New NJ Transit data shows buses even later than suspected
AUGUST 21, 2014 LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, AUGUST 21, 2014, 1:21 AM BY CHRISTOPHER MAAG STAFF WRITER THE RECORD
For years, commuters have complained that NJ Transit buses run late. The evidence was flimsy, however, because data released by the agency tracked only buses departing major terminals. At the Port Authority Bus Terminal, for example, the vast majority of buses — 86 percent — leave on time, according to NJ Transit’s figures from June.
On Wednesday, NJ Transit released far more detailed data, looking not just at when buses start their routes, but also when they arrive at their scheduled stops.
Just as many commuters suspected, the system’s on-time performance is much worse than previously reported. NJ Transit buses arrive on time for their scheduled stops just 68 percent of the time, according to data released at a meeting on NJ Transit customer service. By the agency’s definition, an “on-time” arrival falls within a seven-minute window, starting one minute before the scheduled arrival time and arriving up to six minutes late.
Ridgewood Police: West Glen Avenue Train Trestle Painting Project
New Jersey Transit will begin painting the West Glen Avenue Train Trestle starting the project on or about Friday, August 1st.
Transit anticipates that the work will require alternating lanes of traffic (one lane closed to do the work). Each lane closure should take no more than 1.5 weeks, for a total of 3 weeks of lane restriction. Hours of work are scheduled to be 8:00am to 4:30pm Monday through Friday. Some Saturday work may be required to keep to the schedule.
Traffic will be controlled by Ridgewood Police Officers when the road is restricted to one lane of travel.
NJ TRANSIT ADOPTS FISCAL YEAR 2015 OPERATING, CAPITAL BUDGETS NO FARE INCREASE
Fares held stable for fifth consecutive fiscal year July 9, 2014
NEWARK, NJ — The NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors today approved a Fiscal Year 2015 (FY 2015) operating budget that holds fares stable for the fifth consecutive fiscal year, as well as a capital program that supports continued investments in infrastructure and equipment to maintain the system in a state of good repair and enhance the overall customer experience.
“NJ TRANSIT is moving forward with a balanced, fiscally-sound budget that holds the line on fares for a fifth consecutive year and continues to deliver the same level of service to our customers,” said NJ TRANSIT Executive Director Veronique “Ronnie” Hakim. “We will continue to operate as efficiently and effectively as possible to best respond to the needs of the customers who rely on our service day in and day out.”
The Board approved a $2.019 billion operating budget and a $1.203 billion capital program for the fiscal year that started July 1, 2014.
Nearly half of the revenue in the FY 2015 operating budget comes from fares ($928.6 million), supported by a comparable amount from state and federal program reimbursements ($936.1 million) with the balance from a combination of commercial revenues ($113.7 million) and state operating assistance ($40.3 million).
The capital program funds continued state-of-good-repair investments in transit stations and infrastructure, supports an ongoing fleet modernization program and advances service reliability, safety and technology initiatives.
Operating Budget
The FY 2015 operating budget reflects a stable level of state, federal and other reimbursements, which will enable NJ TRANSIT to hold fares stable this fiscal year.
Approximately 58 percent of the operating budget is dedicated to labor and fringe benefits costs. Other significant expenses include contracted transportation services, fuel and power, and materials, which together comprise approximately 28 percent of the operating budget.
This year’s operating budget reflects an $8 million (one percent) growth in passenger revenue, based on employment projections and ridership trends. Overall passenger revenue and commercial revenue represents approximately 52 percent of the total FY 2015 operating program.
Capital Program
The FY 2015 capital program continues to prioritize investment in infrastructure to maintain an overall state of good repair, enhance reliability and safety, and improve the overall customer experience on the system.
The program continues to invest in upgrades to the Northeast Corridor (NEC), the agency’s most utilized rail line. The NEC is allocated $76 million in FY 2015 as part of NJ TRANSIT’s ten-year, $1 billion Northeast Corridor investment program that includes funding for the new North Brunswick Station, the Mid-Line Loop—a new flyover track to improve Corridor operations and increase operational efficiencies—and upgrades to County Yard.
Highlights of the program include $46 million in rail station improvements, including $9 million for Elizabeth Station reconstruction, $5 million for Newark Penn Station improvements, and $12 million for projects to make Perth Amboy and Lyndhurst stations accessible to customers with disabilities.
The program also supports continued investment in rolling stock renewal, with $104 million invested in rail rolling stock improvements and $44 million toward the purchase of new buses.
Funding is also provided for technology and security upgrades, and rail, bus and light rail infrastructure improvements.
