chrisg69911 Posted August 15 Share #1 Posted August 15 Murphy decided to make August 26 - September 2 a fare free week, as a way to say thank you for dealing with all the bs commuters had to deal with this summer. https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/nj-transit-free-dates-no-tickets-required-murphy/5707653/ 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
46Dover Posted August 15 Share #2 Posted August 15 You saw that too? When I went up to Springfield Mass for the model train show in January, I used the Pioneer Valley Transit buses and asked how the fare system worked up there Op told me it’s free on weekends, much to my shock and awe Now is trying it all these months later 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
553 Bridgeton Posted August 15 Share #3 Posted August 15 😂😂😂😂 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkm07302 Posted August 15 Share #4 Posted August 15 I saw it. It sounds nice but I know everything will be packed as hell. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawrence St Posted August 15 Share #5 Posted August 15 I know those 319's are gonna be PACKED! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkm07302 Posted August 15 Share #6 Posted August 15 3 minutes ago, Lawrence St said: I know those 319's are gonna be PACKED! I said the same thing. I was at the supermarket when news of this got out and heard three people ask 'which bus goes to Atlantic City?'. So I know it will be crazy. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
553 Bridgeton Posted August 16 Share #7 Posted August 16 5 hours ago, dkm07302 said: I said the same thing. I was at the supermarket when news of this got out and heard three people ask 'which bus goes to Atlantic City?'. So I know it will be crazy. Let the fun begin, thank god I don’t work that line no more 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkm07302 Posted August 16 Share #8 Posted August 16 (edited) 9 hours ago, 553 Bridgeton said: Let the fun begin, thank god I don’t work that line no more What your take on the Free Fare Week? To me, it seems nice but it just going to create a lot of headache for those who use the bus everyday and for drivers who will have to deal with all types of people. Also, you know some will "forget" that its one week and will go 'I though the bus was free', three weeks after. Edited August 16 by dkm07302 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B35 via Church Posted August 18 Share #9 Posted August 18 The irony of the same agency that just raised fares a couple weeks ago, offering a fare free week..... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Script Posted August 18 Share #10 Posted August 18 On 8/15/2024 at 6:04 PM, Lawrence St said: I know those 319's are gonna be PACKED! It's tempting me to want to be around Penn Station when a 319 is leaving just to see how much more packed than usual it will be since at best I only ever saw a few people on the bus. But, I know it's going to be hell since I normally catch the 1 so I'm going to have to really rely on the 1's that leave out of 20th Street Loop/and end there for most of those days. And I guess I'll see if I can take some kind of advantage of this myself since I use the bus card. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
553 Bridgeton Posted August 18 Share #11 Posted August 18 On 8/16/2024 at 8:28 AM, dkm07302 said: What your take on the Free Fare Week? To me, it seems nice but it just going to create a lot of headache for those who use the bus everyday and for drivers who will have to deal with all types of people. Also, you know some will "forget" that its one week and will go 'I though the bus was free', three weeks after. It’s nice but this is going to create a problem on the 319 especially. Imagine all the people going down and up, then on the 3rd when these people going to pretend they have amnesia. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jass Posted August 19 Share #12 Posted August 19 19 hours ago, Silver Script said: It's tempting me to want to be around Penn Station when a 319 is leaving just to see how much more packed than usual it will be since at best I only ever saw a few people on the bus. It would be good to have evidence that high fares are limiting ridership. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B35 via Church Posted August 19 Share #13 Posted August 19 On 8/18/2024 at 2:17 PM, Silver Script said: It's tempting me to want to be around Penn Station when a 319 is leaving just to see how much more packed than usual it will be since at best I only ever saw a few people on the bus 1) You mean Port Authority. 