Progress

Improving Service, Reliability & Safety

• Awarded the 2023 Outstanding Transportation System Achievement Award by the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA), the highest honor in public transportation.
• Continued to run full weekday service throughout the COVID pandemic.
• Added over 100 trains to the schedule.
• FY2023 vs. FY2019 On-Time Performance:
  • Rail improved from 90.0% in FY19 to 92.1% in FY23.
  • Bus improved from 91.3% in FY19 to 94.0% in FY23.
  • Light Rail remaind above 95.5% in FY23.
• Rail cancellations down 36% in FY23 vs. FY19.
• Introduced greater transparency with a public performance dashboard available on our website — complete with On-Time Performance(OTP), cancellations and a host of other performance data, including illustrating the impact of Amtrak issues on NJ TRANSIT service.
• In June 2024, launched a joint effort with Amtrak to improve service reliability on the Northeast Corridor.
• Instituted bus service to accommodate customers displaced by discontinued private bus services: A&C, Coach USA, Coach USA O.N.E., DeCamp and Monmouth County Local Bus Service (Transdev).
• NJ TRANSIT won APTA 2023 Bus Safety and Security Excellence Gold Award & 2021 Bus Safety Gold Award and Rail Safety Certificate of Merit.
• We have fully restored our depleted ranks of engineers.
• We have graduated more than 2,300 new bus operators since 2018.
• We continue to recruit, hire and train for critical frontline positions, including locomotive engineers, conductors and bus operators.
• Accelerated Positive Train Control testing to achieve full certification on December 18, 2020 — despite only being 12% complete toward an interim December 2018 installation milestone in January 2018.
• Completed deployment of 110 new articulated buses – the first expansion of the bus fleet in a decade.
• Over 300 new buses received and deployed over the past 2 years.
• Invested over $950 million to purchase 174 new multi-level cars since 2018 — the first of which are expected to arrive in 2025 (113 in 2018, 25 in 2022, 36 in 2024.
• All 25 new dual-mode locomotives ordered in 2017 and 2020 delivered, continuing our efforts to improve mechanical reliability and operational flexibility.
• Upgraded Access Link fleet with over 300 new minibuses and hybrid sedans. 
• In coordination with Hoboken, relocated bus stops on the No. 126 Route, added capacity and enhanced customer experience.
• Increased weekday train service at our Avenel station by more than 40 percent, running a full schedule of weekend service there for the first time in 34 years.
• Added, extended, or provided enhanced bus service on more than 100 bus routes over the past two years including the 1, 86, 119, 123, 126, 128, 158, 166, 409, 412, 413, and 772 Routes.
• Upgrading RiverLINE vehicles' engines that are expected to improve reliability for customers and reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by at least 57 percent and lower particulate matter by 90 percent.
• Increased weekday peak period service on Newark Light Rail's Broad Street extension to allow trains to operate every 10 minutes to improve train connections and convenience.
• Enhanced weekend rail service at five stations.
• Improved procurement times, giving operations personnel the parts and materials they need to keep the fleet running and reliable for our customers faster than before.
• Introduced two safety education initiatives: Special SEAT (Safety Education Awareness Training) for students with special needs, and Protecting our Pedestrians (POP) to encourage pedestrian safety for students in K-12.
• Made our Children's Rail Safety Program for schools available virtually.
• Developed a lifesaving partnership with Waze which identifies the location of grade crossings on the Waze app. The new feature automatically alerts drivers that they are nearing a railroad crossing and reminds them to proceed with caution.
• Received $1.6 million Federal grant to implement AI-powered safety systems on light rail vehicles and at light rail grade crossings.

