Sweeney Statement on NJ Transit Public Hearing

Hoboken – Senate President Steve Sweeney issued the following statement after conducting a public hearing by the Senate Select Committee on New Jersey Transit that provided a forum for passengers to voice their opinions and share their experiences on Transit’s service and operations:

“The experiences of commuters is a true test of Transit’s performance. They suffer from the service problems so their opinions are valuable for making needed improvements. What we heard today is that Transit passengers continue to experience delays, breakdowns and cancellations that are disruptive to their lives, that their frustrations have grown and their patience has been worn down.

“The special committee heard repeated accounts of the ongoing problems faced by of passengers over service problems and operational failures that continue to plague the mass transit system they rely on for daily commutes and intra-state travel. NJ Transit continues to struggle with service delays, breakdowns and cancellations, and these problems are made worse by labor shortages and underfunding. These problems are not new, but it is all too clear that they haven’t been solved and there has been too little progress.

“Our goal is not to cast blame, it is to identify the problems and develop an action plan to make sure that NJ Transit is operating like a top flight agency that serves the needs of its passengers. This hearing has provided valuable input.”