NJ Transit riders, some who have many unused paper or virtual tickets, are upset after learning their old unused tickets, which previously had no expiration date, will be worthless after July 30.
The angry reactions came after NJ Transit started publicizing a new policy that all one way tickets will expire in 30 days, beginning on July 1. Before that policy was passed as part of the 15% fare increase package approved by NJ Transit’s board on April 10, tickets didn’t expire until used.
Several passengers, including Joe Versaggi, president of the New Jersey Association of Railroad Passengers, filed formal complaints about the policy change with the state Division of Consumer Affairs. Some hinted they may take the transit agency to court.
“We paid for those tickets under the conditions and terms in effect when we purchased them,” said Versaggi, adding he filed a complaint on May 6. “My 95-year-old mother has 14 tickets she can’t use by July 30. We’re stuck with them.”
Unlike other regional commuter railroads, such as the Long Island Rail Road and Metro North, NJ Transit doesn’t issue refunds for single ride tickets.
“It’s an underhanded practice. They got the money, now they’re stealing the transportation,” he said.
The Consumer Affairs Division confirmed it received eight complaints and determined it doesn’t have jurisdiction over NJ Transit and referred those cases to NJ Transit, said Lisa Coryell, a spokesperson.
“DCA does not have the authority to order NJ Transit to honor tickets purchased under the previous expiration policy,” she said. “The CFA (Consumer Fraud Act) does not apply to the sale of merchandise by government entities, including state agencies.”
DCA forwarded the complaints to NJ Transit without a recommendation, said Michael Symons, a DCA spokesperson.
Versaggi said the next step for passengers is to put pressure on the state legislature.
NJ Transit officials defended the policy as following other commuter agencies practice.
“NJ Transit’s 30-day expiration date falls well within the average range of other transit agencies, and affords our customers ample time to use a one-way ticket after it’s purchased,’ said John Chartier, an agency spokesperson. “As a standard fare policy, many transit systems in the country have expiration dates on one-way tickets.”
Some riders said they already wrote to lawmakers and legislative leaders about the policy change.
Eric Goldberg of West New York said he has 273 two-fare zone bus tickets that he and his wife purchased in 2023. They used money they had in a pre tax transit benefit account to purchase the tickets and stand to lose $955 due to the policy change.
Goldberg said his work situation, that had him commuting to New York, changed, resulting in the surplus of tickets.
Other passengers said they have many unused tickets purchased before the 2020 coronavirus pandemic which haven’t be used due to working remotely from home or working a hybrid schedule. Now they’re worried they wont be able to use them before July 30 and will lose the money they paid for them
“It’s about the past tickets already purchased and sold as non-expiring tickets,” Goldberg said. “These tickets have been sold as non-expiring. That is the only thing that matters here. Why does this agency believe it can do this to thousands, if not millions, of customers?
“NJ Transit is in a clear breach of contract here.”
NJ Transit officials said publicizing the change now “should provide customers with ample time to use any one-way tickets currently in their possession,” Chartier said. “We strongly urge customers to avoid purchasing any additional one-way tickets that they won’t be able to use by July 31, 2024 as they will not be refundable.”
Despite hearing public comments at the May 8 board meeting from some riders asking for the policy to be rolled back on the older tickets, NJ Transit CEO Kevin Corbett said there are no plans to do that.
He did hint there might be some case by case decisions made to give refunds in the case of hardship. Current NJ Transit policy gives no refunds for single ride tickets.
“If someone had a hardship case and they wanted to send that to customer service, we’ll take a look at it,” he said. “The reaction were seeing isn’t matching the data we have. We’re going to stick with the plan.”
NJ Transits fiscal year 2025 budget includes $25 million from the change in expiration date. An NJ Transit paper handout from the Bergen County fare increase hearing mentions implementing a 30 day expiration date on “all one way tickets” but did not specify that policy applied to previously purchased tickets.
One result has been an increase in the number of people trying to sell the tickets online. Facebook Marketplace saw an increase from 4 to 13 people over two days selling NJ Transit paper tickets, some purchased as far back as 2019.
Corbett said concerns about fraudulent paper tickets being sold second hand is one factor in placing an expiration date on the older tickets. “Having that expiration date minimizes that,” he said.
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Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X @CommutingLarry
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