New Jersey Transit non union employees will loose free rides on NJT trains and buses beginning January 1, 2013. Yesterday the Board of Directors voted to end the perc after listening to many disgruntled employees object. The reason given is that the State of New Jersey can no longer afford to provide the free rides.
The new policy will not apply to union employees yet. However, at present NJT is negotiating a number of union contracts and the results of the negotiations are not known.
The privilege can be worth as little as $1.50 a day to a one zone bus rider or as much as $348.00 per month to a person who commutes from Princeton.
Here is a link to the report in the Star-Ledger: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/10/nj_transit_ends_free_rides_for.html
We are in an era of no careers but one of jobs...thus perks and loyalty are far from the minds of both labor and management. There are perks related to company products and services with any job beginning with the employee discount at entry level and up to corporate gifts on top. The railroad pass for employee and family has been such a perk almost since the beginning of time. As passenger trains disappeared from each railroad, so did the privilege of riding them on the home or other railroads and vice versa. Amtrak accepted rail passes but in an ever changing format and rules to where there may be a discount. Once, passenger trains were the only way to travel, employees pledged their loyalty and it was reciprocated and saluted by the employer. The minimum offered was a pass to go to and from work locations along the railroad, the premium was for free rides on most passenger trains across the continent for the employee and his family. NJT will still allow for employees in service, especially train, engine, operations (operators, dispatchers, agents), and maintenance and security to have free transportation to and from jobs but probably not for family or personal travel. Management outside of operations will probably no longer have any privileges. Nor will anyone have the privilege to ride LIRR, MNRR, SEPTA, Amtrak, etc. nor those agencies' employees of any level the same privilege on NJT. This, as I said, is in keeping with national business trend of restricting employee perks of any kind. However, there is a brotherhood whose members have winking eyes and respect for one another.
RIDEWITHMEHENRY is the name for our almost monthly day of riding trains and transit in either the NYCity or Philadelphia areas including all commuter lines, Amtrak, subways, light rail and trolleys, bus and ferries when warranted. No fees, just let us know you want to join the ride and pay your fares. Ask to be on our email list or find us on FB as RIDEWITHMEHENRY (all caps) to get descriptions of each outing.
Well, now ain't that gonna do wonders for worker morale.
I'm not sure it will, Firelock76, as times have changed. As I said, perks pertinent to many business are going by the wayside as employees...and even management...don't stay wedded to their jobs as in years past. A pass was a right proudly given and accepted by rail employees, a badge of accomplishment, a lot more than just free transportation but a membership card in an elite and important business in the USA, no matter what you did...flash that card and/or your union card any place rails on ties carried passengers and you were an accepted part of the family and not just another passenger. It's not really the same anymore, it is not as important nor a privilege so coveted as before. The camaraderie and feeling of brotherhood is still there among a few of the employees...we've had privileges and courtesies extended to ridewithmehenry trippers because some are retired rail employees, or because we might be wearing certain articles of clothing (and because we behave ourselves, don't get in the way of operations, don't ask questions or for privileges, are polite, and respond to requests without questioning them). Railroaders are a unique group. So much so that even the new railroaders soon learn to be part of the brotherhood family and develop the same kind of loyalties that earlier railroaders had. The lack of a pass for other than going to the job will not kill the feeling of belonging and serving.
However, there is one difference here, Henry. In the old days railroads were private corporations and responsible to their stockholders. New Jersey Transit and Amtrak are public entities and supported by the taxpayers.
That should have nothing to do with it overall...a perk is a perk and if part of the pay package whether written or implied, it remains. But yes, it was a completely different environment and culture before Amtrak and Conrail and all railroads having passenger trains. But, the fraternity still exists in spirit of many of today's employees if not as a formal structure or entity. And the demise of the perk has less to do with public ownership of the services as it does with the lack of other passenger services and the demise of perks for employees of all businesses.
henry6But yes, it was a completely different environment and culture before Amtrak and Conrail and all railroads having passenger trains.
