Thanks to Clever Commute’s Josh Crandall and rider Evan Cutler for sending us word of this 15 cents-per-ride fare increase on Decamp, which goes into effect on Monday, Sept. 26.
Decamp says the increase is due to the Port Authority’s 150 percent increase in the toll charge for buses crossing into Manhattan, which goes into effect on Sunday.
Tell us, will the 15 cents make any difference to you?
The writing, spelling and grammar surcharge will be brutal.
though I have to admit, there is a part of me that really likes that notice, warts and all, because you can feel the person behind it.
Well, it’s like the old show tune:
“Seven-and-a-half cents doesn’t cost a helluva lot,
Seven-and-a-half cents doesn’t mean a thing,
but give it to me every hour, 30 hours every week,
that’s enough for me to be living like a king.”
Just substitute 15 cents for 7.5 and you’ll see what I mean. I would rather have it in MY pocket than give one more dime to DeCamp.
Does this mean that the service will improve by 15%? I thought so.
“Does this mean that the service will improve by 15%? I thought so.”
Yes and No. First, Unless you are paying $1.00 to get into the city, it’s not a %15 percent increase, it’s $.15 cents. And let’s say that Decamp eats the added fuel ($1.20 per gallon + 150% toll hike of whatever that rate is). Do you think their service would stay the same? No, it would be worse. Workers would be let go to lower overhead. Improvements would be limited to what needs to be done (Brakes) vs what would be nice for the commuter (replace worn cushions)
Nobody likes a cost of living increase without a raise in pay, but we shouldn’t expect the same product to be better because now it costs more. My first car ran on $.88 cent gas, and now it runs on $3.57 gas. (The “service” difference is that when it was $.88cents, the employees knew directions, and now they couldn’t tell you what street you are on!)
I have a car that runs on diesel and the prices for that fuel is incredible! So, imagine tanking up one of those busses.
“Does this mean that the service will improve by 15%? I thought so.”
Obviously a greedy landlord is to blame.
It’s unfortunate the post doesn’t have the full message, unless it’s been revised. The version I saw last week had DeCamp complaining about Port Authority and implying that the PA is violating some duty to the public in raising tolls.
I would imagine tolls could be raised to a level in which those that drive now turn to a bus instead. Rather than complaining about tolls for buses, they should have been out arguing for the same 150% increase for cars. DeCamp is always focused on their costs rather than the benefits of increased ridership. Although given their performance the past couple of weeks, I’m not sure any current rider would like to see increased ridership.
By the way… the toll increase is $6. $0.15 per ticket works out to $0.30 per passenger since tolls are only paid in one direction. This implies that on average, if the increase was strictly based on tolls, only 20 people are riding the bus per trip—less than 50% utilization. While I’ve been on buses with 10 or fewer, that seems to be rare, and on average that would be a terrible business model. Looks like someone at DeCamp is getting a raise…
Seriously, I would be willing to overlook buses from the Eisenhower era, dessicated seat cushions, burnt out reading lights, even the occasional overcrowding if they couild just make more of an effort to adhere to a schedule! My comment is directed more to the evening crew than the morning crew, by the way.
DeCamp’s prices are already outrageously high! To take them from the Brookdale section of Bloomfield, it will cost $7.15 one-way — for a mere 11-mile bus ride. It costs $4.10 on NJT and PATH to go to the same place (Midtown), or to have the option of various other sections of Manhattan, which riding DeCamp would require you to cough up subway fare as well in order to get to (so, riding DeCamp would cost you about $9.15 to get to downtown, whereas NJT and PATH charge only $4.10).
On the other hand, the tolls are already outrageously high and should come WAY down. A toll hike is totally inexcusable and shows monopoly power.
The irony here is that everyone, from politicians to Port Authority, is out there extolling the benefits of public transportation. It’s greener, it’s cheaper, it’ll cut down on congestion, it’ll put hair on your chest, whatever, but they give us no incentive to use it. Many, like myself, don’t have much of a choice but there are some who are fence sitters. Raising prices and tolls (which are passed on to the riders) is NOT the way to get more people to switch over.
its like, wouldnt mind the fair increase if the service was a little better … every god damn seat on every bus is broken…long lines at port auth every single night…uninformed drivers due to inept dispatchers, etc etc etc etc…. this company is kind of a joke…
I think 15 cents to take care of the increased tunnel fares is reasonable.
Legacy costs, old equipment and sub-par labor relations limit options for this private carrier. Prices compare with NJTransit trains. I’ll accept the above post regarding the less expensive, presumably slower, option on the NJTransit bus to the Path train.
I drove in tonight. I believe I read a sign stating the $8 toll I just paid was rising to $12 in a week or so.