New Jersey Transit riders will not face fare hikes in the 2013 budget. However, its board of directors pulled the breaks on some of its bus routes.

 The $3 billion budget covers the operating costs and the capital program to keep trains and buses running throughout the Garden State. Although, New Jersey Transit Executive Director Jim Weinstein says starting on September 1st, some of their bus routes, including 42, 75 and 93 in Newark, will be discontinued.

“On the one hand, we trimmed some service. But, frankly, it was way underutilized and very expensive to provide. We took a lot of the money, almost a third of the money, maybe more than that and reinvested it where there is growth.”

However, Janna Chernetz from the Tri-State Transportation Campaign says some testimony during recent public hearings revealed cutting such services will have a grave impact on the elderly and disabled.

“NJ Transit had said that there are alternate routes within a half a mile from some of these that were cut. But, for those who are elderly and disabled, a half a mile can mean the difference between being able to take transportation and not take transportation.”

Bus route 78 between Secaucus and Newark will remain in operation after enough passengers banded together to save it.