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NJ Transit Unveils First Next-Generation Rail Car as Part of $3 Billion Fleet Modernization
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill, Congressman Rob Menendez, Congresswoman Nellie Pou, and NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri gathered Sunday at NJ Transit’s Meadows Maintenance Complex in Kearny to showcase the arrival of the first of 374 next-generation Multilevel III rail cars as part of a more than $3 billion fleet modernization effort.
“For too long, NJ Transit riders have been promised change,” Sherrill said. “Today, we start delivering the results they deserve. This is a first step toward fully replacing NJ Transit’s entire fleet for the first time in history.”
Kolluri said the modernization effort extends beyond rail. “She also unveiled a brand new bus, which there’s going to be 1,400 which are going to replace all the old buses we have on the system,” Kolluri said. “The goal is by 2031 to modernize the entire New Jersey Transit fleet so that customers can have a reliable service.”
Congressman Menendez called the announcement a milestone for the region. “Today is a great day,” Menendez said. “More to come.”
The new Multilevel III rail cars, manufactured by Alstom in Plattsburgh, N.Y., can travel approximately 400,000 miles before a mechanical failure, replacing aging cars built in the 1970s that average 30,000 to 40,000 miles between failures. The cars feature USB charging ports, enhanced accessibility, and operating speeds up to 110 mph.
Also unveiled were a new 40-foot bus, a new Access Link paratransit vehicle, and a new 45-foot mobile police command center. Up to 40 additional new rail cars are expected to enter passenger service later this year.