New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit) is starting various projects, including purchasing new buses, launching a new program to better the customer experience and replacing two escalators at Hamilton Station.
Purchasing new buses
The NJ Transit Board of Directors authorized the purchase of 208 60-foot articulated buses and 20 battery-electric buses (BEB). The agency notes the new buses will replace outdated 40-foot transit buses currently in use. According to NJ Transit, the longer articulated buses, which bend in the middle, provide capacity for 100 customers, compared to the approximately 50 customers on the buses they are replacing while the BEBs advance the goal of transitioning to a 100 percent zero-emission bus fleet by 2040.
NJ Transit says the purchase is part of a broader commitment to replace all outdated buses and trains, fully modernizing the fleet to improve reliability and enhance the customer experience.
“Replacing outdated buses and rail cars across our system is part of our continued commitment to improving service for our customers — and today’s board action is a meaningful step forward,” said NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri. “Governor [Phil] Murphy’s FY 2026 budget continues to prioritize transit, giving NJ Transit the ability to accelerate advancing a modern, more reliable fleet that will better accommodate growing ridership and significantly enhance the customer experience.”
The agency notes the purchase of the buses will cost $393.4 million, plus 10 percent for contingencies, subject to the availability of funds. A vendor and contract will be finalized during the procurement process.
According to NJ Transit, the new articulated buses will provide fleet reliability at reduced operating and maintenance costs and will be equipped with the latest technology to significantly reduce vehicle exhaust emissions. The advanced emissions systems in the buses will produce approximately 80 percent fewer emissions than the buses they replace. In addition, the articulated and BEBs will feature low flooring to allow customers to embark and disembark more quickly. The agency says all new buses will include new customer amenities such as USB charging ports, security cameras, blind spot cameras and turn warning systems to enhance customer experience and safety.
Gateway to Hope program
Kolluri joined the Newark Alliance, Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka and his Office of Homeless Services, Prudential Financial, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, RWJBarnabas Health, County of Essex and the State of New Jersey to launch the Gateway to Hope program, a set of focused initiatives aimed to reach, stabilize and house residents in need near Newark Penn Station. NJ Transit notes Gateway to Hope will serve as a model for future improvements at other NJ Transit stations. In addition, Newark Penn Station will become the home of Prudential Financial in a sponsorship agreement.
“We all have a shared responsibility in New Jersey to ensure our residents have access to the resources and help they need to thrive and live healthy, productive lives,” said New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner and NJ Transit Board Chair Fran O’Connor. “I am proud to join with the Newark Alliance and our partners in a focused effort to reach out to those most in need at Newark Penn Station.”
“In Newark, we operate from a core belief that people’s value is not entwined with what they have, where they work or how they live. Their value is inherent in the fact that they are members of our human family,” Baraka said. “As such, our policy is to embrace our most vulnerable residents with outreach that encourages trust as a foundation for wraparound services that enable stable housing and progress toward a sense of meaningful fulfillment. This important collaboration is another essential step in our quest to end homelessness in Newark. I am proud to stand with these generous partners and extend my heartfelt gratitude.”
NJ Transit notes the Newark Alliance coordinated partnerships with public, private and non-profit entities to bring a dedicated, cross-disciplinary medical outreach team to serve people experiencing homelessness at Newark Penn Station. The effort aims to address medical, housing and other needs to get help to those who need it most.
Specific initiatives include:
- Deploying three-person medical teams consisting of a nurse, social worker and outreach worker, in collaboration with New Jersey Transit Police and the city of Newark, to assess and provide on-the-spot mental health care and substance abuse disorder treatment and to connect unhoused individuals to housing and other services.
- Supporting Mayor Baraka’s new PATH HOME housing program by providing funding for an expansion of wrap-around support services for 200 Newark Housing Authority transitional housing units for chronically homeless Newark residents.
- Deploying 100 HOME tenant-based rental assistance vouchers for persons experiencing homelessness, committed by the New Jersey department of Community Affairs in support of this effort.
- The city, in partnership with NJDCA, NJCRI and others, is set to open the 24/7 Shiela Y. Oliver Drop In resource center in late 2025. The center will provide medical, housing and workforce services and address immediate needs for unsheltered residents such as showers, laundry and food services, as well as rest lounges and computer stations.
- Launching a home of sponsorship of Newark Penn Station with Prudential Financial, which has been headquartered in Newark since its founding in 1875.
NJ Transit notes the initiatives are part of the agency’s larger effort to improve the customer experience, which was announced earlier this year. Efforts include increased customer service ambassadors, modernizing the agency’s fleet of buses and trains, new lavender-scented cleaning products and touchscreen kiosks with travel information.
“Newark Penn Station is a magnificent gateway to our city and New Jersey,” said Newark Alliance President and CEO and NJ Transit Board Member Evan Weiss. “Newark Alliance is dedicated to the ongoing economic revitalization of Newark and focused on the quality of life for those living, working and visiting our downtown, including anyone experiencing homelessness. We are proud to partner with NJ Transit and so many of our members to support effective strategies that link unhoused Newarkers to critical services and ultimately to a place to a call home.”
Kolluri added, “NJ Transit is pleased to announce this innovative public-private partnership that delivers support and resources to the most vulnerable in the city of Newark. Gateway to Hope is a testament to what can be achieved when organizations come together with a shared mission. By connecting those in need with critical social services, medical care and housing, we are taking meaningful steps to address a complex challenge affecting transit systems across the country."
New escalators at Hamilton Station
On March 31, the agency awarded a $5.2 million contract to Hall Construction Co. Inc. for parts fabrication and installation for two new escalators at Hamilton Station. The agency says that under the replacement plan, the timeline for completion has been advanced by nearly six months. According to the agency, Hamilton Station is one of the busiest stations on the Northeast Corridor.
“We are pleased to move forward with the full replacement of the Hamilton Station escalators, a project that reflects our ongoing commitment to improving the customer experience,” Kolluri said. “By accelerating the timeline for procurement, we are prioritizing our focus on customer service and ensuring that escalators in the station operate as expected.”
Mercer County, N.J., Executive Dan Benson added, "I thank NJ Transit for advancing these crucial improvements to Hamilton Station. Thousands of Mercer County residents use the station every day, and it is vitally important that all passengers, especially those with mobility issues, be able to move through the station unimpeded."
NJ Transit notes fabrication of parts and components is a complex process that is expected to take up to 10 months. Construction at the site will begin when all components of the replacement escalators are manufactured. The new escalators are scheduled to be operational by late spring/early summer of 2026.
“I want to thank NJ Transit for moving on this much needed escalator replacement at the Hamilton Train station,” said Hamilton Mayor Jeff Martin. “I appreciate their recognition of the importance of the project by expediating it for our community.”
Brandon Lewis | Associate Editor
Brandon Lewis is a recent graduate of Kent State University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Lewis is a former freelance editorial assistant at Vehicle Service Pros in Endeavor Business Media’s Vehicle Repair Group. Lewis brings his knowledge of web managing, copyediting and SEO practices to Mass Transit Magazine as an associate editor. He is also a co-host of the Infrastructure Technology Podcast.