2) Whenever I'm on the 3rd level at PABT (weekends), the biggest lines are almost always for the #319.... I'd like to see those lines either wrap around the escalator, or actually have people waiting on those stairs adjacent said escalator for buses.... Because of crowding, I generally tend to refrain from taking the #319 from PABT anyway (I prefer doing the #139 - #559 combo to get to AC).... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BM5 via Woodhaven Posted August 21 Share #14 Posted August 21 On 8/19/2024 at 4:58 PM, B35 via Church said: 1) You mean Port Authority. 2) Whenever I'm on the 3rd level at PABT (weekends), the biggest lines are almost always for the #319.... I'd like to see those lines either wrap around the escalator, or actually have people waiting on those stairs adjacent said escalator for buses.... Because of crowding, I generally tend to refrain from taking the #319 from PABT anyway (I prefer doing the #139 - #559 combo to get to AC).... I interpreted it as Newark Penn Station, given there's those few trips that start from Jersey City and run via Newark. Not many trips but perhaps they may be people who flock to those trips instead of going into New York. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Script Posted August 21 Share #15 Posted August 21 2 hours ago, BM5 via Woodhaven said: I interpreted it as Newark Penn Station, given there's those few trips that start from Jersey City and run via Newark. Not many trips but perhaps they may be people who flock to those trips instead of going into New York. Yep.. I should have added "Newark" oops And since there's three 319 trips leaving Newark Penn Station on Weekdays for now. I can time it right and be around for the 10:02am bus on Friday August 30th to see how it looks. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B35 via Church Posted August 21 Share #16 Posted August 21 (edited) 9 hours ago, BM5 via Woodhaven said: I interpreted it as Newark Penn Station, given there's those few trips that start from Jersey City and run via Newark. Not many trips but perhaps they may be people who flock to those trips instead of going into New York. Whenever I see an MCI on layover at Newark-Penn, I always assume it's a #67..... I tend to forget about those JC#319 trips. ======================== Some coincidence that I end up planning a vacation when NJ Transit has this fare free week & what not.... I know I'm in a minuscule minority with this, but I'd rather pay for my rides & are not all that fond of these gimmicky fare free stints... Basically because my mind goes right to whatever potential, or actual aftermath (whether immediate or long term) ends up being the case, after the fact.... When Bee-Line & CT had those fare free stints, I didn't "take advantage" of it at all.... Now that NJT is going to have theirs next week, I'm hesitant of even fanning NJT that week.... I do want to do the #316 before service ends on that route for the rest of the year.... Kick it off with an early morning #139 → #559 combo, then the #552 → #316 → #317, then whatever I have time for in Asbury, after the fact (likely the #836 to the #67, but I'll see how things go).... Edited August 21 by B35 via Church 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawrence St Posted August 22 Share #17 Posted August 22 I never understood why those Jersey City 319 trips somehow took longer then the ones to Port Authority. Is route 1/9 really that bad during rush hour? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biGC323232 Posted August 22 Share #18 Posted August 22 (edited) 28 minutes ago, Lawrence St said: I never understood why those Jersey City 319 trips somehow took longer then the ones to Port Authority. Is route 1/9 really that bad during rush hour? It sometimes can be....That stretch between 440 And Raymond can be brutal some days thats despite having 3 lanes Edited August 22 by biGC323232 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Script Posted August 30 Share #19 Posted August 30 While I was too busy to be at Newark Penn Station when the 10:02am 319 showed up. I did stalk it on MyBusNow as it got close to Toms River P/R and it was showing the passenger count as heavy. I believe it. People can go over there to either win big or lose it all for a few hours then be back at the Atlantic City Bus Terminal for the 4:45pm trip back to Newark/Jersey City. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Spire Posted August 30 Share #20 Posted August 30 Something the MTA would never do. Remember when CT pushed for a New Haven Line rebate in response to a service disruption. Something that NY would be reluctant to do on their own. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
