MEETING THE CAPACITY NEEDS OF NJ TRANSIT CUSTOMERS
New Trains, More Seats On the Way
As part of an ongoing campaign to build capacity, NJ TRANSIT will add more than 2,000 seats to its train service this fall in response to customer feedback.
Since May 2002, NJ TRANSIT has added 50 trains per weekday – more than 20,000 seats during the peak period, and 68 extra trains on weekend days. Today, the Corporation operates 4,575 trains per week, compared to 4,176 trains in the summer of 2002.
“A year ago, Governor James E. McGreevey challenged us to reduce the crowding on our trains, particularly during the peak period,” said DOT Transportation Commissioner and NJ TRANSIT Board Chairman Jack Lettiere. “NJ TRANSIT is delivering on that pledge and has virtually eliminated the worst of the overcrowding on the system,” he added.
“We will continue to track and monitor demand on a train-by-train basis, and ensure that we put every possible seat where customers need it the most,” said Executive Director George Warrington.
To that end, on October 26, NJ TRANSIT will change its schedule, adding more than 2,000 more seats and 10 more trains. Using a load-factor analysis, the Corporation is able to make its service more efficient, matching supply with demand. When average ridership reaches 95 percent of seat capacity, NJ TRANSIT looks for ways to make adjustments on affected trains.
The 10 new weekday trains include:
· Northeast Corridor:
o Train No. 3826 will depart Trenton at 7:17 a.m., make limited stops and arrive at Penn Station New York at 8:27 a.m.
o Train No. 3916 will depart Trenton at 6:22 a.m., make stops at Hamilton and Princeton Junction, express to at Penn Station Newark and arrive at Penn Station New York at 7:30 a.m.
NEWARK, NJ, October 8, 2003 – As part of Governor James E. McGreevey’s “Smart Growth” initiatives, the NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors today authorized two long-term lease agreements with the Township of Montclair to redevelop property adjacent to the Montclair-Boonton Line’s Bay Street Station.
The agreements will result in expanded commuter parking and a significant transit-oriented development project for the community that is benefiting from the Corporation’s new MidTOWN DIRECT – Montclair service.
“These agreements affirm Governor McGreevey’s commitment to “Smart Growth” and, when used properly, the initiatives can increase economic development for a community such as Montclair,” said NJ TRANSIT Board Chairman and State Transportation Commissioner Jack Lettiere. “The increase in commuter parking spaces near the station also falls in line with the Governor’s push to increase parking along our transportation corridors.”
“Montclair is turning to transit-oriented development, combining the redevelopment of town centers with the desire to provide residents with an alternative to the automobile,” said NJ TRANSIT Executive Director George D. Warrington. “These lease agreements will help Montclair’s planning efforts to attract new residents, generate additional tax revenue for the community, and help our commuters with additional parking, which is needed throughout our transit system.”
The first agreement allows Montclair to sublease property to Lincoln Montclair Urban Renewal LLC to construct a 160-unit apartment building along with 160 residential parking spaces and a daycare center. The second agreement will support the construction of a 225-space rail· North Jersey Coast Line:
o New train No. 3500 will depart Perth Amboy at 6:17 a.m. make local stops and arrive in Penn Station New York at 7:13 a.m.. This will allow Train No. 3210, the 5:32 a.m. departure from Long Branch that arrives in New York at 6:54 a.m., to operate express between Woodbridge and Newark Penn Station
· Pascack Valley Line:
o Train No. 1600 will depart Spring Valley at 5:14 a.m., make all local stops and arrive in Hoboken at 6:20 a.m.
o Train No. 1614 will depart Spring Valley at 7:24 a.m., make limited stops and arrive in Hoboken at 8:32 a.m.
o Train No.1623 will depart Hoboken at 3:57 p.m., make local stops and arrive in Spring Valley at 5:08 p.m.
o Train No. 1637 will depart Hoboken at 6:22 p.m. and arrive in Spring Valley at 7:28 p.m.
· Port Jervis Line:
o Train No. 50 will depart Port Jervis at 5:55 a.m., operate as an express and arrive at Hoboken at 8:01 a.m.
o Train No. 58 will depart Middletown at 10:31 a.m. and arrive in Hoboken at 12:13 p.m.
o Train No. 59 will depart Hoboken at 6:08 p.m. and arrive in Port Jervis at 8:15 p.m.
In addition, NJ TRANSIT has identified a handful of trains in the peak period where it will add cars to provide more seats – examples include MidTOWN DIRECT Train No. 6699 will go from six cars to eight cars, and Northeast Corridor Train No. 3877 will go from 10 cars to 12.
In the past 17 months, significant weekday service increases have improved the following lines:
· Montclair-Boonton Line Montclair-MidTOWN DIRECT service – 51 trains per weekday toda commuter parking deck in which NJ TRANSIT will contribute $2.5 million toward its construction. Both lease agreements are for 99 years and NJ TRANSIT will charge $1 in rent per year. y compared to 26 trains.
· Northeast Corridor – 112 trains per weekday compared to 96.
· North Jersey Coast Line – 104 per weekday compared to 101.
· Princeton Junction (Dinky shuttle) – 82 trains per week compared to 78.
· Pascack Valley service – 19 trains per weekday compared to 17.
Since joining NJ TRANSIT in May 2002, Warrington has focused on initiatives that put the Corporation’s customers first. He implemented a “Back to Basics” policy that invests first in customer service, reliability, capacity and the maintenance of today’s system, while continuing to plan for future demand.
NJ TRANSIT is the nation's largest statewide public transportation system providing bus, rail and light rail services for 752,600 daily trips on 238 bus routes, two light rail lines and 11 commuter rail lines. It is the third largest transit system in the country with 162 rail stations, 28 light rail stations and more than 17,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.