Passenger Trains > NJ Transit to restore regular rail service

NJ Transit to restore regular rail service

Progressive Railroading   

Starting July 6, New Jersey Transit will operate a full weekday rail schedule to increase capacity to allow for physical distancing between riders on trains as ridership ticks up during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A state executive order requires the agency to limit rider occupancy to 50 percent of the stated maximum vehicle capacity on all trains and light-rail vehicles. Riders are also required to wear masks.

NJ Transit is monitoring compliance with the capacity restrictions and will adjust those limits if necessary, NJ Transit officials said in a press release.

“We’re pleased to announce the full restoration of our rail and light service. We’re doing it proactively while ridership is still only at approximately 20 percent of pre-COVID-19 levels,” said NJ Transit President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Corbett.

In the Philadelphia region, Port Authority Transit Corp. (PATCO) on June 29 will increase the frequency of weekday rush hour service with trains departing every 10 minutes instead of 15 minutes.

PATCO’s ridership has increased to 18 percent of normal levels, up from 12 percent in early June and 8 percent from the start of the pandemic, agency officials said in a press release.

[url=https://www.progressiverailroading.com/passenger_rail/news/NJ-Transit-to-restore-regular-rail-service--60852?email=sheehans2016@gmail.com&utm_medium=email&utm_source=prdailynews&utm_campaign=prnewsletter-2020]https://www.progressiverailroading.com/passenger_rail/news/NJ-Transit-to-restore-regular-rail-service--60852?email=sheehans2016@gmail.com&utm_medium=email&utm_source=prdailynews&utm_campaign=prnewsletter-2020[/url]

I wonder if NJT wil open additional cars on off-peak trains to accommodate the 50% capacity / spacing, etc?  My understanding is they would have to add more assistant conductors if more cars are opened.

(NJT often opens just a few cars of a much longer consist for weekend and off-peak services.)

A pair of NJT (10 car) commuter trains pass each other @ Metuchen, New Jersey.

June 24, 2020



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/26/20 13:16 by overniteman.

---

Right now they are running 10 car bilevel trains every half hour from Trenton to NY Penn.
Most days Princeton Junction has 60 parked cars - scattered through the 6 huge lots.
Before the pandemic you were lucky to find a parking spot by 8:00 am.
So are they thinking everyone is going to start back to work right after the July 4th holiday? 
Just throwing money out the window, where they could help NJ private bus carriers who are
on the brink of going out of business.