Enhancing Our Customer Experience

• Made significant improvements to our customer communications infrastructure, systems and services to deliver timely service information, including:
  • 24/7/365 staffing of Customer Service & Communications operations to alert customers about service impacts.
  • Expanded social media staffing hours to provide service updates via popular social media platforms.
  • Piloting new, high-quality digital station announcement systems at five stations.
• Made numerous upgrades to the NJ TRANSIT Mobile app, which currently has a 4.8 rating out of 5 with nearly 230,000 reviews:
  • Completed redesign to improve functionality and access to information.
  • Introduced customized push notifications with service information.
  • Added "How Full Is My Ride?" feature to inform customers about crowding conditions on vehicles.
  • Launched "Arrival Alerts" to provide notifications when customers begin arriving at their destination.
  • Introduced a new Map My Ride feature to allow customers to track the locations of their buses and trains in real-time.
  • Added Light Rail single-ride tickets for purchase.
  • Introduced new “Cash in App” feature to let customers who prefer to use cash or don’t have a debit or credit card to take advantage of all of the benefits of the NJ TRANSIT Mobile App.
• Launched NJT Rewards program to allow riders to earn points for their NJ TRANSIT ticket purchases, redeemable for special offers with businesses throughout the state.
• Introduced Transit to Trails program, an online map application which easily identifies over 60 national, state and county parks throughout New Jersey that are accessible by NJ TRANSIT service.
• Introduced Website Ticketing via a pilot program for the Atlantic City Rail Line.
• Introduced Tap & Ride payment option for bus and light rail customers, allowing them to use their contactless credit and debit cards to purchase tickets on board buses and at light rail stations. 
• Launched “Know Your ABCs” campaign to encourage customers to be familiar with alternate routes in case of service disruptions.
• As part of our ongoing efforts to engage and expand inclusion for our customers with disabilities, NJ TRANSIT continues to hold regular Accessibility Forums.
• Launched pilot program of NaviLens technology at 51 bus stops in New Brunswick, enabling customers to use their smart devices to get a host of service information and assistance.
• Made numerous improvements to Access Link, including:
  • Launched Access Link Online to enable online reservations, cancelations and cashless payments for trips via EZ-Wallet.
  • New NJT Access Link mobile app launched in March 2021.
  • Introduced Access Link Twitter account at @NJTRANSIT_AL to provide information and service updates.
  • Expanded its RIDERS’ CHOICE pilot program to provide paratransit rides through Uber, Lyft and Black & White Taxi.
• Welcomed back area college and university students with a special promotion for our Student Pass, and expanded eligibility to part-time, degree-seeking students.
• Delivered seamless service to MetLife Stadium, including transporting hundreds of thousands of customers to major events, including the iconic Army-Navy Game, NFL & NHL games, and record-breaking concerts by Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Bruce Springsteen and more.
  • Contributed directly to New Jersey-New York being awarded the FIFA World Cup 2026 Finals at MetLife Stadium. 
• Integrated SEPTA ticket purchasing into the NJ TRANSIT Mobile App and ticket vending machines, enabling customers to buy end-to-end tickets from New Jersey to Philadelphia.
• Modernizing fare collection systems to improve customer experience, including:
  • Rolling out handheld mobile validation units for rail crews to scan tickets.
  • Systemwide installation of new electronic validators on buses to scan and validate paper and mobile tickets/passes.
  • Completed installation of 550 new, modernized ticket vending machines (TVMs) throughout the system, offering faster transaction times and new contactless payment options.
  • Initiated purchase of required stock of cards which will become NJ TRANSIT fare cards.
• Continued to install modern new screens and kiosks to provide up-to-date travel information, including new kiosks in Rahway, Morristown and Red Bank stations.
• Completed refresh of new Ticketed Waiting Area at PSNY in coordination with Amtrak to provide additional space and amenities to NJ TRANSIT customers.
• Unveiled first solar-powered bus shelter with lights and USB charging ports.
• Ongoing enhancements and improvements to www.njtransit.com.
• Updated our policy on personal vehicles to allow e-bikes, e-scooters and hoverboards on board vehicles, under existing bicycle regulations offering environmentally friendly alternatives for first-mile/last-mile access to transit.
• Relauched Adopt-A-Station program in partnership with American Express.
• Launched NJ TRANSIT SHOPPE, an online store, offering a wide range of NJ TRANSIT-branded clothing, beverageware and more.
• Introduced MagnusCards for Rail, Bus & Light Rail, a technology-based solution that helps neurodiverse customers and customers with mobility challenges travel on the system.

