John Chartier

The board meeting commenced with a public safety announcement and the Pledge of Allegiance. Key discussions included an update on ridership, which shows recovery across rail, bus, interstate bus, and light rail services, reaching between 55% and 90% of pre-COVID levels. The CEO reported on new promotional discounts to encourage ridership. Infrastructure updates covered the introduction of the first electric bus in Camden, marking progress toward a zero-emission fleet by 2040. Major progress was highlighted on Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) projects, specifically the Hoboken Connect project, involving significant terminal renovations and infrastructure improvements in the Hoboken yard, and the selection of a TOD site near Metro Park Station in Woodbridge. Additionally, a $49 million investment was announced for customer-facing improvements at the New Brunswick Rail Station. Safety initiatives included rolling out Special Safety Educational Awareness Training (SEAT) and a new program called Protecting the Pedestrians. The CEO also recognized customer service professionals and concluded with a commendation for an off-duty NJ Transit Police officer who heroically rescued two friends from strong rip tides.

The Special Board Meeting addressed multiple entities including NJ Transit Corporation and its subsidiaries. Key discussions included public comments concerning the recent major snowstorm and the performance of staff, as well as the formal recommendation and subsequent approval for the reappointment of Chris Calori as executive director, president, and chief executive officer of NJ Transit. The executive director also highlighted upcoming major projects such as the Portal cut over projects and the expected arrival of the first multi-level cars into revenue service by summer.

The board meeting involved discussions and approvals across several key areas for the New Jersey Transit Corporation and its subsidiaries. Key topics included advancing the Secaucus-Meadowlands Transitway project with approval for Phase 2 design services. Access Link service continued to be a focus, with approvals for a new contract for service in Region 4 and additional funding authorization for an existing contract in the same region, alongside outsourcing a portion of call center operations. Medical and pharmacy plan administration contracts were extended. The board also approved action items related to the redevelopment of the Walter Rand Transportation Center and an amendment for the New Brunswick Train Station. The President & CEO highlighted achievements in service reliability, including on-time performance metrics, safety initiatives like the Gateway to Hope Program, and significant progress in rolling stock modernization, noting plans for new rail cars and bus upgrades. Discussions also covered the management of fare evasion, which results in significant lost revenue, and the importance of planned infrastructure work, such as the Portal North Bridge Project cutover, which will require rider sacrifice with advance notice. Furthermore, the board approved the reintroduction of the FLEXPASS ticketing option, which offers a 20-trip discount.

The board meeting included reports from advisory committees, such as the Advisory Committee report detailing service reviews, an award received for a human trafficking project, and discussions regarding transit projects like the Riverline, the Walter Ran Center, and the Hudson-Bergen light rail extension. The Senior Citizens and Disabled Residents Transportation Advisory Committee (SCATTER TAC) provided a semi-annual report summarizing activities from July through November 2025. Key points included concerns over the SCATTER TAC allocation alignment with statutory formulas, posting vacancies in certain regions, and addressing transportation barriers for CAC meeting attendance. The committee also discussed the outsourcing of the Access Link call center and proposed shortening the advanced reservation time for Access Link. Public comments addressed the high cost of the Secaucus Transit Way project compared to service improvements needed on lines like the Coastline and the Pascaack Valley line, and requested funding for two additional train sets to improve weekend service in Essex County following the cessation of Decamp Bus service. A public commenter also raised technical issues with ticket validators at the headquarters light rail station.

The meeting included an update from Operations and Customer Service regarding the response to a recent massive winter storm that dropped significant snow and led to freezing conditions. The agency stated that all operational decisions were guided by prioritizing customer and employee safety and maintaining customer experience, avoiding a 'run until we fail' model. Within 12 hours of the snowfall ending, service began resuming across all modes (rail, bus, light rail). Public speakers extensively criticized the Level Two severe weather schedule implemented on Tuesday, which effectively operated as a weekend schedule, leading to severe overcrowding, bypassed stations on the Montclair Boonton line (stopping service past Bay Street), refusal of entry to trains, and poor communication. Speakers urged NJ Transit to review and strengthen contingency plans, implement a Level One schedule that maintains more comprehensive service, provide hourly weekend service on the Montclair Boonton line, and ensure better communication, including pre-briefing conductors on alternative service options for stranded passengers. Cross-honoring of tickets between rail, bus, and light rail was noted as being in effect during the recovery period.