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NJ TRANSIT LAUNCHES LATEST "SCORECARD" CUSTOMER SURVEY

Customer feedback drives improvements across the system

August 11, 2014
NJT-14-042

NEWARK, NJ — NJ TRANSIT today kicked off its latest online customer survey as part of its Scorecard initiative, seeking feedback from customers on how the agency is performing and where it can improve to boost customer satisfaction. 

 

“We want our customers to know that their feedback really does matter and drives NJ TRANSIT’s ongoing efforts to improve their overall experience on our system,” said NJ TRANSIT Executive Director Veronique “Ronnie” Hakim.  “Customer participation in these regular surveys is vital to helping us know where we need to improve.  In fact, some significant changes have already been made as a result.”

 

To participate, customers simply visit njtransit.com and complete a survey about their experience using NJ TRANSIT.  The survey, which takes just minutes to complete, will be available online from August 11 through September 1.  All customers who participate in the survey will automatically be entered to win one of five free monthly passes or a gift card. 

 

The survey asks customers to rate NJ TRANSIT on a scale of 0 (unacceptable) to 10 (excellent) on various attributes of the system.  As part of the survey, customers are also asked to identify the three most important aspects of NJ TRANSIT service among the items they rated. 

 

Since the launch of Scorecard in 2011, NJ TRANSIT has taken a number of steps to improve the overall customer experience, including:

 

