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Covering a service area of more than 5,300 square miles, NJ TRANSIT is the
nation’s third largest provider of bus, rail and light rail transit, linking major
points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia. NJ TRANSIT’S commuter
rail network consists of 12 lines and nearly 170 stations. The rail system
handled an average of 311,250 riders per weekday in 2018.
Years of neglect and underfunding at NJ TRANSIT led to a growing list
of issues, including delays, equipment breakdowns and overcrowding.
However, Governor Phil Murphy has focused on making increased
investments in NJ TRANSIT to turn around operations at the beleaguered
transit agency. One of the biggest challenges facing NJ TRANSIT was
meeting the Federal Railroad Administration’s Positive Train Control (PTC)
requirements by year-end 2018. After several years of limited progress and
lagging behind peer commuter rail agencies, NJ TRANSIT revamped the
project plan and completed PTC installation. This achievement meant NJ
TRANSIT was able to apply for an alternative schedule to have PTC fully
operational by the end of 2020.
In addition, Governor Murphy has included a $150.0 million increase in
funding for NJ TRANSIT’s FY2020 state budget. The agency’s directors
agreed to a $2.39 billion operating budget and a $1.42 billion capital
program for fiscal year 2020. Among the proposed projects is a $31.0
million joint investment between Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT to improve
railroad infrastructure along the Northeast Corridor, as well as the hiring
of additional train engineers to fill chronic shortages that have resulted in
delays and cancellations. An efficient mass-transit system is seen as a critical
component needed to support New Jersey’s future economic growth.