Advancing Major Capital Projects

• Since 2018, we have more than $6 billion in capital projects underway or soon to enter procurement — up from just $60 million in hard money contracts on the street in 2017, and with an additional $8 billion in planned capital expenditures over the next 3 years.
• Secured over $500 million in federal funding over five years for capital projects under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
• In 2023, secured over $950 million in federal grant finding to advance major capital projects.
• Broke ground in August 2022 on the new $1.6 billion Portal North Bridge, the largest single construction contract in the agency's history and a key element of the Gateway Program, which will improve service, reliability, and capacity for rail travel along the Northeast Corridor by replacing the existing 110-year-old swing bridge.
  • Reached 70 percent completion milestone in September 2024. View progress here.
• Submitted financial plan with project partners that qualified the Hudson Tunnel Project for the largest Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) in US history.
• Facilitating and supporting key projects within the Gateway Program, including:
  • Federal issuance of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Record of Decision (ROD), clearing the way for the project to work toward final design and construction.
  • Submission of the new financial plan with project partners that should qualify the Hudson Tunnel Project for advancement to the next phase of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA)’s Capital Investment Grants (CIG) Program.
  • Supported groundbreaking event for the start of the Hudson River Tunnel Project on the New Jersey side at Tonnelle Avenue
• Advancing other key projects to improve overall system performance, including:
  • Completed $74.5mm renovation of Elizabeth Station, including additional platform capacity and access with upgraded elevators and additional staircases, new station buildings and a renovated public plaza.
  • Raritan River Bridge Replacement Project
    • Awarded initial construction contract (GC01) for new $600 million Raritan River Bridge which broke ground in September of 2020.
    • Issued an invitation for Bid (IFB) for the second Construction Contract (GC02) for construction to begin in early 2025.
  • Walter Rand Transportation Center Improvement Project continues to advance with $250 million investment.
  • Commenced $190 million effort to renovate and reimagine Newark Penn Station, awarded first contract for modernization and commenced project to upgrade air conditioning system.
  • Advancing enhancements to the Trenton Transit Center.
  • Hoboken - Broke ground on and advanced Hoboken Connect  project, $195 million Long Slip Project underway, resiliency upgrades in progress.
  • Lyndhurst Station ($31.5 million) where construction commenced in April 2021 and is scheduled to open in Spring 2025.
  • Perth Amboy Station ($45.5 million), where construction has commenced, with ground breaking in April 2022 and scheduled to open in Fall 2025.
  • Advanced improvements at Bloomfield Station ($4.7mm) including high level accessible platforms; improved canopy structures and other features.
  • Received an $83.3 million All Stations Accessibility Program grant from the Federal Transit Administration to transform the historic Brick Church Station in East Orange into a modern, fully accessible station that preserves historic features and improves the customer experience. 
  • Awarded contract to rehabilitate the Roseville Tunnel, a crucial element in restoring passenger rail service to Sussex County along the Lackawanna Cutoff, from Port Morris to a new proposed station in Andover.
  • Advancing the Morris & Essex Lines Sawtooth Bridge replacement project to improve trans-Hudson capacity.
  • New North Brunswick Train Station project continues to advance.
  • Glassboro-Camden Light Rail line continues to advance.
  • Completed early-action construction work at Hudson-Bergen Light Rail's West Side Avenue Station for Route 440 Extension project.
  • Reallocated $503 million in federal funding from the TRANSITGRID project to other critical resiliency projects: Hoboken Long Slip, County Yard/Delco Lead, and Raritan River Bridge. 
  • The County Yard / Delco Lead Storage and Inspection Facility ($246 million).
  • $232 million Mason Substation.
  • Received $75 million grant from the FTA for new rail maintenance of way facility.
• Reduced average procurement cycle time for federal and state construction projects.
• In collaboration with the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA), programmed $43.6 million in federal funding to seven projects which advance sustainability, bus garage electrification and first/last mile transportation solutions.

