NJ TRANSIT INTEGRATES "MY TRANSIT" WITH AMBER ALERT
November 10, 2010
NJT-10-077
NEWARK, NJ — NJ TRANSIT Executive Director James Weinstein today announced the agency’s participation in the State’s AMBER Alert program starting in January 2011, using the My Transit alert system to disseminate information that could assist in the safe recovery of an abducted child.
“In the event of a child abduction, AMBER Alert equips the public with a description of the child, suspect or vehicle, essentially transforming the public into the eyes and ears of law enforcement,” said NJ TRANSIT Executive Director James Weinstein. “Through the office of our Customer Advocate, we are coordinating with the NJ TRANSIT Police Department to tap into our My Transit alert system so that we can aid in the flow of this vital information to our customers.”
“We understand that in child abduction cases, time is absolutely critical,” said NJ TRANSIT Customer Advocate Sandra Check. “Participating in the AMBER Alert program is a way for NJ TRANSIT to do its part to help spread the word and improve the chances for a child’s safe recovery.”
AMBER Alert is a voluntary, cooperative program between the law enforcement community, broadcasters, transportation agencies and the wireless industry to activate an urgent bulletin in the most serious child-abduction cases. AMBER alerts are issued when there is reason to believe that a child under the age of 18 has been abducted and may be in danger of death or serious bodily injury.
The goal of an AMBER Alert is to instantly involve the entire community to assist in the search for and safe recovery of an abducted child. AMBER alerts provide the public with a description of the child, suspect or vehicle so that if an individual observes a person or vehicle fitting the alert description, he or she can immediately call 911 and provide authorities with as much information as possible.
NJ TRANSIT customers currently have the option of enrolling to receive AMBER alerts through the agency’s My Transit alert system, which delivers travel advisories to bus, rail and light rail customers directly to their cell phones, PDAs or pagers. Beginning in January, NJ TRANSIT will begin sending AMBER alerts to My Transit subscribers as they are issued.
To opt in to receive AMBER alerts, existing My Transit customers should log in to their account, edit “Notification Information” and select the box for AMBER Alert. Customers who are not yet My Transit subscribers are encouraged to enroll at njtransit.com/mytransit.
The integration of the AMBER Alert program with NJ TRANSIT’s My Transit system was developed through the office of NJ TRANSIT’s Customer Advocate, in conjunction with the NJ TRANSIT Police Department.
Since its creation in 1996, AMBER Alert programs have helped save the lives of 523 children nationwide.
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, 60 light rail stations and more than 18,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.