I think we are pretty close to agreement here, Henry. I personally do not have a problem with this particular perk. It actually costs NJT nothing and there are advantages to having NJT employees ride the train. But today things like this are all matters of public discussion. I just don't know how this can be justified in a public forum.
But what is also different is that in the past the pass was good for the employee and anyone in his family to travel at will. Management passes were good on other roads or all passes allowed for the holder to request a trip pass for himself or any member of this family. Lack of trains, use of cars and planes all contributed to the lack of value or need of a pass; I am sure MNRR and LIRR don't honor NJT passes as happened yesterday. Today, it is good to get to and from and work but little else. But again, the "brotherhood" or fraternity will take care of their own within the area despite what rules say.
Well, some employers do provide a commuter benefit through Transit Chek or a similar program to their employees who use public transit. Traditionally, many employers have provided free parking for employees. The commuter benefit is recognition that fairness requires a contribution to those who do not use free parking.
Also there are programs to set aside part of an employees pre federal tax earnings including FICA and Medicare tax and issue a monthly voucher good to pay commuter transit costs.
No doubt you know New Jersey Transit sells monthly commutation tickets for about 30 per cent less than paying the daily fare would be. A monthly ticket may be used an unlimited number of times each month. It may be used on week ends and also in the evenings. It may be used on connecting rail lines and also on connecting bus lines up to the number of zones on the ticket. I have heard of cases where different family members use the same monthly ticket but that is against NJT's rules.
For all of that, many NJT employees are going to loose a perk they now enjoy. I think they will just have to get along without it.
The pass sounds like the vestige of the old home road pass. It used to be pretty simple. You could ride your road's passenger trains (most of them, anyway) for free.
This whole business became quite confused with the start of Amtrak. Employees of the frt roads at that time got "Amtrak Rail Privilege Cards". The benefits varied depending on your hire date. I'm not certain of all the details, but generally, you got some number of free Amtrak trips over any road if you hired prior to Amtrak's creation. If you hired after, you got a reduced benefit - I think there was an interim step between 1971 and 1976 for PC employees. When I hired in 1978, I got 1/2 off coach and accommodations on any Amtrak train. That got cut to 25% off coach fare in 1980 or thereabouts. There are all kinds of restrictions like you can only reserve 24 hrs ahead, you have to be the first standee on an oversold train, etc.
I imagine NJT just carried on the home road privileges into the current era - but they really belong to a different time when T&E service employees didn't commute long distances to work.
I suspect the pre-1980 NJT employees still get pass privileges on Amtrak.
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
henry6But again, the "brotherhood" or fraternity will take care of their own within the area despite what rules say.
Probably! The NJT conductors on the Atlantic City Line used to often "honor" the (non existent) pass privileges of Conrail employees who used the train from 30th St to Lindenwold.
I'm not sure of the situation with NJ Transit, but a fair number of transit agencies have statutory restrictions on who will have pass privileges.
I have no idea about whether or not NJT employees "honor" pass privileges from any freight railroad or Amtrak.
However, several weeks ago my newspaper reported NJT is cracking down on people who used forged monthly commuter passes and several transit riders were arrested. NJT now includes a hologram on monthly commuter tickets and railroad personnel examine it with an ultraviolet flashlight to be sure the ticket is valid.
It does seem to me to be unlikely that NJT would give people from other railroads privileges it refuses to its own employees.
Henry,
a few months ago two conductors on the Atlantic Coast Line were arrested for accepting cash from people and letting them ride without a ticket. Of course, this is not what you are really talking about. You talk about NJT employees who honor passes from other railroads and do not pocket any money themselves in the process. The two people I write about are alleged to be stealing from their employer. If you look at the comments there is one from a 36 year NJT employee who describes NJT's hired spotters who are looking to catch employees engaged in improper activities. I think a new day has dawned for NJT employees.