Setting A Vision for the Future

• Released the agency's first-ever 10-year Strategic Plan and 5-year Capital Plans to provide a roadmap for improvements
• Developed a Capital Plan that is expected to drive economic activity, including:
  • Generating nearly $55 billion of economic output within the state.
  • Supporting 245,000 full-time employee job-years of New Jersey employment.
  • Providing $15 billion of earnings for New Jersey employees.
• ZERO-EMISSION BUS PROGRAM
  • Aggressively executing the transition to a 100% zero-emissions bus fleet by 2040, with infrastructure projects and electric bus purchases, all while helping to realize Governor Murphy’s Energy Master Plan and fulfill legislative requirements, including:
    • Advanced its zero-emissions bus program with the launch of the agency's first electric bus as part of its purchase of eight battery-powered electric buses, deploying in the City of Camden.
    • Advanced electric bus program in Camden with the completion of an infrastructure improvement construction contract at Newton Avenue Garage.
    • NJ TRANSIT’s infrastructure upgrades at the Newton Avenue Bus Garage were recognized nationally with a 2024 Engineering Excellence Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC).
    • Advancing new Northern Bus Garage construction, which will include the necessary charging infrastructure to support an all-electric bus fleet.
    • Received $99m grant from the Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) to expand electric bus infrastructure by adding an outdoor charging facility at Meadowlands Bus Garage to prepare the garage to handle up to 130 electric buses.
    • Received $44.6mm grant from the Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) for the Union City Garage and Bus Terminal Reconstruction Project, which will improve connectivity for the city’s residents and be capable of supporting battery-electric buses.
    • Awarded a contract for a Zero-Emission Bus System Design and Investment Planning Study that will develop and create standards and best practices that will be critical as the agency continues to move toward a 100% zero-emission bus fleet. 
    • Approved a contract for additional design services for Hilton Garage and advancing the current condition assessments for the Westwood and Ironbound II garages to accommodate zero emission buses. 
• Through the Northeast Corridor Commission, in collaboration with the state governments of the Northeast, the federal government, other commuter rail agencies, and Amtrak, developed CONNECT NEC 2037 (C37), a detailed and efficient 15-year sequencing of infrastructure investment covering 150 projects along the corridor, which will result in a modern and resilient railroad with safe, reliable, and more frequent service, connections to new markets, and reduced travel times between communities.
• Partnered with Rutgers CAIT & the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) to establish UITP’s first regional training center in North America, including hosting UITP’s prestigious Diploma Program in North America for the first time ever. 
• Published the Agency's first sustainability plan, outlining the agency’s efforts to protet the environment while providing equitable and sustainable transportation for customers.
• Educating customers about NJ TRANSIT’s sustainability focus, with new content and resources.
• Received a $1.4 million NJBPU grant to expand the agency’s non-revenue fleet of electric vehicles and necessary charging infrastructure
• Purchasing 19 federally funded battery electric vans for Local and Community-based transportation programs
• Advanced Secaucus to Meadowlands Transitway Project to increase capacity to Meadowlands Complex.
• Commenced the NEWBUS Newark Bus Network Redesign Study to better align service with demand, creating a bus network in Newark that best serves the needs of customers, businesses and employers.
• Commenced the NEWBUS BCG Burlington - Camden - Gloucester  to better align service for southern New Jersey.
• Received a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for a study to examine the current bus network in Hudson County and surrounding areas. Commenced the NEWBUS Hudson Bus Network Redesign Study.
• Embraced Transit-Oriented Development to better serve New Jersey communities, including advancing projects in Jersey City, Somerville, Aberdeen-Matawan, Metropark, Waldwick Station on Main Line, and Bayonne at 34^th St. Station on the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail.
• Awarded $34 million FTA grant to study transit-oriented development along the proposed HBLR extension into Bergen County, known as the Northern Branch.
• Published Transit Friendly Planning: A Guide for New Jersey Communities (2022) and updated the NJ TRANSIT Friendly Data Application, tool that assist community members, elected and appointed officials, members of planning and zoning boards, technical planning staff, community groups, and those who are interested in making land use decisions around transit facilities that assist in improving mobility and access to transit.
• Established a 3-year year partnership with BetMGM that includes renaming NJ TRANSIT’s Meadowlands Rail Line as the BetMGM Meadowlands Rail Line, a first of its kind agreement that will generate significant non-farebox revenue, helping keep fares stable.
• Named one of America’s Best Employers in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 by Forbes & Statista.

