NEW ARTICULATED BUS DISPLAYED

NJ TRANSIT Shows Off Prototype

NEWARK, NJ, January 15, 2003 – The NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors today authorized a financing plan to fund the construction of two new regional park/rides on the Main Line in Ramsey and on the Montclair-Boonton Line in Little Falls. The park/rides will help NJ TRANSIT address current and future ridership growth on New Jersey’s commuter rail system.

“Today we are taking a critical step in alleviating congestion on New Jersey's highways and making mass transit more accessible,” said Acting State Transportation Commissioner and NJ TRANSIT Board Chairman Jack Lettiere. “If we want to take cars off our highways, we must make transportation a viable option. For too long, the need for commuter parking has been ignored.”

“These two parking expansion projects are consistent with Governor McGreevey’s Smart Growth initiative and our ‘Back to Basics’ approach to increasing capacity on the NJ TRANSIT system,“ said NJ TRANSIT Executive Director George D. Warrington. “Specifically, these two new parking decks will greatly increase access to mass transit, providing nearly 2,800 available spaces for customers and additional travel alternatives for our current and future riders.”

NJ TRANSIT will begin construction shortly on the two new parking decks – the 1,500-space parking deck planned for the new Montclair State University (MSU) Station on the Montclair-Boonton Line in Little Falls and the 1,264-space parking deck planned for the new Route 17 Station on the Main Line in Ramsey. NJ TRANSIT has worked closely with MSU, Little Falls and Ramsey representatives to gather input on the final design of the stations and parking decks – which are scheduled for completion in spring 2004.

The sale of tax-exempt bonds from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) will fund t

NEWARK, NJ, January 15, 2003 – In an effort to streamline operations and utilize existing building space for employee training, the NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors today authorized a plan to convert a building at the Corporation’s Ferry Street Newark Shops into a state-of-the-art operations training center for both rail and bus employees.

The consolidation will help to increase operating efficiencies and better manage existing resources for operational training.

“By converting our Ferry Street facility into a training facility for both rail and bus employees, NJ TRANSIT is making good on a promise to do more with less,” said Acting Transportation Commissioner Jack Lettiere. “Now more than ever, it's imperative that the Corporation streamline costs and spend the savings on improving our bus and rail services.”

“Combining operational and safety training with maintenance training will increase productivity and generate cost savings for the Corporation,” said NJ TRANSIT Executive Director George Warrington. “The conversion of the Ferry Street Newark Shops Building is consistent with our “Back to Basics” theme to streamline costs, use existing facilities to our benefit and reallocate those cost savings to other priority projects.”

A construction contract of $3,390,000 was awarded to ALNA Construction of Jersey City to convert Newark Shops Building No. 3 on Ferry Street in Newark. The consolidated facility – consisting of classrooms, simulator areas and offices – will allow for the delivery of 13 different operational courses involving approximately 2,000 rail and bus employees, as well as, seven different safety courses for approximately 800 rail and bus employees.

Revamping an existing building allows for a unified ope

NEWARK, NJ, January 15, 2003 – A shiny new addition to NJ TRANSIT’s bus family was displayed today outside the Corporation’s Headquarters in Newark.

The new prototype, a 59-foot articulated transit bus, will be tested for approximately 90 days in different operating environments, primarily in urban areas where high ridership requires more seating capacity than traditional 40-foot buses.

“As we work to upgrade NJ TRANSIT's aging equipment, it's important that we make sure all of our customers have updated, clean and efficient equipment,” said Transportation Commissioner and NJ TRANSIT Board Chairman Jack Lettiere. “Many of our buses are beyond retirement age and these new buses will make sure our customers get the ride they deserve.”

“The arrival of the articulated transit bus supports NJ TRANSIT’s continuing commitment to meet growing passenger demands and offers our customers the latest in comfort and convenience,” said Executive Director George D. Warrington. “These new buses are modern and environmentally friendly, replacing antique buses that have been on the road for nearly 20 years.”

In November 2001, the NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors awarded three contracts in an ongoing effort to provide the Corporation’s customers with a modernized bus fleet and to reduce engine emissions. One contract was awarded to Neoplan USA Corporation of Lamar, CO to purchase 85 articulated buses with an option to purchase 70 more, at a cost not to exceed $42.5 million.

The articulated buses – which are 59-feet long and include an “accordion,” or bendable section in the middle – can carry 59 seated passengers and additional standees. The buses will primarily be used on NJ TRANSIT’s hhe design and construction of the two parking decks, projected to cost a total of $34.1 million. The bonds will be repaid primarily through revenues generated by the two new parking decks and partially through other NJ TRANSIT parking system revenues. In addition, construction of the two stations – totaling an additional $27.9 million for both – will be funded by the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund. Both projects will substantially increase parking capacity on two rail lines projected to experience sizeable ridership increases during the next decade.

MSU Station and 1,500-space park/ride is being designed and constructed by Prismatic Development Corporation of Plainfield as a regional train station on 3.2 acres of land near the university’s Yogi Berra Stadium. The new facility will serve riders on the newly-combined Montclair-Boonton Line, which will provide service for customers traveling to Penn Station New York or Hoboken Terminal.

The Route 17 Station and 1,264-space park/ride is being constructed by R.M. Shoemaker Co. of West Conshohocken, PA on 2.9 acres of land where Route 17 and the Main Line intersect in Ramsey. The Route 17 Station is needed to support future ridership growth related to the Secaucus Transfer Station, which is scheduled to open on weekends this fall and on weekdays following the completion of the Lower-Manhattan PATH Station in winter 2003/2004.

NJ TRANSIT is the nation's largest statewide public transportation system providing more than 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 160 rail stations, 28 light rail stations and more than 17,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.

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rational training approach, where new employees will be able to go from classroom theory to re-enforcement via computer based training and simulation, and finally to hands on vehicle operation at a single site.

The Ferry Street Newark Complex is comprised of three turn-of-the-century buildings that were once the Bus Central Maintenance Facility. Building No. 2 was converted into a state-of-the-art maintenance training facility in 1995 and building No. 1 currently houses maintenance crews for bus operations.

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 160 rail stations, 28 light rail stations and more than 17,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.

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eavier traveled local and intercity bus routes. The new buses will be used to replace the existing articulated bus fleet that was bought by NJ TRANSIT in 1985 and has exceeded the 12-year useful life.

All the new articulated buses have “kneeling” capabilities, are lift equipped and have mobility device securement areas, in full compliance with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). The buses will also be equipped with engines that meet or exceed federal emission regulations for 2003. Other amenities include, LED-powered destination signs, modern heating and air conditioning systems, comfortable upholstered passenger seating and slip resistant flooring.

The first 85 articulated buses, which will be delivered over the course of this year, will consist of 49 transit style buses – which are primarily used on local bus routes – and 36 suburban style buses, which are used on longer distance intercity bus routes, mainly in New Jersey and New York.

A second prototype “suburban style” articulated bus will arrive within the next month for testing. The buses will appear on four of our heaviest traveled bus routes in Essex, Passaic, Bergen and Hudson counties.

NJ TRANSIT is the nation's largest statewide public transportation system providing more than 761,000 daily trips on 238 bus routes, two light rail lines and 12 commuter rail lines. It is the third largest transit system in the country with 163 rail stations, 27 light rail stations and more than 17,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.

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Editors Note: Photos are available of the articulated bus upon request.