NJ Transit Rapid Action Plan Targets Rider Experience

The NJ Transit Rapid Action Plan sets out systemwide measures to improve the passenger experience in four areas: cleanliness, accessibility, public safety, and digital services. The plan was developed after Gov. Mikie Sherrill called on the agency to address customer-facing conditions across the network. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri said in a press release that the plan “reflects a systemwide commitment to all NJ Transit customers. … By combining near-term, customer-focused actions with continued long-term investments in infrastructure and equipment, we are strengthening both the reliability of our system and the overall travel experience for the hundreds of thousands of customers who rely on NJ Transit every day.”

Digital Experience Leads The NJ Transit Rapid Action Plan

Digital improvements make up the broadest part of the plan. They include accelerating the launch of an updated NJ Transit mobile app, modernizing the agency’s website, upgrading customer digital displays, and expanding wi-fi on buses.

The plan also covers three other service areas.

For cleanliness, NJ Transit plans to expand its Station Care Team model to address outlying stations, use targeted vehicle-cleaning programs, carry out a systemwide station condition and improvement program, and prioritize high-visibility and high-ridership locations.

Cleanliness, Accessibility, And Public Safety Upgrades

For accessibility, the agency lists targeted improvements to the reliability of elevators, escalators, and boarding areas. It also plans to enhance signage and wayfinding to make stations easier to navigate and expand station navigation support for visually impaired passengers.

For public safety, the plan includes establishing a real-time Crime Center, expanding and upgrading camera systems, and advancing lighting and visibility improvements.

NJ Transit said the work will be funded through its existing budget.

“NJ Transits’s Rapid Action Plan is an immediate commitment to enhance the customer experience,” Sherrill said. “No one wants to ride home on a dirty bus. No one wants to feel unsafe on their train. And no one wants to use an outdated and confusing app that makes it impossible to plan your trip. By prioritizing accessibility, safety, cleaner vehicles and facilities, and upgraded digital technology, this plan addresses the needs of everyone who uses the system.”

Sherrill called for the action plan in an executive order signed in March. Its development included a series of online forums led by NJ Transit’s customer advocate.

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