Strike date set for NJ Transit rail unions, sources say

NJ Transit insiders say there is a 75 to 85 percent likelihood that a coalition of 17 rail unions, which have been working without a contract for five years, will call a “soft strike” over the weekend of March 12. The strike could likely last through the Monday morning commute on March 14, when workers say… Read the rest of this entry »

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Train service suspended as crews battle blaze in Monmouth County

ABERDEEN — Fire crews were battling a large blaze at a industrial building on Lloyd Road in the township late Saturday. North Jersey Coast Line rail service was suspended between Matawan and Hazlet due to “fire department activity” in the area, NJ Transit said in an advisory around 9:15 p.m. Authorities also blocked Exit 117a, off… Read the rest of this entry »

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NJ Transit trying to avoid Super Bowl-like mess with Haskell trains

OCEANPORT – Officials are projecting that Triple Crown-winner American Pharoah’s appearance in Sunday’s $1.75 million William Hill Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park could draw second largest crowd ever to see a sporting event in New Jersey behind only the Super Bowl. This has NJ Transit adding additional trains, building temporary platforms and taking other steps to… Read the rest of this entry »

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Commuters lash into NJ Transit at first hike meeting

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Blizzard Cancelled, Travel Ban Still In Effect

The National Weather Service cancelled the blizzard warning for New Jersey at 3:51 this morning. A winter storm warning remains in effect.

The travel ban in New Jersey ordered by the Christie Administration has not been lifted as of 5:55 am.  NJ Transit is closed.  Seastreak crews are standing by to resume ferry service for Monmouth County commuters once the travel restriction has been lifted.

Meteorologist Gary Szatkowski of the National Weather Service in Mt Holly issued an apology to decision makers, politicians and the general public via twitter at about 1 am.

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Analysis: New Jersey Facing Hefty Price Tag For New Rail Tunnels

Credit: U.S. Department of Transportation New Jersey entrance to the two century-old tunnels that carry Amtrak and NJ Transit trains into New York City With the two century-old tunnels that carry Amtrak and NJ Transit trains into New York City badly damaged by superstorm Sandy and facing eventual year-long shutdowns for needed repair, Amtrak officials are… Read the rest of this entry »

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All Aboard! Take the train to the beach

Dinah blow your horn!  NJ Transit offering express trains to Monmouth County beaches

Starting Saturday June 28, New York and Northern Jersey day trippers will have an alternative to the Garden State Parkway for getting to the beach in Monmouth County.

Freeholder Tom Arnone announced today that NJ Transit is offering express train service to Monmouth County on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, starting tomorrow and continuing through September 1.

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Majority of NJ Transit Bus Service to Resume Thursday

80% of New Jersey’s Statewide Bus System Restored, Including Service to New York’s Port Authority Bus Terminal

Trenton, NJ – The Christie Administration announced that the majority of NJ TRANSIT bus service will be restored effective Thursday, November 1, as part of the Administration’s ongoing storm assessment and restoration efforts related to NJ TRANSIT.

Additionally, the Christie Administration announced that limited Access Linkparatransit service will also resume on Thursday.

Tomorrow’s service restoration comes on the heels of the Administration’s earlier announcement that River Line light rail service resumed operations at 3 p.m. today, making trips every 30 minutes between the Walter Rand Transportation Center in Camden and Trenton Transit Center.

“This is tremendous progress,” said Transportation Commissioner and NJ TRANSIT Board Chairman James Simpson.  “We are not out of the woods by any stretch, but we will continue working around the clock to further restore service where we can safely do so.  On behalf of the entire NJ TRANSIT family, we appreciate the patience and understanding of our customers during this difficult time.”

Due to significant damage to the State’s public transportation network, NJ TRANSIT rail service will remain suspended until further notice.  Newark Light Rail and Hudson Bergen Light Rail service also remain suspended until further notice.

