It's day three of New Jersey Transit's week long public hearings on a proposed fare hike, a system wide, 15% increase starting July 1st and 3% every year after the agency is defending the bump, which would be the first in nearly a decade.

Despite pushback from commuters about the change, participation at these hearings has been low and criticized for not providing virtual options.

Today, riders in Trenton shared those frustrations and reminded those listening that years of underfunding the agency is having a big impact on everyday lives.

Ted Goldberg reports.

You're not going to find many commuters happy to fork over more money to ride NJ Transit.

It's too steep, too soon.

I think they need to just roll it out.

You know, maybe one and a half at this July is coming quickly.

NJ Transit hasn't raised its fares for nine years, but fewer riders means they were staring down $100 million deficit for the next fiscal year.

Their next budget is balanced without any planned reduction in bus or train routes, thanks to more advertisements and a 50% increase in fares.

Gradual increase would have been better.

They're talking 15% increase.

Then they said all week there was no increase for ten years.

Wasn't anybody paying attention for the last five years?

I'm actually okay with it.

I know it's been a while.

People complain about everything.

It's been two years since they raised the fare.

Busses run on time and trains are always on time.

We realize that they need to do some upgrades.

Some of the stations, the trains themselves, we get it.

But, you know, to get here with that kind of increase in one shot is a lot.

Cost goes up.

Workers want to get paid.

I know.

I wanted to get paid.

Passengers air their grievances at the Trenton Transit Center today as part of a fifth public hearing regarding what NJ Transit calls fare adjustments.

Riders were upset about higher costs and some reduced services.

I don't think it's basically fair to pay more if you're not going to like add more to the service.

It's extremely difficult for me to catch a train to be here by ten.

I had to be out the door before 5 a.m. this morning.

The dropping of the flex pass is also a major problem for the people who benefit from that who aren't daily riders.

Adam Reich couldn't attend today's meeting because there was no virtual option.

In fact, none of the meetings this week had one.

I'm unable to attend an in-person gathering that does not have a masking requirement.

So for me, these hearings literally are not accessible.

We have other New Jerseyans who are similarly situated.

The lack of accessibility inspired Reich to start a petition with more than 200 signatures pleading with NJ Transit to let people attend these hearings virtually between the different times and locations.

Fewer than 20 members of the public have attended the first five meetings this week.

The idea that with the hearing on March 8th that's taking place in their boardroom, where they have the cameras and the microphones that livestream every other hearing.

The idea that they can't turn them on is just, you know, incredibly callous.

Not everybody can take time during the day to come here or take time from work to come here and express their concerns or support or whatever it is, just their opinion.

And NJ Transit spokesman previously said there would be no intention to offer a virtual option and said there were plenty of other ways for people to chime in.

There's no reason why New Jersey Transit can't provide a virtual option, especially at the Newark.

Hearing in its own headquarters.

These public hearings run through the end of the week.

So if you have anything you'd like to say on the subject.

NJ Transit says they're taking public comment up until Friday night at 1159.

In Trenton, I'm Ted Goldberg.

NJ Spotlight News.