NJ Transit Reform Is In Response To Customers' Concerns: Weinberg

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — A local state senator who sponsored legislation overhauling NJ Transit's governance and management said the bill was created as a direct response to commuters' concerns about the transportation provider.

The bill includes reforms to NJ Transit's board of directors to make it more responsive to commuters; expands oversight over NJ Transit, both by the public and the Legislature; institutes regular disclosure of accident and safety performance reports; strengthens whistleblower protections; and creates customer advocate and chief ethics officer positions within the agency.

"This legislation is not a panacea for all of the problems that have plagued New Jersey Transit," said Senator Weinberg, a Democrat from Bergen County, the Senate majority leader, and one of the bill's sponsors. "This bill responds directly to the many commuters who too often felt that NJ Transit had stopped listening and caring about their needs."

Gov. Phil Murphy signed the bill into law this week. (See related: Gov. Murphy Signs 5 Bills Into Law, Updates On Marijuana (Video))

Weinberg also said the bill, "will help NJ Transit's new leadership deliver the safe, reliable, on-time service its riders have a right to expect by making it one of the nation’s most representative, responsive and transparent public transit agencies."

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com

Photo: New Jersey state Senator Loretta Weinberg (Photo by Kena Betancur/Getty Images)