The Lackawanna Coalition passed a resolution, at its June 27th meeting, calling on New Jersey Transit to expand its popular “Quiet Commute Car” program to all trains, including those running on weekends and outside traditional commuting hours on weekdays.
NJT began running the quiet cars on New York trains last year and expanded the program in June to include all trains that arrive at Hoboken Terminal between 6:00 and 10:00 a.m. and leave Hoboken between 4:00 and 8:00 pm. Now all M&E, Montclair-Boonton, and Gladstone trains at commuting hours, whether going to New York or Hoboken, have a Quiet Commute Car. On those cars, conversations must be kept at a low volume level and cell-phone use is not allowed.
The program has proven popular with riders and crews in New Jersey and other places, and on Amtrak. The Coalition resolution called for rail riders who do not ride at traditional cmmuting times to have the same choices that peak-hour commuters have.