Here is the link: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/03/nj_transit_conductor_charged_w.html
John
Taking money in exchange for transportation but pocketing the money instead of turning it into the company is of course illegal and one should be punished. And the use of company spotters goes all the way back to virtually the first train. And no employee is going to jeopardize his livelihood by doing such things. And yes, giving fee transportation to one without asking for or selling a ticket to that person is just as punishable. One time our return tickets were not lifted because the ticket taker was the same one who sold us the ticket (yea, before ticket machines) earlier knowing that the lateness of the earlier train turned our day upside down and we were not able to carry out our plans.....Two other times the ticket collectors assumed our garb an demeanor indicated we were of the brotherhood and therefore never bothered to sell or collect. Once discovered in one instance, it was too late as we were getting off the train, an in the other he took the tickets. It happens. If caught they would be punished. But the point is that they will and do take care of their own.
henry6Taking money in exchange for transportation but pocketing the money instead of turning it into the company is of course illegal and one should be punished. And the use of company spotters goes all the way back to virtually the first train. And no employee is going to jeopardize his livelihood by doing such things.
Back in the 1980's Jerome Premo was NJT's Director. He was caught using an NJT credit card for personal expenses but he was given a second chance. When he was caught a second time he had to resign but there was no other penalty and he got on with his career. In 1999 NJT added his name to their hall of fame in Hoboken Terminal. You said it best, Henry. The railroads take care of their own.
John WR henry6Taking money in exchange for transportation but pocketing the money instead of turning it into the company is of course illegal and one should be punished. And the use of company spotters goes all the way back to virtually the first train. And no employee is going to jeopardize his livelihood by doing such things. Back in the 1980's Jerome Premo was NJT's Director. He was caught using an NJT credit card for personal expenses but he was given a second chance. When he was caught a second time he had to resign but there was no other penalty and he got on with his career. In 1999 NJT added his name to their hall of fame in Hoboken Terminal. You said it best, Henry. The railroads take care of their own.
Oh, that's not the railroads taking care of their own, that's just good old New Jersey corruption!
I'm shocked, shocked I say, that you suggest there is corruption in my own state of New Jersey.
The word "corruption" was not in the dictionary until NJ became a state...in fact, it was being germinated during Colonial times in the Pine Barrens from Raritan Bay water and Maurice River salt marsh being mixed with iron filing and pine cones...
Bite your tongue, Henry. Next thing you'll try to get me to believe the outrageous lies about Jay Gould and Jim Fisk watering Erie stock.
Sorry to shock you John, but if you want a fun read get yourself down to the nearest Barnes and Noble and look for a copy of "Notorious New Jersey" by Jon Blackwell, published by the Rutgers University Press. I got mine in the Paramus B&N on my last trip North. Let me quote from the introduction: "The work to rehabilitate the state's image has been admirable. This book will make no such effort."
It's a history of assorted criminals and various no-goodniks from Colonial times to the present. An entertaining and fun read, if at times a sad one. Oh well, "Wild Bill" O' Reilly from the Fox News Channel said it best: "People get the government they deserve!"
And NJ government gets the people it deserves but the population doesn't..
henry6 And NJ government gets the people it deserves but the population doesn't..
I would say "Amen, Brother" except for the fact they've got their own voting habits to blame, most of them, going back generations. When I saw that wasn't going to change anytime soon (back in the late 80's) I left NJ for Virginia. Virginia's run pretty efficiently, the population is treated like adults, and the politicians are honest, although some ARE full of themselves like other politicians are. The crooked politicians and bureaucrats are so dumb they get caught pretty quickly.
All that being said, I still miss New Jersey, the variety, the color, and the diversity both of the people and the landscape AND the food! I'm a Virginian by adoption (during the Civil War years I'd have been called a "Galvanized Yankee", blue inside with a grey coating outside) but I'll still be a Jerseyman 'till the day I die. I hope things change for you soon but I wouldn't bet the ranch on it.
Actually I think Rutgers is a good candidate for notoriety. Not too many years ago it cut academics to provide more money for football. Meanwhile football players use scholarship money (that is tax dollars) to rent hotel rooms and bring in local ladies for entertainment.
I left Jersey virtually for college in 1961 and have never had the yen to really return....but I love going down there to ride NJT, MNRR, LIRR, MTA, SEPTA, AMTRAK,etc...but not to live., no way....
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