Quiet Cars Coming to Midday Hoboken Trains

In a move for which members of our organization have recently been calling, NJ Transit has announced the expansion of its Quiet Commute program outside of rush hours, according to a report from Mike Frassinelli.  The trial program will begin with midday trains to and from Hoboken Terminal on weekdays staring May 5.  The quiet car will be the same position in the train as the existing rush-hour Hoboken trains — that is, the first car of trains to Hoboken and the last car of trains departing from there.  NJT Executive Director Ronnie Hakim added that this program is a part of a new initiative called COR (“Civility, Order and Respect”). “This seemed like the right time to undertake a bit of a public education campaign — a reminder, really — to people that we want to have a very calm, civil, respectful environment in our transit system,” she said. “It’s going to cover the gamut.  Because I’ve been on the train when you hear young people using foul language, for an example, and it’s not pleasant and it’s not appropriate.” We at the Coalition look forward to seeing a reduction in loudness and rowdy behavior on trains, which has been far more common outside of peak hours. 

Read Mike Frassinelli’s article here.

Quiet Cars Coming to Midday Hoboken Trains

In a move members of our organization have been calling for recently, NJ Transit has announced the expansion of its Quiet Commute program outside of rush hours according to a report from Mike Frassinelli. The trial program will begin with midday trains to and from Hoboken Terminal, on weekdays staring May 5. The quiet car will be the same position in the train as the existing rush-hour Hoboken trains — that is, the first car of trains to Hoboken and the last car of trains departing from there. NJT Executive Director Ronnie Hakim added that this program is a part of a new initiative called COR (“Civility, Order and Respect”). “”This seemed like the right time to undertake a bit of a public education campaign — a reminder, really — to people that we want to have a very calm, civil, respectful environment in our transit system,” she said. “It’s going to cover the gamut. Because I’ve been on the train when you hear young people using foul language, for an example, and it’s not pleasant and it’s not appropriate.” We at the Coalition look forward to seeing a reduction in loudness and rowdy behavior on trains, which has been far more common outside of peak hours.

Read Mike Frassinelli’s article here.

Coalition Calls for Expanding “Quiet Commute Cars” to All Trains, at All Times

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.

Quiet Commute Cars Come to Hoboken

New Jersey Transit has announced that the car nearest to Hoboken on every peak-hour train will be a Quiet Commute Car, effective June 1st.  Cell phone use will be prohibited on those cars, and conversations must be kept at low volume.  Quiet Commite cars will be designated on all Morris & Essex, Gladstone Branch, and Montclair-Boonton Line trains that arrive in Hoboken between 6:00 and 10:00 a.m. and those that leave Hoboken between 4:00 and 8:00 p.m.
The Midtown Direct trains on the M&E, Gladstone, and Montclair-Boonton Lines, which go to New York Penn Station already include Quiet Commute Cars.