The 12 trainees completed the 24 weeks of formal classroom instruction and passed extensive testing, including a final exam of nearly 800 questions. The soon-to-be graduates are near the end of the final stage of the 78-week long program. Later this month, each trainee will have to qualify on their division to become certified and qualified locomotive engineers.

“The trainees here today are the first cohort of an expanded engineering corps, charged with the great task of moving our residents and commuters safely and reliably across our state every day,” said Governor Murphy. “I applaud each and every trainee, and congratulate them on completing this rigorous classroom training, as they embark on an important and rewarding career on the front lines of building NJ TRANSIT into a world class mass transit agency.”

“These trainees have had to digest an immense amount of complex information and pass rigorous exams. I am proud of everything they have achieved so far,’’ said NJ TRANSIT Executive Director Kevin Corbett. “I look forward to the near future when they conclude their training and become certified to operate on the railroad.”

The completion of this class at the end of the month will help fulfill the agency’s commitment of training and hiring more locomotive engineers. NJ TRANSIT has increased the number of engineer training classes to a record-setting seven classes running concurrently. There are four engineer classes set to graduate in 2019.