSAL COMMENTS, ONE 

PENN PLAZA EAST, NEWARK, NJ 07105; online at www.njtransit.com or dropped 

off at Customer Service Offices. The online public comment period will be 

extended until 11:59 p.m., Thursday, May 21.

About Public Hearings & Information Sessions

By statute, public hearings must take place on weekdays, in the evening, and

within the State of New Jersey.  NJ TRANSIT is supplementing its slate of 

public hearings with an information session on Saturday, May 16.  As a 

practical matter, there will be no difference in the way public hearings and

information sessions are conducted.  Public comments will be accepted at 

both and will carry the same weight.

All public hearings/information session locations are accessible for persons

with disabilities. A sign language interpreter will be available at each 

location. Individuals requesting special assistance or other accommodations 

to participate in a public hearing or information session should contact the

Public Hearing Office at (973) 491-7453 or TTY (800) 772-2287 between the 

hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. by May 6, 2015 in order for NJ TRANSIT to 

make necessary arrangements.

PUBLIC HEARINGS & INFORMATION SESSIONS

Saturday, May 16, 2015 

                                                1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

NEW BRUNSWICK (INFORMATION SESSION)

New Brunswick Public Library - Carl T. Valenti Community Rm.,

60 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ

Monday, May 18, 2015 

                                                   5:30 - 8:30 p.m.

ATLANTIC CITY

Atlantic City Rail Terminal - Lobby

One Atlantic City Expressway, Atlantic City, NJ

FREEHOLD

Monmouth County Agricultural Building

4000 Kozloski Road, Freehold, NJ

Tuesday, May 19, 2015 

                                                  5:30 - 8:30 p.m.

SECAUCUS

Frank R. Lautenberg Station at Secaucus Junction

County Road & County Avenue, Secaucus, NJ

CAMDEN

Camden City Hall - Council Chambers (2nd Fl.)

520 Market Street, Camden, NJ

Wednesday, May 20, 2015                                               5:30 -

8:30 p.m.

NEWARK

NJ TRANSIT Headquarters - Board Room

One Penn Plaza East, Newark, NJ

HACKENSACK

Learning Center, 4th Floor

One Bergen County Plaza, Hackensack, NJ

Thursday, May 21, 2015 

5:30 - 8:30 p.m.

TRENTON

Trenton Transit Center

72 South Clinton Avenue, Trenton, NJ

MORRISTOWN

Morristown Town Hall - Senior Community Center (3rd Fl.)

200 South Street, Morristown, NJ

PATERSON

Paterson Museum - Thomas Rogers Building

2 Market Street, Paterson NJ

About NJ TRANSIT

NJ TRANSIT is the nation's largest statewide public transportation system 

providing more than 915,900 weekday trips on 261 bus routes, three light 

rail lines, 12 commuter rail lines and through Access Link paratransit 

service. It is the third largest transit system in the country with 165 rail

stations, 62 light rail stations and more than 19,000 bus stops linking 

major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.

From: Patricia Ebel [mailto:patriciaebel0302 at comcast.net] 
Sent: Wednesday, May 06, 2015 6:26 AM
To: New Jersey Association of Guide Dog Users (njagdu at nfbnet.org); Lynn
Reynolds (Legislation) (lhr1827 at optonline.net); Alice Eaddy
(cherio_alice at icloud.com); annades at optonline.net; jdhiggins3 at verizon.net;
Joseph Braz (jbraz7 at gmail.com); Lester Cameron (underdogmj at comcast.net);
Classemt at aol.com; lydiakeller at comcast.net; suetillett at verizon.net;
jtruehaft at verizon.net; Charles McKenna (cpatmckenna at gmail.com); Jonathan
Goodman (j.goodman82 at comcast.net); pslwebber at aol.com; stever1215 at gmail.com;
danfb at verizon.net; Tara M. Carty (sugarfreet at gmail.com);
jluland at verizon.net; Jo Luland (joluland at verizon.net); Daniel Romero
(djdan567 at gmail.com); jessc1002 at hotmail.com; Ginger Kutsch (Ginger at ky2d.com)
Cc: joe ruffalo (nfbnj1 at verizon.net)
Subject: FW: [Nfbnet-members-list] Pics of Guide Dog Teams Needed

From: Nfbnet-members-list [mailto:nfbnet-members-list-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Marion Gwizdala via Nfbnet-members-list
Sent: Tuesday, May 05, 2015 2:01 PM
To: nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org
Subject: [Nfbnet-members-list] Pics of Guide Dog Teams Needed

Dear all,

                The National Association of Guide dog Users (NAGDU), a
strong & proud division of the national Federation of the Blind, will be
releasing a new brochure during our 2015 national convention. We are
planning to have several pictures depicting guide dog teams in action, such
as working in crowds, loading into a taxicab, entering a grocery store,
working in a zoo, going into a restaurant, etc. These sorts of
representations will not only convey the message that blind people are
active contributors to the life of our communities, they will also send the
message that disabled people accompanied by their service dogs have the
right to access places where the general public are allowed. 

                We would like to have good quality high definition photos of
our members for the brochure. Please send them to us as uncompressed files
attached to an email message. Please do not embed them into the message.
Sending one picture at a time will help ensure that the message is sent and
received, as some email services restrict the size of messages sent. Please
send your contributions to us no later than Sunday, May 10 to

Info at NAGDU.ORG

Thank you very much for your help!

Fraternally yours,

Marion Gwizdala, President
National Association of Guide Dog Users Inc.
National Federation of the Blind
(813) 626-2789
(888) 624-3841 (Hotline)
President at nagdu.org
http://www.nagdu.org <http://www.nagdu.org/> 

High expectations create unlimited potential for the blind!

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