New Jersey Transit has rolled out a new app that changes how riders buy tickets and plan their trips, part of a broader effort to improve service across the state. The overhaul is one piece of a so-called rapid action plan ordered by Governor Sherrill to ease the toll of commuting for New Jersey riders.
The new app has been available since late April, though officials acknowledge there are still bugs to work through. Riders have been adjusting to the changes as the agency continues to refine how the tool handles ticketing and trip planning day to day.
One of the most anticipated upgrades still to come is live GPS tracking of trains, a feature that will be known as NJT Live View. According to the agency, its president and chief executive said the real-time tracking was the single biggest thing that riders have been asking for.
To build it, the governor has authorized the agency to spend about 12 million dollars on the improvement over the next several months. The buses already use similar tracking technology, but there is no public timeline yet for when real-time train tracking will actually go live.
Officials and the governor are touting the real-time tracking as a potential game changer for commuters. For riders left waiting when they miss a connection, sometimes with the next bus or train an hour away, knowing exactly where it is could make a real difference in their daily routine.
The rapid action plan includes other focus areas as well, such as expanding Wi-Fi on buses, power washing train stations and rail cars, and establishing a real-time crime center. Those efforts are said to be in progress more than 90 days after the governor's executive order was signed.