Approximately 40 percent of the capital budget comes from the Transportation Trust Fund, with the balance coming from federal and other sources.
NJT NEW, EXPRESS, ONE-SEAT SUMMER SHORE RAIL SERVICE LAUNCHES JUNE 28
Dual-powered locomotives to transport customers between New York Penn Station and the Jersey Shore
June 10, 2014
NEWARK, NJ — In conjunction with the Christie Administration’s continued commitment to the recovery and continued revitalization of the Jersey Shore, NJ TRANSIT today announced the launch of new, weekend rail service from New York Penn Station and northern New Jersey cities to shore communities along the North Jersey Coast Line.
The new shore service will begin on June 28, utilizing NJ TRANSIT’s new, dual-powered locomotives to provide a one-seat ride.
“NJ TRANSIT looks forward to placing our new dual-powered locomotives into service on the North Jersey Coast Line, which will entice more visitors, provide greater customer convenience and make the trip down the shore faster and easier than ever before,” said NJ TRANSIT Executive Director Veronique “Ronnie” Hakim.
Starting June 28 and continuing through September 1, four new, roundtrip express trains will be launched on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays between New York Penn Station and Bay Head. Two of these new roundtrips will be geared to beach travelers, with the additional two roundtrips providing service during the early morning and late night timeframes.
The new express service will serve New York Penn Station, Secaucus Junction, Newark Penn Station, Elizabeth, Rahway, Aberdeen-Matawan, Red Bank, Long Branch, Asbury Park, and then all station stops to Bay Head, without having to change trains in Long Branch. A travel time savings of approximately 25 minutes is expected from the normal travel time between New York and stations such as Belmar, Manasquan and Point Pleasant.
Seating will be limited aboard the new express service, with customers strongly encouraged to purchase round trip tickets or beach packages (a savings of $6.50 off the cost of rail service and beach admission) prior to the start of their trip. NJ TRANSIT tickets and beach packages are available at ticket windows and ticket vending machines. Customers can also purchase NJ TRANSIT tickets using MyTix mobile ticketing.
Express trains will supplement NJ TRANSIT’s regular hourly rail shuttle service between Long Branch and Bay Head, and will operate using the statewide transportation agency’s new ALP-45 dual-powered locomotives. These specialized trains will operate in electric mode between New York and Long Branch and will switch to diesel operation for travel between Long Branch and Bay Head – allowing for the one-seat ride.
The announcement follows the May 15, 2014 endorsement of the new service by the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA), which authorized a $270,000 allocation through the federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) to fund the new service.
Detailed schedules will be available June 17 on njtransit.com.
Woman Calling NJ TRANSIT Customer Service Reaches Dating Line Instead
April 24, 2014 2:47 PM
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – A woman who intended to dial a NJ TRANSIT help line instead reached a very different kind of hotline. She called a hotline number posted on a customer information poster at the rest area, but instead heard a sex chat line message.
As WCBS 880′s Levon Putney reported, the woman was at the Vince Lombardi rest area on Wednesday morning when a self-serve kiosk at the park-and-ride ate her credit card.
She called a hotline number posted on a customer information poster at the rest area, but instead heard a sex chat line message.
“Welcome to America’s hottest talk line. Ladies, to talk to interesting and exciting guys free, press one now. Guys, hot ladies are waiting to talk to you, press two to connect free now,” the recording on the other end said.
“We regret the customer’s experience. It was an old sign that should have been removed long ago. It was brought to our attention, we addressed it immediately,” NJ TRANSIT spokesperson Nancy Snyder told Putney.
The transit agency surrendered the number in question in 2008. The phone company apparently reassigned it.
Ridgewood NJ, Amelia Ortiz had some extra pep in her step as she boarded her train Wednesday morning. It might have been the coffee.
Flo’s Depot at the Ridgewood train station officially opened for business Tuesday morning, exactly one week after its originally scheduled unveiling. No one, including Ortiz, seemed to mind the seven-day delay – after all, they have been waiting for almost five years for a coffee stand to re-open at the spot.
When New Jersey Transit began a multi-million dollar renovation project and forced the last coffee stand to permanently close its doors in 2009, morning rail riders were compelled to seek their caffeine jolts and breakfasts-on-the-go from other sources. For those residents opting against a travel mug of java from home, the extra stop at a nearby shop or bakery posed a minor inconvenience.
NJT EXPANDS ‘QUIET COMMUTE’ TO OFF-PEAK ON MAINLINE AND BERGEN LINE TRAINS
Pilot program to launch May 5 on rail lines serving Hoboken Terminal
April 8, 2014
Ridgewood NJ, In direct response to recommendations from customers seeking an improved on-board experience, NJ TRANSIT Executive Director Veronique “Ronnie” Hakim today announced the expansion of the agency’s Quiet Commute program to off-peak trains that serve Hoboken Terminal, through a pilot program starting Monday, May 5.
