LIGHT RAIL SCHEDULES NOW AVAILABLE VIA TEXT MESSAGE
â¿¿My Light Railâ¿¿ system provides customers with on-the-go schedule information for 61 light rail stations
June 8, 2011
NJT-11-025
NEWARK, NJ — NJ TRANSIT Executive Director James Weinstein today announced the latest in a series of enhancements to provide customers with on-the-go schedule information. “My Light Rail,” modeled after the agency’s popular “My Bus” system, enables customers to obtain schedule information quickly and conveniently via text message for the 61 light rail stations throughout the state.
“As part of our ongoing effort to use technology to improve the way customers access travel information, My Light Rail literally puts schedule information at the fingertips of any customer who has the ability to send a text message,” said Weinstein.
Last October, the agency launched “My Bus” to provide customers with unprecedented access to bus schedule information while on the go. To date, My Bus has issued nearly 250,000 texts with bus schedule information to customers.
Both My Bus and My Light Rail are based on a system of stop ID numbers—unique five-digit numbers NJ TRANSIT has assigned to each of its bus stops and light rail stations—that enable customers who have cell phones with SMS (text messaging) capabilities to receive schedule information for a specific stop directly to their phones.
Starting today, Newark Light Rail, Hudson-Bergen Light Rail and River Line customers may text their five-digit light rail station ID to 69287, and My Light Rail will respond via text message with the times for the next scheduled trips that serve that light rail station.
As part of the program, NJ TRANSIT will install new My Light Rail signs at stations statewide, displaying the light rail station ID and instructions for how to use the My Light Rail system.
Customers can also obtain their station stop ID online at njtransit.com/mylightrail. Simply select the light rail line and station from the drop-down menus, and the website will provide the light rail station ID.
My Light Rail is also improving the functionality of NJ TRANSIT’s IVR (interactive voice response) system. Now, when customers call NJ TRANSIT either directly at 973-275-5555 or via 511, they have the option of inputting their light rail stop ID number to get the next scheduled trips. Previously, the automated system could only provide light rail service frequency rather than specific trip times.
About NJ TRANSIT
NJ TRANSIT is the nation's largest statewide public transportation system providing more than 895,000 weekday trips on 240 bus routes, three light rail lines and 12 commuter rail lines. It is the third largest transit system in the country with 165 rail stations, 61 light rail stations and more than 19,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.