Something new happening at NJ Transit — Riders will notice the difference

🚉 NJ Transit launches customer efforts
🚉 Overnight cleaning, better displays
🚉 In-person staff for help at Newark

NEWARK — Brightly-dressed customer service representatives, upgraded schedule displays and overnight closures for cleaning are among improvements being launched by NJ Transit.

Starting in March, Newark Penn Station will be closing all but the main station between midnight and 5 a.m. each day, in efforts to deep clean the facilities before the morning rush.

Each day, 90,000 people use Newark Penn Station, New Jersey Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri said. “We want to make sure that those 90,000 people have the best experience.”

He said Dunkin and McDonalds within the station have agreed to the midnight closure, to support the idea of better cleaning and security in the overnight hours.

The overnight closures of parts of Newark Penn station will allow for existing New Jersey Transit police officers to more effectively serve the community, officials said on Thursday.

New Jersey Transit Police Chief Christopher Trucillo said officers are trained not just to provide security but also support for those in need, trying to connect individuals with social services as needed and available.

Grueling delays have been a consistent complaint by NJ Transit riders over the past couple of years, as well as simultaneous fare increases across rail and bus lines.

Repeated, prolonged delays last summer even sparked legislators calling for hearings on the state of NJ Transit.

Those issues were not mentioned, specifically, during prepared comments on Thursday.

“Our customers are at the heart of everything we do. Every decision we make – whether it’s modernizing our fleet, strengthening our financial foundation to reinvest in customer-focused initiatives, or enhancing service reliability – is driven by our commitment to delivering the best possible customer experience,” Kolluri said in a written statement.

“These new Customer Care and Station Care teams are important elements in providing a service that is not only efficient and dependable but also responsive to the evolving needs of our customers," he said.

Read More: NJ Transit delays spark calls for accountability, solutions

There has been an upgrade to hallway monitors at Newark Penn, to synchronize real-time information on transportation arrivals and delays across mobile and digital devices and in-station displays.

As a pilot program, the new initiatives were being rolled out at Newark Penn, to be followed by NJ Transit at Penn Station New York, Trenton and Camden over the next 12 months or so, Kolluri said.

Rail riders can look for the customer service staff members wearing bright orange vests or shirts during weekday peak travel periods, or between 6-10 a.m. and 3-7 p.m.

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