NJ TRANSIT To Publicly Release Monthly Performance Metrics Under Gov. Murphy's New Plan
MONTCLAIR, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Gov. Phil Murphy has announced a plan that he says will hold NJ TRANSIT accountable for things that go wrong with the system.
Transit riders have had a pretty rough ride the past few years.
"Plenty of delays, pretty poor infrastructure," Daniel Rover, of Montclair, told CBS2's Meg Baker.
Many of those delays and cancellations were caused by mechanical issues, engineer shortages and positive train control implementation.
Murphy now says the public will have access to the agency's performance metrics.
"Under this executive order, starting with the release of October's statistics, NJ TRANSIT will release on a monthly basis the total number of commuter rail cancellations that have occurred each month," he announced Monday.
The first report will be released in November.
Commuters like the idea of keeping the agency accountable.
"That should have been done a long time ago," Montclair resident Harry Haines said. "The people deserve to know that. We pay good money to ride this thing."
Executive director Kevin Corbett says cancellations are down 28% from last year. There are currently six engineer classes with three more expected in the next five months. New multilevel rail cars will be phased into the system, and a five-year capital plan will be announced next spring.
"Incremental improvements may not be felt by all, but the data is showing the trend line moving in the right direction," Corbett said.
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State Sen. Loretta Weinberg says she and the legislature will mark the agency's report card.
"Kevin, I want a copy of your speech because I plan to put it on the well and be able to check off the tasks," she said.
There is the possibility of unplanned cancellations this fall as the agency nears another December deadline for positive train control. It will require engineers and equipment to be taken out of service.