Bus Service:

• Starting tomorrow,     November 1, NJ TRANSIT will restore bus service on 68 bus routes in     northern New Jersey and 18 bus routes in southern New Jersey, providing     service over the entire routes with no detours or truncations.       For a complete list, visit njtransit.com.
• Also tomorrow, NJ     TRANSIT will restore partial service on 58 bus routes in northern New     Jersey and 17 routes in southern New Jersey that will operate with detours     or truncations due to ongoing impacts from Hurricane Sandy.  For     details, visit njtransit.com
• Bus service on routes not listed remains     suspended until further notice.  Power outages in local communities     have resulted in the loss of traffic control devices critical to safe     operation in some areas.  Downed tree limbs and power lines continue     to make many roads impassable.  Personnel are in the field reviewing     and assessing these conditions in order to ensure that service is restored     as soon as it becomes safe to do so.

Rail Service:

There is no estimated time for the resumption of service.  Service will remain suspended until further notice. Crews continue to inspect the rail infrastructure to get a full assessment of damage:

• NJ TRANSIT’s Rail Operations Center—the     central nervous system of the railroad—was engulfed in water, which     damaged backup power supply systems, the emergency generator, and the     computer system that controls the movement of trains and power supply.
• Local power outages have prevented NJ     TRANSIT rail operations from being able to further test crossing gates and     operating signals.
• Hundreds of downed trees have fallen     across the rail system, which have caused damage to overhead wires and     signal wires.
• There are rail washouts across the     system, including on the North Jersey Coast Line, Atlantic City Rail Line     as well as at Kearny Junction, the critical link which enables MidTOWN     Direct service to access the Northeast Corridor.
• Several rail stations have sustained     flood damage, including Hoboken Terminal.
• Morgan Drawbridge on the North Jersey     Coast Line in South Amboy sustained damage from boats and a trailer that     collided into the bridge.

Light Rail Service:

• River Line resumed service starting at 3     p.m. today, operating every 30 minutes between Walter Rand Transportation     Center in Camden and Trenton Transit Center.  Service remains suspended     between Walter Rand Transportation Center and the Entertainment Center due     to an ongoing power outage in downtown Camden.
• Hudson-Bergen Light Rail, Newark Light     Rail service will remain suspended until further notice.  There is     currently no estimated time for resumption of service.   Crews     continue to inspect the light rail infrastructure to get a full assessment     of damage.
• Newark Light Rail sustained flooding in     Newark Penn Station, as well as major debris damage between Newark Penn     and Branch Brook Park stations.
• Hudson-Bergen Light Rail experienced     track washouts at Port Imperial and West Side Avenue stations, as well as     trees in the overhead wire in Weehawken and flooding in Hoboken.

Access Link:

• Access Link     service will resume tomorrow, November 1, in the following regions:
• Region 2, which includes Burlington,     Camden, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties.
• Region 3, which includes Atlantic, Cape     May and Southern Ocean County.

Service Updates:

For the latest travel information, customers should listen to broadcast traffic reports, visit or access NJ TRANSIT’s Twitter feed at @NJ_TRANSIT. Additionally, NJ TRANSIT will provide the most current service information via the My Transit alert system (www.njtransit.com/mytransit), which delivers travel advisories for your specific trip to your cell phone, PDA or pager. Service information is also available by calling (973) 275-5555.

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Christie activates National Guard and Airmen, Closes State Offices, Closes NJ Transit and PATH. Suspends tolls on GSP north and Atlantic City Expressway. MVC Operations Suspended

Governor Chris Christie has activated the National Guard to assist New Jersey during Hurricane Sandy.

State offices will be closed on Monday.

NJ Transit and Access Link will gradually shut down all operations starting at 4PM and continuing until 2am Monday morning.

The PATH system will close at midnight.

Tolls on the Garden State Parkway North from Cape May through the Driscoll Bridge are suspended.  Tolls are suspended both ways of on the Atlantic City Expressway.

The Motor Vehicle Commission’s operations are closed on Monday.  All scheduled drivers tests, both road and written are cancelled on October 29, 30, and 31.

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