Location: New Jersey

Client: New Jersey Transit

Services

• Transportation Planning

• Transit Monitoring

• Public Outreach

• Permitting

NJ Transit Modified Service Monitoring

A modified NJ Transit rail service plan was in place from July 10th to September 1st, 2017 to accommodate for Amtrak track repair work at New York Penn Station. Up to three of Penn Station’s 21 tracks were closed at a time, which resulted in an approximate 25% reduction in train service. Sam Schwartz was retained by NJ Transit to develop and conduct a monitoring program to observe the overall effectiveness of each aspect of the plan, identify issues, and recommend alterations

Our team of traffic engineers developed a field checklist, and completed monitoring on a weekly basis at Hoboken Terminal, Newark Penn Station, Midtown/West 39th Street Ferry Terminal, Newark Broad Street, 33rd Street PATH Station, and the Port Authority Bus Terminal. Reports were completed on a weekly basis.

Key recommendations included signage and wayfinding improvements, maintaining a minimum level of customer service presence, and continued public outreach efforts. Sam Schwartz developed public information graphics describing the summer rail service plan for affected commuter rail lines. Our team also prepared an application to the New York City Mayor’s Office of Citywide Events to permit staging of up to 75 buses on city streets during the PM peak period as a contingency plan in the event that additional bus service from the Port Authority was required to move commuters.

Public opinion and passenger sentiment indicated that the rail service plan was a success.