“We heard from our customers that they want to enjoy the benefits of Quiet Commute cars on trains during off-peak hours in addition to peak periods, and we are taking action based directly on their recommendations,” said Executive Director Hakim. “We want our customers to know that their feedback will continue to be the driving force behind NJ TRANSIT’s ongoing efforts to improve their overall experience on our system.”
Starting May 5, NJ TRANSIT will add Quiet Commute cars to all off-peak trains arriving and departing Hoboken Terminal between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekdays only. This includes trains on the Morris & Essex, Montclair-Boonton, Pascack Valley, Main, Bergen County and Port Jervis lines, along with the 2300-series trains on the North Jersey Coast Line.
The designated Quiet Commute car will be the first car on trains traveling into Hoboken, and the last car on trains departing Hoboken, with seating on a first-come, first-served basis.
Quiet Commute cars are intended to provide 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. Conversations should be conducted in quiet voices, and headphones should be used at a volume that cannot be heard by other passengers.
NJ TRANSIT will closely monitor and evaluate the off-peak Quiet Commute pilot program, with feedback received from customers and employees guiding any possible future plans for further expansion across the rail system.
As a reminder, customers may currently take advantage of the Quiet Commute amenity on all peak-period, peak-direction trains, as follows:
On all Northeast Corridor “3900-series” express trains. The designated Quiet Commute cars are the first and last cars of each train.
On Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast, Midtown Direct and Raritan Valley line trains that arrive in Newark or New York between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m., and trains that depart Newark or New York between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. The designated Quiet Commute cars are the first and last cars of each train.
On Morris & Essex, Montclair-Boonton, Pascack Valley, Main, Bergen County and Port Jervis line trains that arrive in Hoboken Terminal between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m., and depart Hoboken Terminal between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. The designated Quiet Commute car is the first car on trains traveling into Hoboken, and the last car on trains departing Hoboken.
NJ TRANSIT first launched the peak period Quiet Commute program in September 2010 as a pilot on its busiest trains—“3900-series” Northeast Corridor express trains—to test the feasibility of offering the amenity on its rail system. After receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback from customers, NJ TRANSIT expanded the program in January 2011 to include all peak-period, peak-direction trains that begin or end their trips at New York Penn Station or Newark Penn Station. In June 2011, NJ TRANSIT completed a systemwide rollout to peak-period trains with the expansion of Quiet Commute to include all rail lines that serve Hoboken Terminal.
Editors note : History has shown us the problem is the Village simply has “ZERO” credibility in its ability to plan ,manage and implement large projects and too many seem to have their vision clouded by personal gain.
No one wants to see empty lots in the CBD , nor do most want to live in the “next, next ” Hoboken .
Like the Train Station renovation before , there is a way for everyone to get something positive, add housing , improve infrastructure , take into account schools and of coarse parking.
Whats lacking is a vision for the future of the Village. A vision uniquely by Ridewood ,for Ridgewood. Not about people getting elected or speculators getting rich off government connections .
This Vision must include Valley Hospital, CBD housing ,retail and parking , traffic and the Ridgewood School district.
The Village with its excellent schools , parks ,CBD, cultural institutions and easy access to transportation offers a very unique opportunity .
If we chose to destroy the character of the town , the very character that has attracted so many to the Village over the years , we will lose the very thing that makes us who we are….
The people advocating for high density buildings (and for Valley Hospital over expansion for that matter) do not care about our town. They care about making money. Once they make their money, if they don’t like what the town is like they will be able to leave. There is no middle ground we can get to right now because they want maximum $$. They will first try for maximum $$ via high density, and only if we defeat them will they come down a notch and try for slightly less (see Valley Hospital). Maybe after several defeats we might get to a middle ground, but even that will be temporary. People like this do not give up. 10 years after we reach a middle ground solution (if we do) they will be right back at it (or their children will take the helm) seeking to make $$ by ruining our Village…..
I think that is what has to be discussed. But to right away jump to conclusion and think over night or even years Ridgewood would turn into any of your examples is foolish and not forward thinking.
You think modernization and growth and you assume that means higher crime, noise, traffic and every negative thing you can imagine… But it doesn’t have to be that way if you develop a sustainable plan for growth through a thoughtful process.
The contextual makeup of Ridgewood is not sustainable. Look every town around us…. Minus glen rock… We are a old folks home… And it’s sad because we have an opportunity to be an example of a modern town that still remains true to its roots.
