The Port Authority's planning and development committee today approved a Jan. 1 fare increase and 35 percent service reduction effective March 13 to address a $47 million deficit in its current budget.
"We are painfully aware of how devastating these service cuts will be, particularly for riders who depend on transit as their lifeline to work, medical appointments, schools and everyday living," said Guy Mattola, the committee chairman.
Officials have estimated that 45 to 50 routes would be fully eliminated and weekend and evening service sharply cut back. Fifty neighborhoods that currently have service would have none after March 13.
The Jan. 1 increase will raise the base fare by 25 cents to $2.25, the Zone 2 fare by 50 cents to $3.25 and transfers by 25 cents to $1.
Wendy Stern, the authority's assistant general manager for planning and development, said the service cuts could be modified if the agency gets more state funding before March, a prospect that most observers now consider unlikely.
The budget for the fiscal year that begins in July also will have a projected deficit of up to $30 million, according to authority CEO Steve Bland.
"We must immediately begin to plan for another round of service cuts . . . if there is no solution to the transportation funding crisis," Ms. Stern said. "There's nothing pretty about it." A second wave of reductions could come as soon as July.
The full board is scheduled to vote on the March service cuts and Jan. 1 fare increases next Wednesday. The cuts are the biggest in the authority's history and would leave service levels at just more than half of what they were in 2007, before a 15 percent service cut.
"We are painfully aware of how devastating these service cuts will be, particularly for riders who depend on transit as their lifeline to work, medical appointments, schools and everyday living," said Guy Mattola, the committee chairman.
Officials have estimated that 45 to 50 routes would be fully eliminated and weekend and evening service sharply cut back. Fifty neighborhoods that currently have service would have none after March 13.
The Jan. 1 increase will raise the base fare by 25 cents to $2.25, the Zone 2 fare by 50 cents to $3.25 and transfers by 25 cents to $1.
Wendy Stern, the authority's assistant general manager for planning and development, said the service cuts could be modified if the agency gets more state funding before March, a prospect that most observers now consider unlikely.
The budget for the fiscal year that begins in July also will have a projected deficit of up to $30 million, according to authority CEO Steve Bland.
"We must immediately begin to plan for another round of service cuts . . . if there is no solution to the transportation funding crisis," Ms. Stern said. "There's nothing pretty about it." A second wave of reductions could come as soon as July.
The full board is scheduled to vote on the March service cuts and Jan. 1 fare increases next Wednesday. The cuts are the biggest in the authority's history and would leave service levels at just more than half of what they were in 2007, before a 15 percent service cut.