New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced that New Jersey Transit will be free of charge for one week, from August 26th through September 3rd. The decision comes after a summer of delays and cancellations that have frustrated commuters. The free service will apply to all NJ Transit modes, including trains, buses, and light rail.
Governor Murphy made the announcement on Good Day New York, stating that he wanted to end the summer "on a grace note." While acknowledging that many of the issues were due to problems with Amtrak, he also admitted that some of the problems were NJ Transit's fault.
In a letter to Amtrak Chairman Anthony Coscia, Murphy voiced his disapproval of the series of infrastructure issues that have impacted New Jersey commuters. He pointed out that NJ Transit pays Amtrak over $100 million to maintain the tracks between New York City and Trenton.
Despite the free week of service, Governor Murphy acknowledged that it doesn't make up for the inconvenience commuters have experienced this summer. However, he promised that they are working to improve the service moving forward.