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NJ TRANSIT NJ TRANSIT

NJ TRANSIT LAUNCHES INNOVATIVE NEW WEBSITE, EXPANDS DEPARTUREVISION

New customer tools and improved functionality provide easier access to vital travel information

October 14, 2009
NJT-09-109

NEWARK, NJ — NJ TRANSIT Executive Director Richard Sarles today announced the launch of the next generation of njtransit.com, revealing a complete makeover of the Corporation’s website.  The redesigned site features a new, streamlined look and improved functionality that will make it easier than ever for customers to access information.

 

The new site also includes an expansion of the popular “DepartureVision” feature, which enables customers to view train departure screens on their computer or mobile device.  The feature is now available at most NJ TRANSIT rail stations. 

 

“We continue to put the latest technology to work for our customers to improve the way we communicate with them,” said Sarles.  “We paid extra attention to the most popular areas of the website to make them work better for customers, whether by reducing the number of mouse clicks needed or providing vital information at a glance.” 

 

With a cleaner layout and better organization, the new njtransit.com provides customers with more direct information that requires fewer clicks to access.  The website introduces several new customer tools—from a Homepage Trip Planner to At-A-Glance Service Status—along with a more modern visual style.  It also makes use of emerging technology to deliver new features, including real time train departures via DepartureVision™ and use of Google Maps to illustrate transit trips.

 

The pages most heavily used by customers—including the schedules and station information pages—feature design improvements that enable riders to view more information on a single page, reducing the need to click back and forth between pages.  

 

New look, new tools

 

Beyond its new look, the njtransit.com homepage also boasts several features to make it easier for customers to get the information they need:

 

  • Homepage Trip Planner:  Now customers can enter their travel information right from the homepage to begin planning their trip!  In addition, the improved Trip Planner presents three itineraries instead of just one and integrates Google Maps to provide a graphic representation of the trip.  It has also been adjusted to provide better results with fewer “error” messages.  

 

  • At-A-Glance Service Status:  Customers can view service status for all rail, light rail and bus lines from the home page with a color-coded chart that displays “On Time” status or provides a link to “View Alert.”

 

  • Breaking News Bar:  In the event of a service disruption, customers can access vital travel information directly from the top of the homepage.    

 

  • Graphic Marquee:  Current events and important service highlights will continue to be displayed prominently in the center of the homepage.

DepartureVision goes systemwide

 

In August, NJ TRANSIT announced a public beta test of DepartureVision, a new NJ TRANSIT service that displays train departure boards on mobile devices, such as iPhones, Blackberries or web-enabled cell phones.  The beta test took place over a period of about eight weeks, using train departure boards at Frank R. Lautenberg Station at Secaucus Junction.

 

After collecting feedback from customers during the pilot period, DepartureVision (beta) is available at most train stations, allowing customers to view actual train departure screens—including arrival time, track assignment and train status.  In addition to being available via the mobile website, Real-Time Departure Information can also be viewed on the standard version of njtransit.com from the Station Information page.

 

Improvements to popular pages

 

The schedule pages—the most popular on the site—have been redesigned to provide all information on a single page, enabling customers to access “Station to Station” trip results and current and upcoming PDF timetables.  For returning customers, “recent trips” are also displayed for faster searching.

 

The new Station Information page also features a design that condenses several pages of information into one, requiring fewer clicks to access details about parking, ticketing and bike racks, as well as directions and a map.  It also includes links to Real-Time Departure Information and the Trip Planner.

 

In recent years, NJ TRANSIT has implemented a series of web enhancements to improve the flow of information to and from customers, including RSS feeds for train, bus and light rail status; a computerized Lost and Found system; Google Transit integration, a mobile website and mobile “Contact Us” feature for web-enabled mobile devices.

 

The website receives more than 1.2 million "absolute unique" visitors per month, and between 60,000 and 80,000 visits on a typical weekday.

 

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.