It's Official: They Suck

WTF, NJ Transit?

This is the agency that is preparing its ridership for 20 - 30 percent fare hikes this summer. The agency that needs the extra revenue just to survive. And yet, today on the 5:54 - the crowded 5:54 - not one single ticket was collected. A reversal of fortune, perhaps? A cache of transit checks has been discovered in a basement file cabinet and the agency's financial woes are now resolved? There is, perhaps, such a windfall, that not only are the fare increases off the table, the agency is now giving away rides to its loyal patrons. Well, huzzah and hallelujah Hannah!

Or was it just continued inefficiency and apathy? "Ah, throw the chumps a free ride, we'll be rich soon enough...bwahahahaha."

Well, inquiring minds wanted to know, so I called customer service at NJ Transit the minute I got to my car at Jersey Avenue. The automated system informed me that my wait time to speak with a rep would be under five minutes. Suffice it to say, I drove from Jersey Avenue to South Brunswick, stopped for gas, dropped a check off for my doctor, and drove home to Princeton. 43 minutes and 47 seconds. I gave up.

But, rest assured, I will keep trying. I am dying to hear the explanation not only for having blown me off on the phone tonight, but how in God's green earth, NJ Transit can be so blatantly and publicly stoopid about not making an effort to charge people for the very service they are there to provide (if only in a highly mediocre way.) I also want to know exactly what NJ Transit is prepared to do to compensate me for my inconvenience. Last time, they threw me two courtesy tickets. Seems like they are big on the giving tickets away thing...