The City of Jersey City is cutting Via weekday hours and Saturday service, claiming nearly $4 million in savings as budget season hits a critical juncture.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“Jersey City is facing a budget crisis that requires us to find savings everywhere, and forces us to make difficult choices. These service changes save the city nearly $4 million a year and focus our resources on the hours when people need the service,” Mayor James Solomon said in a statement.
“Reduced hours, no weekend service, and a higher base fare are prime examples of the types of choices we have to make to bring spending in line with revenue.”
Gothamist first reported in March that the city was mulling cutting Via altogether due to budgetary constraints. Solomon has since touted cancelling the Centre x Pompidou, Liberty Science Center High School, and Via projects to save around $55 million.
In a social media post this afternoon, the mayor said that his administration reached an agreement in principle to continue the Via transit service, albeit with cuts.
He added that both the City and Via are pursuing external funding to reduce costs to the City and potentially restore service.
Beginning July 1st, Via will run between the hours of 6:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. (the previous hour was 6 a.m. until 10 p.m.), with Saturday service – which began in March 2021 – being cancelled altogether.
Further, a flat fare of $2.55 per ride will be implemented, “excessively long trips” will be rejected, and the app “will force riders to use public transit when it’s a better fit for the trip.”
The latest changes come as Jersey City braces for a municipal budget introduction that will seek to compensate a massive deficit.
Solomon proposed a 20 percent tax rate on the third quarter tax bills, but pulled the resolution and instead held an impromptu presser on the budget at the beginning of Wednesday’s seven and-a-half hour City Council meeting, all as HCV first reported.
The first of several budget hearings will be held at the City Hall Annex on Sunday, June 28th at 7 p.m. ahead of a special council meeting to vote on the third quarter tax bills on Wednesday, July 1st at 6 p.m.
Launched under Mayor Steven Fulop on February 25th, 2020, Via won the 2022 Outstanding Program of the Year by the Intelligent Transportation Society of New Jersey and 80 percent of their 2023 rides served minorities, the city and Via said at the time.
