Some serious cash has been set aside for N.J. Transit upgrades, as well as a fleet of new trains and buses.
N.J. Transit’s board recently adopted a $2.218 billion operating budget and a $1.367 billion capital budget. Officials say the funds will go toward 113 self-propelled, multi-level electric rail cars that will replace the oldest cars in the rail fleet. The budget also sets aside money for 185 new cruiser-style commuter buses to hit the road, replacing old buses that have racked up more than a whopping 500,000 miles.
The investment is good news for those who ride the rails. N.J. Transit had more train breakdowns than any other commuter railroad in the nation, according to 2016 stats from the Federal Transit Administration, and officials say the new train and bus purchases will lower the rate of breakdown-related delays.