Erin Lanahan New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill is requiring NJ Transit to step up their game and clean up with a new executive order. It requires NJ Transit to come up with a comprehensive plan based on customer feedback to improve public safety and cleanliness of bus stops and train stations across the state. It also requires NJ Transit to improve the digital experience for commuters, making sure riders get accurate information when tracking trains or buses on the website or app. Here’s what we know about the new executive order requiring NJ Transit to improve the commuter experience.
About The Executive Order
Governor Mikie Sherrill signed Executive Order No. 16 on March 23rd that requires NJ Transit to improve the commuter experience. (I think I’ve seen this film before…)
There are two parts to this executive order. Within the next 45 days, the Commissioner of Transportation, who serves as Chair of the NJ Transit board of directors, will develop a comprehensive plan to improve riders’ experiences and send it to the Governor’s office.
The Governor is asking the Commissioner to prioritize improving the following areas:
- Cleanliness of NJ TRANSIT stations, stops, buses, and rail cars
- Accessibility of NJ TRANSIT-owned properties, including escalators and boarding areas
- Public safety, including lighting, cameras, and law enforcement presence at stations and stops
- The digital experience for riders, focusing on the usability and reliability of real-time tracking features on the website and mobile app
The NJ Transit Customer Advocate will hold three public listening sessions and put together a public survey that will live on the NJ Transit website. Commuters will be able to voice their feedback on issues like dirty train windows, construction delays, and other things that create headaches during their rides on NJ Transit. The Customer Advocate will report survey results and feedback from the listening sessions within 30 days.
Read More: Could New Jersey Bring Back The Classic Blue License Plates?
If NJ Transit stays on track, New Jersey commuters could see changes made as soon as this summer. In the 45 days that follow the delivery of this plan, NJ Transit is required to fast-track the implementation of the highest priority initiatives. The executive order says riders will be able to see immediate improvements by June 22.
“Every New Jerseyan deserves a transit system that is safe, clean, accessible, and reliable. This Executive Order is about delivering cleaner stations, clearer communication, and more dependable service across NJ TRANSIT,” said Governor Sherrill in a statement.
Similar NJ Transit Initiatives
There have been other initiatives to clean up NJ Transit in recent years. In 2022, NJ Transit reportedly planned to spend $8 million on new train windows. Crews tried to wash and clean the windows but were unsuccessful. The solution NJ Transit came up with in fall 2024 was to replace all the impacted windows on several multi-level rail cars that are beginning the process of being overhauled.
The oldest double-decker rail cars that were deployed between 2005 and 2007 are reaching 20 years old, which is when trains are typically overhauled. The first 400 windows were reportedly ordered in September 2024, then the windows officially started being replaced in December 2024 as trains came in for regular maintenance.
See More: Real Housewives of New Jersey is Returning to Bravo, But Here’s What the Cast Has Been Up to Lately
In March 2025, NJ Transit announced that it would replace more than 13,000 windows on the entire Multi-Level I and II fleet by 2028, with 1/3 of the windows being replaced each year.
Follow @thelocalgirlhq on Instagram + TikTok for the latest updates on Hoboken, Montclair, Bergen County, and more, sign up for our weekly newsletter here that shares everything you missed each week, and check out our events calendar, which has over 100+ events weekly to peruse.
