The fear of COVID-19 is making people think twice about taking the train to work.

But fewer riders can become a real problem in the long term for New Jersey Transit. Ticket sales make up almost 40 percent of the budget.

Len Resto heads the New Jersey Association of Railroad Passengers and says emergencies like these underscore how important it is for the state to create a dedicated revenue fund for the agency.

"There needs to be a stable source of funding and hopefully this is a good thing that comes out of this virus and this economic uncertainty," he says. 

New Jersey Transit officials say they're closely watching ticket sales and ridership numbers. Rail and bus ridership is down 20 percent this week, officials told WNYC.