NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri on Jan. 9 was joined by NJ Transit Police Chief Christopher Trucillo and Senator Troy Singleton to unveil the first River LINE vehicle to feature a fully renovated passenger compartment and a recent engine overhaul as part of the agency’s continuing efforts “to enhance the customer experience and improve service reliability.” To mark the milestone, the first vehicle is wrapped in graphics celebrating America’s 250th birthday being observed this year.
As part of the transition from the current contractor, the NJ Transit Board of Directors authorized NJ Transit to enter into a contract with Kinkisharyo International LLC for the maintenance of the River LINE fleet vehicles. NJ Transit will assume oversight of the River LINE service, the maintenance of the right-of-way, and the light rail station maintenance.
After several years of working closely together to assess the conditions of the River LINE, NJ Transit and its contractor Alstom began to transition the light rail system to NJ Transit in early September. The transition, which will be fully complete in the first quarter of this year, “enables NJ Transit to be best positioned to shape and implement the next steps that will strengthen and enhance the future of the service,” according to the agency.
NJ Transit is working with Kinkisharyo to completely rehabilitate the interior passenger areas of the vehicles. Improvements include new LED lighting, replaced seating, new flooring, updated signage and more to significantly enhance the on-board customer experience. In addition, Kinkisharyo is performing a top-to-bottom set of inspections on the light rail vehicles to ensure they remain in a state of good repair. NJ Transit plans to upgrade 14 light rail vehicles as part of this program, as the agency works concurrently to develop a Request for Proposal (RFP) to fully replace the entire River LINE fleet.
As part of the continuing enhancements, NJ Transit has also installed real-time arrival information on the River LINE platforms to improve customer information. River LINE customers now have access to live departure times at every station and through the NJ Transit mobile app. They can track River LINE vehicles in real time, allowing them to monitor any impacts on service more accurately.
“As we finalize the process of assuming operation of the River LINE, every upgrade we’re making is focused on improving reliability, communications and the customer experience,” said Kolluri. “This work builds on the systemwide modernization already underway across our bus and rail fleets, as we also maintain an equal commitment to investing in the quality of commute for our light rail customers.”
