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Murphy Says Planned Improvements Will Provide Relief For NJ Transit Bus Riders

Kevin Corbett and Governor Phil Murphy highlight measures to improve bus service.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy says planned improvements will bring some relief for hundreds of thousands of New Jersey Transit bus riders.

Kevin Corbett is New Jersey Transit’s executive director. He says the agency is recruiting 40 additional bus drivers and taking other steps to minimize bus delays.

“These enhancements will involve the adjustment of running times along with some additional buses with the additional bus drivers needed to provide bus stop arrivals more in sync with the actual time points on the schedule.”

Additional capacity to relieve overcrowding is planned for specific bus routes in Bergen, Hudson, and Union counties with the fastest growing ridership.

Senate Transportation Committee chairman Patrick Diegnan says the planned improvements are needed.

“This is not an amenity. This is a necessity. This is now people get to work. This is how families survive. Taking buses.”

The Governor says getting the mass transit system working again for commuters is one of his highest priorities.

“We want commuters to leave their cars at home and rely upon mass transit, both our trains and our buses. But we can’t realistically expect them to do so unless they know NJ Transit can get them where they need to be reliably and on time.”

Murphy says it will take years of committed investments to reverse the damage caused by neglect and mismanagement.