NJ Gov. Phil Murphy won't raise transit fares following audit

Details of New Jersey Transit audit reveal a litany of problems

New Jersey is getting its transit back on track with the release of a 1.3 million dollar audit. Governor Phil Murphy said change is coming for NJ Transit, just not overnight. The new details of the million dollar audit he ordered in January shows the extent of the system's problems, from top-heavy management to minimal funding and a lack of strategic planning. So far, the state is implementing new recruiting measures and finding ways to fund transit reform without raising fares.

"The commuter has born the burden of funding this system for too long so we've put in place, as I've mentioned in my remarks, we're holding off on any fare hike at least until next June 30th," he said. "In a perfect world I'd like to see that go on even longer, but I'm not sure we're living in a perfect world."

Recommendations also include a streamlined leadership structure so commuter feedback doesn't get lost in the shuffle. The audit called for a change in organizational structure towards a more business-minded management approach in order to recruit and keep top talent, as well as move away from crisis management. It also cited a need to secure a source of consistent and dedicated funding

Murphy said state officials are already acting where they can administratively and working with the legislature on pieces that require collaboration. According to the Associated Press, Transportation Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti and NJ Transit Executive Director Kevin Corbett said any internal restructuring wouldn't include layoffs.

NJ Transit is the nation's largest statewide public transportation system with more than 900,000 trips across bus, rail, and light rail.

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Reported with information from the Associated Press