Got to remember there are some hard core players and most are not. The casuals who make up most of our player base in the past need a easier ground to stand on. If someone doesn't have an hour to grind to get a load out then they are screwed. With the player base dropping, the hard cores will leave. There isn't anyone to troll with the grind time they have put in.
1) The economy needs to be easier, as stated above, we need the causal players.
2) Change the zones back for easier money, this is just an option, or make the payout greater with the distance people have to go.
3) With gangs that have money, the new players have a huge disadvantage. Get a drug run done, grab a load out, die by a text message from 500m, f that. It's a losing battle.