Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Loses Millions Each Year

[Forest Glen]

The Hudson-Bergen Light Rail system is one of New Jersey Transit’s biggest money losers — and will remain that way even as it becomes more expensive to ride.

 

The losses can be attributed to the light rail's honor system of payment. Many people ride the trains without paying.

 

"The PATH has a system where you have to buy a ticket to get through the turnstile," said state Assemblyman John Wisniewski, who is chairman of the Transportation Committee. "Why aren’t we considering that?"

 

http://www.northjersey.com/news/93873464_Hudson-Bergen_Light_Rail_loses_millions_each_year.html

 

Every time I railfan the HBLR I pay the full fare. This is ludicrous.

[LRG]

If the POP system isn't being enforced well then that could attribute as to why it's losing money...not to mention this recession....

[Pablo M 201]

Not surprised. I rarely ever see the fare inspectors too.

 

The more they jack up the fare, the more people are not going to pay, go back to their cars, or take the bus.

 

We're in a recession. Riding public transportation should not be putting holes in our pockets.

[Nova RTS 9147]

Ive ridden HBLR so many times and I've never had my ticket inspected. Neither on NCS nor Riverline.

[SirJokaPlaya]

The amount of times I taken the HBLR, it's very rare that I see NJT PD to enforce that people are going on the LR with valid tickets. When I was driving the 84, 89, or the 181, I had people ask me if I was going to the LR. I said yes and they paid cash. Before I even rang them up, I asked if they wanted a transfer to the LR so the can board. 90% said nope, and the other 10% said "For what? No one ever checks." I think they need some turnstiles or something to make sure that the people are paying the fare.

[LRG]

The amount of times I taken the HBLR, it's very rare that I see NJT PD to enforce that people are going on the LR with valid tickets. When I was driving the 84, 89, or the 181, I had people ask me if I was going to the LR. I said yes and they paid cash. Before I even rang them up, I asked if they wanted a transfer to the LR so the can board. 90% said nope, and the other 10% said "For what? No one ever checks." I think they need some turnstiles or something to make sure that the people are paying the fare.

 

If they install turnstiles then they're going to have to make the system enclosed.

[SirJokaPlaya]

If they install turnstiles then they're going to have to make the system enclosed.

 

Hey, if they want to stop the bleeding, then they got to do something. I've taken the Newark Lightrail before too from Penn Station to the Lightrail Garage (Nice place, BTW) and there's nothing to enforce passengers to paying the fares. Lightrail is a great idea, but there has to be more enforcement. More NJT Police officers or conductors like on the trains.

[LRG]

Hey, if they want to stop the bleeding, then they got to do something. I've taken the Newark Lightrail before too from Penn Station to the Lightrail Garage (Nice place, BTW) and there's nothing to enforce passengers to paying the fares. Lightrail is a great idea, but there has to be more enforcement. More NJT Police officers or conductors like on the trains.

 

I can only wonder what would become of the Staten Island Railway when they try to make it POP (there's talk about it but it's not set in stone).

[EE Broadway Local]

Since Hudson-Bergen Light Rail serves Bayonne, Weehawken, Union City and North Bergen as well as Jersey City and Hoboken, it's kind of nice it has a "one-zone" fare (presently $2.10). Still, a short trip in Jersey City or from Jersey City to Hoboken is 60 cents more than bus fare for a similiar trip.

 

I'm not sure if this might play a factor in riders not paying their fare but just a thought.

 

Round trip:

 

Danforth Avenue to Stegman Street/Garfield Avenue

*HBLR (Danforth Avenue, Richard Street stations): $4.20

*NJT #6, #81 (on Ocean Avenue): $3.00

*R & T #4 (on Ocean Avenue): $2.90

[Pablo M 201]

*R & T #4 (on Ocean Avenue): $2.90

 

The fare for R&T in Hudson Co. is $1.35 one zone so round trip it would be $2.70 on the 4.

[EE Broadway Local]

The fare for R&T in Hudson Co. is $1.35 one zone so round trip it would be $2.70 on the 4.

 

Thanks for the heads up, Pablo. Red & Tan's website shows $1.45 as Route 4's fare.

[metsfan]

I just say more enforcement, maybe create some jobs to enforce the fares, one randomly deployed team of fare enforcement people on constant watch is all it would take. Just yesterday someone was riding with a ticket that wasn't validated, got a summons for like 150 bucks.

 

My girlfriend and i both have monthly passes, i for 12 zone trenton to newark rail, and her having 2 zone bus and 1 zone rail pass for nwk-ewr so we never really get tickets unless i don't have the pass that month. I use it on the newark light rail too. I've never ever seen the fares being enforced on the NLR ever.

 

Funny thing too about this, because during peak hours it's standing room only on most of the trains.