Providing Nationally-Recognized Security

• Partnered with Newark Department of Public Safety in the Attorney General’s ARRIVE Together (ARRIVE) pilot program expansion to provide greater medical resources to residents experiencing mental and behavior health emergencies.
• Expanded the New Jersey Transit Police Outreach Unit from two to five officers to work with at-risk individuals throughout the state to help connect them with housing and social services.
• NJTPD Outreach Unit supported efforts that led to a 57.6% reduction in the City of Newark’s unsheltered population.
• Federal grants received to add 500 security cameras throughout the system and pilot safety technology to detect pedestrians on tracks.
• Took delivery of a new state-of-the-art Command Vehicle for use during special events and emergency incidents, replacing an aging command vehicle manufactured over 20 years ago.
• NJ TRANSIT Police Chief named Chair of TSA's Transit Policing and Security Peer Advisory Group.
• Became the first Transit Agency in America to be ISO-certified for Cyber Security.
• Achieved a prestigious accreditation from the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police, which exemplifies professional excellence in law enforcement.
• Initiated rule-making process to strengthen protections for transit workers.

Responding to COVID

• One of the first transit agencies in the country to begin disinfecting vehicles and major stations daily before the first COVID case was identified in NJ
• Published Ride to Recovery: NJ TRANSIT’s COVID-19 Response & Path Forward, a comprehensive document describing both the actions taken by NJ TRANSIT to manage the challenges faced during the pandemic, and our path forward as we continue to plan for the future.
• Secured an estimated $4 billion in federal Coronavirus relief funding to maintain full service levels for customers throughout the pandemic.
• Implemented VAXRIDE initiative to provide detailed transit information to vaccine sites, along with free rides sponsored by corporate partners.
• Prioritized employee vaccination and maximized vaccine access through hospital partnerships and on-site clinics.
• Collaborated with regional transit agencies (e.g., MTA, PATH, SEPTA) to establish a MASKFORCE to assist with encouraging proper transit customer behaviors.
• Instituted a pilot program to install PPE Vending Machines in select stations to provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) options for customers.
• Distributed over 140,000 free masks to customers through our Customer Service offices and MASKFORCE program.
• Launched SAFE NJ customer awareness campaign to promote safe behavior and remind customers of safe travel practices.
• Regularly disinfecting employee work locations.
• Conducted 4 technology pilots to combat COVID through the Transit Tech Lab.
• Cosponsored with Rutgers the COVID-19 and the Future of Economic Activity and Transportation COVID Symposium, which brought together sector leaders to share information and perspectives on the post-pandemic environment.
• Installed acrylic barriers on more than 2,200 buses to protect drivers and employees.
• Executed pilot with Rutgers to explore effectiveness of Ultraviolet (UV) Light against COVID.
• Encouraged area employers to see what NJ TRANSIT has done to ensure their employees can get back to their offices safely.
• Conducted numerous Mask Enforcement Details throughout the system to ensure compliance with safe riding behaviors.