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NJ Transit has until early May to deliver a plan to improve the rider experience under an executive order Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed on March 23. And the agency has until June 22 to show results.
The order mandates cleaner stations and bus stops, greater accessibility to NJ Transit-owned properties, and improved public safety. The order also directs the agency to improve the digital experience for riders “with focus on the usability and reliability of real-time tracking features on the NJT website and mobile app.”
From January to February of this year, data from the New Jersey Transit Police Department shows that the total number of crimes committed systemwide increased about 13%.
While data from 2025 has not been finalized yet, crime statistics from 2022 to 2024 show a gradual decline in overall reported major crimes on buses and trains, and in train stations.
New Jerseyans deserve a clean, safe and accessible system that is reliable, Sherrill said during a press conference in Secaucus.
“We are listening to riders, holding ourselves accountable and making the improvements necessary to ensure that rail and bus transit work better for everyone who uses it,” she said.
A troubled history
Commuters have complained for years about late buses and trains, rude NJ Transit employees and poor communication.
Seven years ago, former Gov. Phil Murphy said he would fix NJ Transit even “if it kills me.”
Kevin Corbett, who was the CEO and president of NJ Transit when Murphy made that promise, said a lot of progress has been made, but more needs to be done. Now a senior fellow of transportation studies at the Rutgers School of Engineering, Corbett said Sherrill’s military background puts her in a good position to raise the standard for the average NJ Transit commuter.
He said her order lays out a vision and starts a process, while proposing improvements that commuters would notice by the summer.
“You can certainly get more police presence, more ambassadors on platforms, cleanliness and public safety. That’s just giving more resources so they can have more people … to do that sort of work,” Corbett said.