It doesn’t have to be an all or nothing deal. What i am really saying is that we are going to expand… No way around it it will happen eventually, just being honest. I rather the people that do care about this towns and it’s history be the ones making the plans and not the (as number one stated) money Hungary investors that can up and leave if it fails.
What rather you have?…..
We don’t want to follow the path of Hoboken, Paterson, Hackensack or NYC. Is there a suitable model out there?….
New NJ Transit chief may be looking to shake up agency’s leadership
TUESDAY MARCH 4, 2014, 8:53 PM
BY KAREN RO– USE
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD
Just days into her new job, NJ Transit’s new executive director may be shaking up the agency’s leadership, even while inviting rank-and-file employees to share their ideas for making the troubled organization work better.
“There are no ‘sacred cows,’” Veronique “Ronnie” Hakim said in a special message that went out to employees on Monday, her first full week into the job. “I want to know what works and what doesn’t – and in a constructive fashion, we can build a better, more efficient and more results-driven organization.”
Sources close to the agency said that employees welcomed her greeting, and that Hakim was already taking steps to change the organization, including asking Kevin O’Connor, vice president of the agency’s rail division, and Joyce Gallagher, the head of the bus division, to step down.
NJ Transit spokesman John Durso Jr. did not return a phone call seeking comment. Transportation Commissioner Jim Simpson on Monday said he could not comment on any leadership changes, but that Gallagher and O’Connor were still working at the agency.
SHORT TERM FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY
326 AM EST MON MAR 3 2014
WESTERN PASSAIC-EASTERN PASSAIC-HUDSON-WESTERN BERGEN-
EASTERN BERGEN-WESTERN ESSEX-EASTERN ESSEX-WESTERN UNION-
EASTERN UNION-
326 AM EST MON MAR 3 2014
.NOW…
LIGHT SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH 6 AM. VISIBILITY MAY
OCCASIONALLY DROP TO AROUND ONE MILE IN HEAVIER POCKETS.
ACCUMULATIONS OF UP TO A HALF INCH CAN BE EXPECTED.
NJ TRANSIT TO CROSS-HONOR TICKETS AND PASSES ON MONDAY, MARCH 3
February 28, 2014
NEWARK, NJ —NJ TRANSIT is mobilizing its operations, customer service and police personnel to ensure a ready response to the impending winter storm. For up-to-the-minute service information, all customers are strongly advised to check njtransit.com before starting their trip.
Systemwide Cross-Honoring in Effect on Monday, March 3: To give customers additional travel options during the anticipated winter weather conditions, NJ TRANSIT will offer full systemwide cross-honoring on Monday, March 3 enabling customers to use their NJ TRANSIT ticket or pass on an alternate travel mode—rail, light rail or bus—including private bus carriers.
For example, customers who normally take the bus from Rutherford to the Port Authority Bus Terminal may use their NJ TRANSIT bus pass or ticket on the train from Rutherford to New York Penn Station. Similarly, customers who normally take the bus between Atlantic City and Lindenwold may use the Atlantic City Rail Line instead at no additional charge. Customers using their NJ TRANSIT tickets or passes to travel to a destination other than the destination printed on their original ticket will be subject to the appropriate additional fare if applicable.
Access Link Paratransit Service: On Monday, March 3, Access Link service is suspended statewide except for Region 3 (Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and So. Ocean Counties) as well as all transfer trips. Access Link Customers can call 800-955-2321 for periodic updates.
Customers are advised that possible storm-related delays and/or service disruptions may result from the impending weather system, particularly for the Monday morning commute. NJ TRANSIT strongly encourages customers to afford themselves ample time to get to their final destinations throughout the course of this winter weather event.
The corporation is preparing to minimize storm-related disruptions and delays to the extent possible. Bus, rail and light rail crews have begun inspections of equipment and critical infrastructure. These inspections and further storm-related preparations will continue over the course of the weekend.
NJT : Systemwide Cross-Honoring still in Effect on Friday, February 14
Systemwide Cross-Honoring in Effect on Thursday, February 13 and Friday, February 14: To give customers additional travel options during winter weather conditions, NJ TRANSIT will offer full systemwide cross-honoring on Thursday, February 13 and Friday, February 14, enabling customers to use their NJ TRANSIT ticket or pass on an alternate travel mode—rail, light rail or bus—including private bus carriers.
