NJ TRANSIT ISSUES NEW TIMETABLES FOR BUS ROUTES IN MIDDLESEX, MONMOUTH, OCEAN COUNTIES

Changes Made Following September 11th Formalized

NEWARK, NJ, November 8, 2001 -- NJ TRANSIT has launched a public awareness campaign, asking its riders to join them in the fight against real or perceived threats to the Corporation's transportation system. The effort is in response to several recent events where facilities have been closed, equipment has been evacuated and transit services have been disrupted -- all due to false alarms that required an emergency response.

The campaign -- which consists of customer notices, posters and passenger publications -- asks riders to keep their immediate environment clean, remove personal belongings when departing equipment and facilities and cooperate with front-line employees and police to ensure that enhanced security measures achieve their intended purposes.

"In recent weeks, NJ TRANSIT has been forced to shut down facilities, evacuate equipment and suspend operations because passengers or employees reported the presence of a suspicious unmarked package or suspicious powder on equipment, in terminals or at stations," said NJ TRANSIT Board Chairman and State Transportation Commissioner James Weinstein. "Fortunately, all threats and concerns have proven to be unfounded and there has not been a single security breach. Through this campaign, we’re asking our customers to go the extra mile with us to help control unsubstantiated incidents."

"In the words of US Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, patience is a new form of patriotism," said NJ TRANSIT Executive Director Jeffrey A. Warsh. "This public awareness campaign reminds our passengers that the simplest thing -- from spilling sugar to leaving packages unattended -- can require an extensive investigation and inconvenience for thousands of our customers. Their cooperation will help to reduce the number of incidents requiring an emergency response."

Every incident report NJ TRANSIT receiv

NEWARK, NJ, November 8, 2001 -- NJ TRANSIT has issued new timetables for a half-dozen bus routes serving riders in Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean counties. The new schedules reflect changes made over the last several weeks in response to changing commuting patterns.

Effective November 10

New schedules are being issued for the No. 64 Lakewood-Jersey City-Weehawken, No. 134 Browntown-Lower Manhattan, No. 135 Freehold-Matawan-New York, No. 137 Toms River-New York, No. 138 East Brunswick and No. 139 Lakewood-New York routes. Customers should obtain these timetables and check them carefully. Among the changes:
The No. 64 route has added two peak hour trips every weekday morning to relieve overcrowding.
The No. 134 has restored service through the Holland Tunnel to lower Manhattan and is running four trips in the morning and evening peak periods.
On the No. 137 route, a 5:25 a.m. trip from Lakewood (via County Line Road and Brick park-rides) to New York has been added to relieve overcrowding.
On the No. 139 route, 15 morning peak period trips have been added to meet increased passenger demands. 13 afternoon peak period trips have also been added to meet increased demand from the Port Authority Bus Terminal (PABT).
There have been minor changes on the NEWARK, NJ, November 8, 2001 -- In the wake of the September 11 attacks in New York City, NJ TRANSIT made temporary schedule adjustments on several bus lines in response to travel restrictions and to address changing commuting patterns. The Corporation also temporarily eliminated some fare requirements for the convenience of customers adjusting to new routes. Many of these changes ended November 1, when bus service to lower Manhattan resumed, as did regular fare policies on NJ TRANSIT trains and on Hudson-Bergen Light Rail.
NJ TRANSIT customers traveling to lower Manhattan who use connecting New York Waterway ferry service at Hoboken Terminal and Harborside Pier in Jersey City have seen their ferry travel times shortened since Monday, November 5, when New York Waterway began operating to Pier A in Battery Park City. From there, customers can walk to Wall Street locations or catch the New York City subway to their destinations.
The following changes occurred on or about November 1:
- The No. 120 Bayonne-Wall Street Express and the No. 134 Browntown-New York (Wall Street) resumed Holland Tunnel service on November 1. As of that date, connecting bus-to-ferry service from Liberty State Park ended. The No. 120 will operate seven round trips each weekday, while the No. 134 will operate four weekday trips in each direction. Both routes will make one stop in lower Manhattan; starting November 12, this stop will be on Church Street between Chambers and Warren streets.
- NJ TRANSIT rail es must be taken seriously and investigated by authorities. As a result, thousands of customers have been delayed or inconvenienced as police and Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) teams responded to each call. Each incident also comes with a heavy cost and delays emergency law enforcement and emergency crews from responding to other critical situations and emergencies.
  In some cases, NJ TRANSIT is forced to take valuable rail and bus equipment out of service indefinitely for decontamination purposes, exacerbating existing overcrowding conditions and causing delays on trains and buses.
  The campaign, which was launched with a customer notice this past week and will be followed shortly by posters and the Corporation's FYI publication to customers, offers passengers the following travel tips to help maintain a clean and secure environment:
  
