NJ Transit To Make Changes After Data Shows Bus Lateness

NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- New Jersey Transit plans to make changes after new data revealed the agency's buses arrive on time for scheduled stops 68 percent of the time.

The information comes from NJ Transit's new computerized system for tracking buses. Previously, the agency relied on workers at six major terminals to record when buses departed.

The "My Bus'' system digitally tracks the progress of buses on 262 routes, recording the time of every stop and the amount of time it takes to load and unload passengers, NJ Transit told The Record  newspaper.

NJ Transit defines "on-time'' arrivals within a seven-minute window, beginning one minute before scheduled arrival to six minutes after.

NJ Transit analyzed 60 percent of all scheduled trips during the spring, collecting 4 million individual observations. The agency plans to make improvements along 33 bus routes, which represent 15 percent of its bus system.

That goal would be a modest improvement from 68 percent to 71 percent of all stops.

"We're constantly looking at ways to improve on-time performance and the use of Smart Bus data technology as a supplementary source of information will greatly assist us by providing data specifically related to stops along a route,'' NJ Transit spokesman William Smith said.

Gov. Chris Christie was on the hot seat last week, accused of not doing enough to help commuters.

A New Jersey Transit rider ended up in an online back-and-forth with the governor after tweeting at Christie to complain about major delays.

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