New Jersey Transit service cuts were, not surprisingly, angering some daily commuters Monday morning.

There were fewer trains, along with a longer wait for more crowded cars.

NJ Transit officials say they tried to target lines with the lowest ridership, but the nation’s third-largest provider of bus, rail and light rail transit cut at least two trains from each line. The changes began Monday morning.

On top of a 25 percent fare increase, NJ Transit is canceling seven trains on the Morris and Essex line, four on the Main/Bergen Line, and, effective later this summer, two trains on the Pascack Valley Line.

Riders have protested the service cuts before, but agency officials say with $300 million budget deficit, they had to make the unpopular decision to cut lines.

The net effect of most of these changes will be visible in the evening rush because most of the cancellations are on afternoon trains.

The head of NJ Transit said there was 2.6 percent drop off inbos and train passengers in the first week of the fare hike.

Officials had been bracing for up to a 5 percent drop off.

(Source: WCBSTV)