  Avoid bringing food or beverages on trains, buses and light rail cars to prevent crumbs, powder and other food residue from being misinterpreted.
  
  If passengers do bring food on-board, they are asked to clean up their seating area before they depart. The discovery of sugar, salt or other powdery substances can result in a police and HAZMAT response.
  
  Remove trash, bags and other materials such as newspapers from trains, buses, light rail cars and stations.
  
  Urge other passengers to clean up after themselves. If they don’t, and riders are aware of a substance being left behind, passengers should alert a NJ TRANSIT employee so the area can be cleaned and the trash is not regarded as suspicious or dangerous.
  
  Always remain with packages – do not leave packages and luggage unattended.
  
  Remember to take personal belongings when departing transit equipment or passenger facilities.
  
  Cooperate with customers are reminded to purchase their tickets at ticket vending machines or from the ticket agent at their stations.
  As of November 1, NJ TRANSIT reinstated the $3 penalty for tickets purchased on-board trains when a ticket agent or ticket vending machine is available.
- Hudson-Bergen Light Rail (HBLR) customers traveling between Newport and Exchange Place stations -- who have been able to use PATH QuickCards to travel between those stations only -- must purchase HBLR tickets as of November 1. The single-trip ticket price is $1.50, while a 10-trip ticket is available for $13 and a monthly ticket sells for $53. Customers without a valid HBLR ticket will be subject to fines of up to $100.
- Four bus routes that operate through Jersey City’s Exchange Place area have returned to their regular stops. Those routes are: No. 64 Lakewood-Jersey City-Weehawken , No. 68 East Brunswick-Jersey City-Weehawken, No. 82 Hudson and No. 86 Nungessers-Exchange Place .
For further information, customers can call NJ TRANSIT between 6 a.m. and midnight at 1-800-772-2222 or at 973-762-5100 from out of state. For persons with hearing impairments, the number is 1-800-772-2287. Customers can also check NJ TRANSIT’s website, www.njtransit.com, for the latest href="http://www.njtransit.com/pdf/bus/T1133.pdf">No. 135
and No. 138 routes.

For further information, customers can call NJ TRANSIT between 6 a.m. and midnight at 1-800-772-2222 or at 973-762-5100 from out of state. For persons with hearing impairments, the number is 1-800-772-2287. Customers can also check NJ TRANSIT’s website, www.njtransit.com, for the latest information.

NJ TRANSIT is the nation's largest statewide public transportation system providing bus, rail and light rail services for 383,900 daily commuters on 240 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, 26 light rail stations and more than 17,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.

### train crews, bus operators, stations personnel, police and other front-line personnel to ensure that security measures are achieving their intended goals.

If passengers observe unusual behavior, see something suspicious that concerns them or see a fellow passenger leaving trash behind that will cause concerns, they should advise front-line employees or a police officer if one is available. They should not take matters into their own hands. People who purposely leave behind substances or any other items to give the impression of a threat will be prosecuted to the maximum extent allowed under the law.

With vehicular restrictions and changing travel patterns in the region affecting millions of lives, NJ TRANSIT is asking its passengers to do their part to keep the state's and nation's public transportation systems rolling.

NJ TRANSIT is the nation's largest statewide public transportation system providing Bus, rail and light rail services for 380,600 daily commuters on 240 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, 26 light rail stations and more than 17,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.

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information. Customers using New York Waterway ferry service can check the company’s website for the latest ferry information.

NJ TRANSIT is the nation's largest statewide public transportation system providing bus, rail and light rail services for 380,600 daily commuters on 240 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, 26 light rail stations and more than 17,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.

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