Garden State Times

Senate Republican Leader Anthony M. Bucco has renewed his call for an updated audit of NJ Transit in response to ongoing delays, cancellations, and rail service suspensions that have stranded commuters throughout the summer. Trains servicing the Montclair-Boonton Line were delayed this morning and have frequently experienced service disruptions due to track maintenance, operational and mechanical issues, equipment availability, and cancellations originating from Penn Station.

"For six years, we've listened to Governor Murphy prevaricate about fixing NJ Transit while taking no action to fix the underlying problems we see on an almost-daily basis," said Sen. Bucco. "In March, Senate Republicans introduced a proposal to conduct an updated audit of NJ Transit because you cannot solve a problem that you don't fully understand."

The 2018 audit of NJ Transit found that structural and operational challenges, along with a severe lack of transparent communication with commuters, plagued the agency—the same problems the agency continues to struggle with in 2024.

"Since 2018, our aging infrastructure has continued to decay and COVID significantly changed commuters’ travel habits, but without an audit there is no way of knowing how to address these challenges," Sen. Bucco continued. "We cannot continue to raise taxes and throw money at NJ Transit and expect the agency to magically overcome these extraordinary issues without a proper road map for success."

NJ Transit raised fares by 15% for commuters on July 1, and the Murphy administration approved a tax increase on job creators without constitutionally dedicating funds for public transit. The agency also recently secured a $100 million grant to put electric buses on the street.

"NJ Transit commuters have endured hellish conditions that severely disrupt their wellbeing. Whether these delays and cancellations are a result of issues with Amtrak or Transit or a little bit of both, it is beyond time that they are corrected. In the meantime, Transit should be utilizing the money from the fare increases to put more buses on the street so riders have an alternative when train routes are cancelled," Sen. Bucco concluded. "NJ Transit needs to get back to the basics and focus on providing reliable, trustworthy, and transparent service for the Garden State."

To speak with Sen. Bucco, please contact Chris Sivel, SRO Deputy Director of Communications at [email protected].