 

- A

[metsfan]

Since Hudson-Bergen Light Rail serves Bayonne, Weehawken, Union City and North Bergen as well as Jersey City and Hoboken, it's kind of nice it has a "one-zone" fare (presently $2.10). Still, a short trip in Jersey City or from Jersey City to Hoboken is 60 cents more than bus fare for a similiar trip.

 

I'm not sure if this might play a factor in riders not paying their fare but just a thought.

 

Round trip:

 

Danforth Avenue to Stegman Street/Garfield Avenue

*HBLR (Danforth Avenue, Richard Street stations): $4.20

*NJT #6, #81 (on Ocean Avenue): $3.00

*R & T #4 (on Ocean Avenue): $2.90

 

I'm not sure if you've ever ridden red and tan, but it's not worth the trouble vs the light rail, it's much faster, has its own right of way and goes to hoboken and farther north one seat, 2 if you wanna go from 22nd st line to bergenline ave line. To get to bayonne, say 34th street, you have to ride PATH to jornal square to catch red & tan route 10. Then NJT bus stops every block to let people on and off, takes a very long time.

 

Rail has always been more efficient than bus, that's why the HBLR exists, large capacity, quick trip, no diesel fumes along the street.

 

- A

[theaveragejoe]

The current system works fine the only thing NJT needs to do is enforce the POP so more enforcement officers would work and do the job

[Pablo M 201]

For a time, NJT had their police officers get on trains and check tickets. Its been a long time since I've seen them do that (hell I've been seeing less police officers patrolling the system).

[SirJokaPlaya]

For a time, NJT had their police officers get on trains and check tickets. Its been a long time since I've seen them do that (hell I've been seeing less police officers patrolling the system).

 

Well, NJT is cutting 200 jobs. Maybe NJT PD was part of the cuts........

[Pablo M 201]

Well, NJT is cutting 200 jobs. Maybe NJT PD was part of the cuts........

Probably are. But before NJT really got stiff, I've been seeing less and less of NJTPD roaming around, actually riding light rail trains over the last year or two.

[Nexis4Jersey]

I have to admit , i have fare jumped once. But the Train was coming and there was no time to buy a ticket , when i got to my final destination i did buy a ticket. Anyway , it shouldn't be that easy , there should be at least one person at every station making sure tickets are being bought. I think at the Bergenline avenue Station there are cops there 90% of the day making sure tickets are being bought.

[Pablo M 201]

I have to admit , i have fare jumped once. But the Train was coming and there was no time to buy a ticket , when i got to my final destination i did buy a ticket. Anyway , it shouldn't be that easy , there should be at least one person at every station making sure tickets are being bought. I think at the Bergenline avenue Station there are cops there 90% of the day making sure tickets are being bought.

At Bergenline Avenue, what the cops and fare inspectors do is wait when people are coming out of the elevators on platform level. As the people come back, they ask that everyone have their tickets handy.

 

I've been seeing less and less of that too at that station. Maybe during the weekedays on the rush hours they are there, but I've been heading up there every so often on the weekends and theres rarely ever NJT PD or the fare inspectors.

 

The team of fare inspectors I use to see on the daily, bounce around between the HBLR and the NLR (thats if they're still around).

[LRG]

Some sort of protocol has to be set in order to prevent farebeating. Do cops enforce the fare to the about-to-be farebeaters? They should be reprimanded too..even if they haven't done anything wrong (keyword: yet).

[metsfan]

Hoboken, JC, and Bayonne and NJ state cops have been on the trains and randomly checking at various stations.

 

- A

[Pablo M 201]

Hoboken, JC, and Bayonne and NJ state cops have been on the trains and randomly checking at various stations.

 

- A

I don't ever remember the local PDs such as JCPD, HOB PD, etc. along the light rail line having jurisdiction to check tickets.

[Pablo M 201]

Well well well, it seems this article has woken up NJT and the fare inspectors just a little bit.

 

Over the last week I've been riding the HBLR several times and I'm seeing the fare inspectors hang around once again and a little more. It was not often that I would see them actually on the trains during the rush hours, but now they're starting to do that again (especially on the lines north of Hoboken).

 

I wonder if I'll be seeing more of their presence....

[MTR Admiralty]

POP has its obviating flaws. LACMTA and TranslinkBC are in planning stages to install faregates on lines that currently use POP. In times like these, people find it a greater incentive to skip buying a ticket from the machine and risk the fine.

[SirJokaPlaya]

Well well well, it seems this article has woken up NJT and the fare inspectors just a little bit.

 

Over the last week I've been riding the HBLR several times and I'm seeing the fare inspectors hang around once again and a little more. It was not often that I would see them actually on the trains during the rush hours, but now they're starting to do that again (especially on the lines north of Hoboken).

 

I wonder if I'll be seeing more of their presence....

 

About time. HBLR is been nothing but a money drainer with mediocre enforcement of the rules. I'm glad to see something is being done.