Possible Train Improvements For Wayne Commuters

WAYNE, NJ — Gov. Phil Murphy unveiled a plan Thursday to improve efficiency and reduce overcrowding on NJ Transit rail lines that could benefit local commuters.

Many area commuters use the NJ Transit Route 23 Transit Station.

The move comes a month after Murphy directed an audit and performance review of NJ Transit.

Those changes, however, cannot be executed until the review is complete, he said in press release.
As a result, the governor has directed Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti, the acting transportation commissioner, to find and begin immediate and long-term improvements to NJ Transit. These short-term changes will be enacted before long-term improvements and audit recommendations can be phased in.

"These are the changes that we can take today to begin to alleviate the constant stress and anxiety experienced by NJ Transit riders associated with catching their trains, Murphy said. "While the audit is a vital step toward ensuring that NJ Transit becomes a world-class transportation agency, these changes will start to help riders in the short and long term and provide relief for the hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans who use NJ Transit every day."

The "Initial Commuter Relief Plan" will implement the following changes at NJ TRANSIT within the coming weeks:

• Twenty cars awaiting positive train control equipment will be returned to revenue service as passenger cars only to provide additional seating capacity. Five cars have returned to service as of Monday, Feb. 5, with the remaining 15 cars returning within the coming weeks. PTC is an advanced system designed to automatically stop a train before certain accidents occur.
• NJ Transit is finalizing an agreement to lease rail cars from regional transit providers to immediately reduce equipment shortages.
• Regular rolling stock inspections by agency maintenance crews will be accelerated by outsourcing repair work to be performed by the vendor. Inspection scheduling is under review to maximize the available fleet for daily service.
• NJ Transit is meeting with parts suppliers to explore incentives and other options to reduce ordering lead times, while NJ Transit will also increase its inventory of known long-lead parts, such as rail car couplers. New processes will be pursued to ensure parts are delivered before they are needed to avoid rail cars being taken out of revenue service and not being able to meet scheduled service.

More than 400 people applied for jobs at a "speed-hiring" event at Bergen Community College Feb. 3. Of the applicants, 232 were immediately tested to be electricians/linemen, signal maintainers and communication trainees. Tests will be scored quickly with personal interviews scheduled and offers extended within the coming days.

• Hiring will be accelerated, pre-employment tests will be held more frequently, and candidate pool sizes will be increased for electricians and other skilled maintenance and operations employees, who are critical to railyard logistics and equipment maintenance.
• NJ Transit will retain outside professional services to assist rail operations in evaluating internal processes to monitor and manage equipment levels needed for service.

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