Lackawanna Coalition

advocating for rail passengers since 1979

  • Gladstone Service Disrupted, But NJT Says It Will Be Back on Monday

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    Donald Winship

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    No Bus Service Offered West of Bernardsville Service on the western end of the Gladstone Branch was disrupted Thursday by a washout between Bernardsville and Far Hills.  Trains were delayed and terminated at Bernardsville.  On Thursday, substitute bus service was provided so customers could get to Far Hills, Pepack, and Gladstone. NJTransit has said that…

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  • Hoboken Recovery: Restrooms to Reopen

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    John Bobsin

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    It’s been almost 10 months since Hurricane Sandy devastated NJ Transit’s operations.  Nearly all trains have since returned, but at the railroad’s iconic Hoboken terminal, things are far from normal.  The storm flooded the main waiting room and its restrooms have been out of service ever since; passengers are directed to hard-to-find replacements.  For months, the…

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  • Millennials’ Transit Needs

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    John Bobsin

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    What do customers born after 1980 (the “millennial generation”) need from public transit?  To find out, New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority has been studying this new generation of riders, according to reporting by Matt Flegenheimer in The New York Times (July 23).  For one thing, they take efficient transit for granted: they have no experience…

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  • No NJT Fare Hike This Year

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    John Bobsin

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    On July 11, NJ Transit’s Board approved an operating budget of $1.94 billion that envisions no fare increase this year, making more than 3 years since the agency last increased fares.  The last increase, in May, 2010, averaged a whopping 22%t, including an average of 25% for heavy-rail riders—but this average hides an incredible increase…

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  • NJT Restroom Stinks, Riders Say

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    John Bobsin

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    One problem faced by NJT rail riders is finding clean restrooms before, during, and after their journeys.  Few stations have toilet facilities at all, outside of major terminals; those that do are often closed outside of commuting hours; and toilets on-board trains are legendary places to be avoided if at all possible.  Even some major…

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  • NJT Will Offer WiFi on Trains, but It Won’t Be Free

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    Donald Winship

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    The New Jersey Transit Board voted at its meeting on June 12th to partner with Cablevision to install and offer WiFi service at stations and on trains.  The system should be completed sometime in 2016.  Cablevision will charge customers for use of the system, except that it will be included in the service that it…

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  • Bill Would Cut Bergen Fares

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    John Bobsin

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    A proposed law to reduce NJ Transit fares for some Bergen County riders was released on June 10 by the State Assembly Transportation Committee.  The bill would rescind a fare increase, effective March 1, that affected certain stations on the Main, Bergen, and Pascack Valley Lines.  NJ Transit said that fare increases on those lines were…

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  • Peak Miles: Young Americans Drive Less

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    John Bobsin

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    While energy experts worry that world production of oil has already peaked—”peak oil”—a different phenomenon may eventually require less oil in the U.S.: younger Americans are driving less, according to reporting by John Schwartz in The New York Times (May 14).  The main source is a report by the U.S. advocacy group U.S. PIRG; author…

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  • Media Questions NJT Sandy Response Anew

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    John Bobsin

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    A month-long investigation by New York public radio station WNYC, New Jersey Public Radio, and The (Bergen) Record newspaper has resulted in extensive reporting questioning NJ Transit’s response to Hurricane Sandy, which struck the region on October 29, 2012.  The report contrasts the extensive damage suffered by NJT in comparison with the generally minor damage…

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  • NJT Plans Track Improvements at Summit

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    John Bobsin

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    On NJ Transit’s Morris & Essex lines, the busiest stations are Newark Broad Street and Summit; both have 3 station tracks and 2 platforms, and when several trains arrive at once, a traffic jam can ensue, particularly if 1 or more trains are running behind schedule.  Summit can be particularly bothersome, as some trains “turn…

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