For example, customers who normally take the bus from Rutherford to the Port Authority Bus Terminal may use their bus pass or ticket on the train from Rutherford to New York Penn Station. Similarly, customers who normally take the bus between Atlantic City and Lindenwold may use the Atlantic City Rail Line instead at no additional charge. Customers using their tickets or passes to travel to a destination other than the destination printed on their original ticket will be subject to the appropriate additional fare if applicable.
The following service advisories are in effect for Thursday, February 13, due to weather conditions:
Rail Service: On Thursday, February 13, NJ TRANSIT will operate on a regular weekday rail schedule. All rail service is subject to potential delays, adjustments and cancellations due to the winter weather conditions. Customers are strongly encouraged to plan accordingly and build additional time into their travels.
Bus Service: While every effort will be made to continue operating bus service systemwide on a regular weekday schedule on Thursday, February 13, customers may experience delays, detours or service adjustments on certain routes in the event of significant snowfall. Customers are strongly advised to plan accordingly and build additional time into their travels as buses will be subject to local road conditions.
Light Rail Service: On Thursday, February 13, NJ TRANSIT will operate light rail lines on a regular weekday schedule. All light rail service is subject to potential delays, adjustments and cancellations due to the winter weather conditions. Customers are strongly encouraged to plan accordingly and build additional time into their travels.
Access Link Paratransit Service: On Thursday, February 13, Access Link service will be suspended statewide. On Friday, February 14, Access Link will resume service at 12 noon should road conditions permit. In addition, all transfer trips will be cancelled statewide on both Thursday and Friday.
In addition, NJ TRANSIT is reminding customers of the following:
Systemwide Cross-Honoring in Effect on Thursday, February 13 and Friday, February 14: To give customers additional travel options during winter weather conditions, NJ TRANSIT will offer full systemwide cross-honoring on Thursday, February 13 and Friday, February 14, enabling customers to use their ticket or pass on an alternate travel mode—rail, light rail or bus—including private bus carriers.
Waiting Room Hours Extended on Thursday, February 13: Due to the impending storm, all NJ TRANSIT rail station buildings and waiting rooms will remain open for extended hours Thursday evening into Friday morning.
All customers are strongly advised to check njtransit.com for up-to-the-minute service information before starting their trip.
Bus riders frozen out as fight over snow removal leaves many NJ Transit stops packed in ice
Tuesday, February 11, 2014 Last updated: Tuesday February 11, 2014, 11:25 PM
BY ABBOTT KOLOFF, MINJAE PARK AND MATTHEW MCGRATH
STAFF WRITERS
The Record
Commuters getting on and off NJ Transit buses along highways in Bergen and Passaic counties have been climbing over boulders of ice and snow for the past week because no one seemed to know who was supposed to plow the bus stops.
One woman hung onto an NJ Transit bus stop sign that poked out of a mound of packed snow on Route 3 east at Passaic Avenue in Clifton as she waited for a bus to New York City on Tuesday morning. Others, grumbling about conditions at the bus stop, walked around the ice and onto a shoulder of the road to wait for a bus, with rush-hour traffic passing just inches away.
STAN FISCHLER COLUMN: Nothing positive to say about this ‘Stupid Bowl’
With a week’s worth of 20-20 hindsight, we can unequivocally label last Sunday night’s vaudeville show in East Rutherford, New Jersey what it was, The Stupid Bowl.
Except if you are a fanatical Seahawks fan, everything about the event ranked from ill-planned to just plain dumb.
Start with the zany promise that New Jersey Transit could even come close to handling the 33,000 fans leaving MetLife Stadium.
Belated memo to NJ Transit dreamers: this was not a bar mitzvah.
Let’s face it, the idea of tossing what should have been a purely New York City event in a relatively small New Jersey town was as colossal a mistake as the Broncos game plan.
Forget about the fact that New Jersey never should have allowed the Giants and Jets to camp at MetLife Stadium unless the Jints and Jets changed their name to New Jersey Giants and New Jersey Jets.
How much phony can geography get when a team calls the Garden State its home but puts another state’s name on its logo? Stupid as in Stupid Bowl.
Boy did these promoters sell New Jersey hoteliers, restaurateurs and other businessmen a bill of goods.
They promised sold out hotels, booming eateries and tangential bonanzas that were as fictitious as
Readers Question Effectiveness of Mayor’s Robocall
Just got the robocall from Village Hall. Could Aronsohn have sounded any less optimisitc? What a doom and gloom message.
No praise for our great police, fire, EMS, and Emergency Services groups and how they are there to help.
Just a very down message about the high chance of losing power and no salt for the roads. I think the Devil himself would have been able to come up with a more upbeat message. Next time let Jeremy or Brian give us the news Mr. Mayor. We’re all tired of hearing your voice anyway.
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