  • Fares:  NJ TRANSIT will hold fares stable during Fiscal Year 2015, for the fifth consecutive fiscal year.
  • Ticketing:  NJ TRANSIT has introduced new ticketing options, including MyTix mobile ticketing for rail customers, online ticketing for special events at the Meadowlands Sports Complex, and contactless payments through Tap>Ride and Google Wallet.  NJ TRANSIT also completed the installation of ticket vending machines (TVMs) on the entire rail system, equipping all 165 rail stations with the amenity and introducing the technology to several stations on the Main, Bergen County, Pascack Valley, Morris & Essex and Raritan Valley lines that did not previously have them available.  In addition, NJ TRANSIT introduced Bank Note Recycler (BNR) technology to TVMs, which allows ticket vending machines to dispense change in the form of paper bills—ones, fives, tens and twenties—instead of dollar coins. 
  • On-Time Performance:  NJ TRANSIT is looking beyond the rail industry standard (train arrival within six minutes of its scheduled time) into other ways to measure and report rail on-time performance to better reflect the customers’ experience.  For bus, NJ TRANSIT is working with the Port Authority to study longer-term solutions to addressing the challenges of the Port Authority Bus Terminal, as well as looking into more immediate adjustments such as repositioning platforms and gates to improve the flow, particularly during the evening rush.   
  • Smart Bus Technology:  NJ TRANSIT has implemented real-time service information for bus customers through the installation of Clever Device on buses and the launch of the MyBus Now program, which provides access to real-time bus arrival estimates to a specific bus stop within a 30-minute window.
  • Light Rail Capacity:  NJ TRANSIT piloted an expanded light rail vehicle on the system that offers 50 percent more seating capacity than a standard light rail vehicle at a fraction of the cost, and will be converting additional vehicles in the fleet in order to increase capacity and ensure a comfortable ride for more customers on the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail and Newark Light Rail lines.
  • Social Media:  NJ TRANSIT launched a social media platform, including an interactive Twitter profile and Facebook page, to expand the agency’s communications reach and provide customers yet another tool by which to access travel information and contact NJ TRANSIT.
  • Wi-Fi Access:  NJ TRANSIT entered into a public-private partnership with Cablevision to offer high-speed wireless internet access at stations and onboard trains, one of the top requested amenities among customers.  Wi-Fi is currently available at Hoboken Terminal, Newark Broad Street, Secaucus Junction, Newark Penn, New Brunswick, Metropark, Summit, Rahway, Trenton Transit Center, Meadowlands, Montclair State University, Belmar, Bradley Beach, Denville, Glen Rock-Main Line, Manasquan, Mount Tabor, Mountain View, Towaco, Lincoln Park, Mountain Lakes, Oradell, Suffern and Woodcliff Lake stations, with more stations scheduled to go online this year.
  • 7th Avenue Concourse Enhancements:  NJ TRANSIT implemented new technology upgrades in the 7th Avenue Concourse at New York Penn Station, featuring an improved sound system, larger monitors and a multi-color destination display that will enable customers to see at a glance the next train destined for their particular station. 
  • On-Board Announcements:  NJ TRANSIT is tapping into new technology available on multilevel trains that enables onboard announcements to be made remotely from the Rail Operations Center to customers on the train.  Issuing announcements directly from the source helps to ensure that customers are receiving the most accurate, timely information possible.
  • DepartureVision Countdown:  NJ TRANSIT implemented an improvement to DepartureVision, a free service from njtransit.com that displays train departure screens on your desktop computer or web-enabled mobile device.  Today, DepartureVision features a countdown to train arrival/departure under “Status” starting at 30 minutes, so customers can see at a glance exactly how much time they have to catch their train.  The status field previously displayed the number of minutes a train was delayed.
  • Communication Tools:  NJ TRANSIT launched its “Reaching Out” campaign, designed to communicate the various technological tools customers can use to access the most up-to-date service information.
  • Quiet Commute:  NJ TRANSIT expanded its Quiet Commute program into off-peak periods on trains that serve Hoboken Terminal, to off-peak period trains that serve Hoboken Terminal, offering a subdued environment for customers who wish to refrain from using cell phones and are willing to disable the sound feature on pagers, games, computers and other electronic devices. 
  • Multi-Modal Tickets:  NJ TRANSIT implemented changes that enable a rail customer to purchase tickets from a ticket vending machine or ticket office at any NJ TRANSIT rail station to destinations on the Atlantic City Line via the River Line in one single transaction, allowing for greater ease of travel across the system.
  • New York Penn Station:  NJ TRANSIT recently installed ceiling fans at the 7th Avenue Concourse to address the temperature and provide a more comfortable environment.
  • Port Authority Bus Terminal:  NJ TRANSIT recently deployed gate supervisors at the Port Authority Bus Terminal, who are positioned at various high-volume locations throughout the terminal to provide customers with the most up-to-date information on bus routes, gate activity and boarding. 
  • One-Seat Ride Service:  NJ TRANSIT has implemented pilot programs for one-seat ride service to/from New York on the Raritan Valley and North Jersey Coast lines using new dual-powered locomotives, offering greater convenience to customers.
  • Lighting Upgrades on Light Rail:  NJ TRANSIT has upgraded lighting at light rail stations, facilities and parking lots to provide increased illumination at a lower consumption using LED lights.  Lighting on board Newark Light Rail and Hudson-Bergen Light Rail vehicles has also been upgraded.
  • On-Board Cleanliness:  NJ TRANSIT has assigned cleaners to the terminus points of the Newark Light Rail, Hudson-Bergen Light Rail and River Line systems to ensure cleanliness of the vehicles.
  • Safety:  NJ TRANSIT completed the installation of an on-board camera surveillance system on its entire fleet of River Line light rail vehicles.  A total of 260 cameras were installed on River Line vehicles as part of this effort—13 cameras on each of the line’s 20 light rail cars—to enhance on-board security for customers. 

NJ TRANSIT will continue to use survey results, Scorecard metrics, and customer feedback gathered from “We Are Listening” forums to target specific improvements needed to boost customer satisfaction. 

 

Detailed survey results are published quarterly on njtransit.com.

 

About NJ TRANSIT

 

NJ TRANSIT is the nation's largest statewide public transportation system providing more than 895,000 weekday trips on 262 bus routes, three light rail lines, 12 commuter rail lines and through Access Link paratransit service. It is the third largest transit system in the country with 165 rail stations, 62 light rail stations and more than 19,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.