553 Bridgeton Posted August 31 Share #21 Posted August 31 (edited) On 8/19/2024 at 9:58 AM, jass said: It would be good to have evidence that high fares are limiting ridership. Ridership this week has been astronomical on the 319. Yesterday alone from 7am to noon, they carried 800ppl out of PABT, that’s not even counting the extras. At this very moment, Ironbound, Westwood and Oradell are helping. A Westwood guy yesterday had to pull a trip back to nyc because it was so out of control. And yes since the fares went up less people started riding, and watch how bad the ridership drops when fare free ends. If njt was smart they would omit the ridership numbers from this week because it won’t be accurate to determine service levels. Edited August 31 by 553 Bridgeton 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
checkmatechamp13 Posted September 4 Share #22 Posted September 4 (edited) On 8/21/2024 at 9:49 AM, B35 via Church said: Whenever I see an MCI on layover at Newark-Penn, I always assume it's a #67..... I tend to forget about those JC#319 trips. If it's on layover, it would still be a #67, since the #319 buses are passing through en route to/from Jersey City. I took the #319 twice during this fare holiday. On Saturday, I tried to take that 9:59am trip out of Newark Penn Station, and there were 10 seats left with about 65 people on the line, and they sent a bus from Ironbound about 30 minutes later (Full trip was Newark Light Rail - #319 - #553, bought some snacks at WalMart, then backtracked to Downtown Bridgeton for the #410 to Gloucester City, the #401 to Salem and then back up to WRTC, #419 to Riverside, RiverLine to Trenton, NEC to Newark, and Newark Light Rail home). Knowing what I know now, I definitely should've spent that extra time in Atlantic City rather than Bridgeton (also, the #410 could really use more service south of Mantua...I guess they figure people will just take the #553 to the #408 if they miss the #410 to Camden/Philadelphia) On Monday, I took the NJCL to Point Pleasant (it was running late and I thought I'd miss the connection if I got off at Asbury Park), #317 to Philadelphia, #551 to Atlantic City, and then the 9pm #319 to Newark (we had 50 people at Atlantic City, but I think part of it was because they had an extra 9pm trip direct to NYC that took care of those passengers) and the the #29 home. Edited September 4 by checkmatechamp13 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B35 via Church Posted September 4 Share #23 Posted September 4 46 minutes ago, checkmatechamp13 said: If it's on layover, it would still be a #67, since the #319 buses are passing through en route to/from Jersey City. I took the #319 twice during this fare holiday. On Saturday, I tried to take that 9:59am trip out of Newark Penn Station, and there were 10 seats left with about 65 people on the line, and they sent a bus from Ironbound about 30 minutes later (Full trip was Newark Light Rail - #319 - #553, bought some snacks at WalMart, then backtracked to Downtown Bridgeton for the #410 to Gloucester City, the #401 to Salem and then back up to WRTC, #419 to Riverside, RiverLine to Trenton, NEC to Newark, and Newark Light Rail home). Knowing what I know now, I definitely should've spent that extra time in Atlantic City rather than Bridgeton (also, the #410 could really use more service south of Mantua...I guess they figure people will just take the #553 to the #408 if they miss the #410 to Camden/Philadelphia) On Monday, I took the NJCL to Point Pleasant (it was running late and I thought I'd miss the connection if I got off at Asbury Park), #317 to Philadelphia, #551 to Atlantic City, and then the 9pm #319 to Newark (we had 50 people at Atlantic City, but I think part of it was because they had an extra 9pm trip direct to NYC that took care of those passengers) and the the #29 home. Yeah, should've read "an MCI at Newark-Penn".... Point being, I just don't think about the #319 when I'm at Newark. I didn't bother doing any NJT fanning this past week... Did a Brooklyn/Queens trip, a NICE trip, and a Bee-Line trip (which I didn't know had a fare free stint that week also) that week instead.... Whenever I ride the full #553 in that direction, I much prefer spending that extra time waiting for the Philly bound #410 in Upper Deerfield, over waiting for it at the first stop in Bridgeton... There's a pizza hut in the back end of that shopping plaza behind that mcdonald's in Upper Deerfield, so I usually stop off there after hitting up the Wawa's (just short of that walmart you mention) for some water/soda, and snacks & what not.... As for #410 service, I'm surprised it has as many total trips as it does, TBH.... As for the NJT (rail), I've heard/read the stories of all the delays people had on them this past week.... That, and the regular commuters getting all PO'd about the influx of people on trains they normally embark on.... I mean it does make sense (all things considered), but still, Lol at supervision having #319's go straight to PABT from AC.... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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