NJ Auditor Report Shows NJ Transit Still Failing – No Surprise

According to a new report by the Office of the State Auditor, NJ Transit rail operations are severely lacking. The report expressed doubts that NJ Transit would be able to meet the federal deadline for Positive Train Control (PTC). The audit also found 47 bridges with poor or bad components that were not included on priority repair lists and 18,102 delayed trains between 2017 and May 2019 were found to be due to preventable circumstances.

“The Auditor’s Report is just the latest report on how NJ Transit keeps failing. This report is shameful, but not a surprise. The report showed that NJ Transit has been pushing back implementing Positive Train Control system, which could mean serious consequences for New Jersey. NJ Transit can lose hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding and may even have to close down some of its train lines. The report also found that NJ Transit is risking public safety by not inspecting bridges, and that many of the delays are due to preventable problems. NJ Transit buses rank 7^th worst in the nation for mechanical failures last year, but they are using $406 million of their capital for operations and maintenance instead of replacing old trains and buses with that money,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “Using capital money to pay for operations is like taking a second mortgage on a house to pay for groceries.”

The report found issues with the timeliness of NJ Transits efforts to implement Positive Train Control. Failure to meet the December 31st deadline could result in fines of $27,000 a day. At the end of last year, the Federal Transit Administration found that NJ Transit had the most breakdowns of any transit system in the nation during 2018.

“Despite all of the pronouncements by Governor Murphy and NJ Transit, the commuter nightmare continues. Besides breakdowns, there are also safety issues that need to be dealt with. NJ Transit needs to be conducting inspections and dealing with other safety concerns that are not being addressed. This is a direct result of funding being slashed by 90 percent in the last 11 years. Instead of putting money toward capital improvements, the Murphy Administration have robbed it to pay for current expenses. What’s even worse is that NJ Transit has raised fares 9 times while cutting back on services. This has hurt our economy and businesses, caused people will be delayed and get to work late, while worsening our air quality problems,” said Tittel. “Governor Murphy chastised Christie for NJ Transit’s dismal record, but we still haven’t improved on what Christie did to New Jersey’s transit system.”

At the end of last year, the NJ Economic Development Authority decided to issue tax exempt NJ Transit Transportation Project revenue Bonds. NJ Transit voted to authorize spending $500 million to replace aging trains and buses. The purpose of these replacements would be to reduce breakdowns.

“What’s even worse is that instead of electrifying our transportation system, the NJ Transit is buying dirty buses and diesel trains. These buses will be driving through environmental justice communities with some of the worst air pollution in the country. This money should be going toward buying more environmentally friendly vehicles. NJ Transit should be moving toward 100% electric by 2030, but instead they are planning to purchase gas-guzzling trains and buses that will remain in the fleet for another 20 years,” said Jeff Tittel. “NJ Transit is leading the nation in breakdowns and is also on its way towards being the dirtiest transit system too.”

As part of its resiliency program, NJ TRANSITGRID has proposed to build a 104-140 MW natural gas-fired power generating plant. The proposed location will be in an industrial zone in Kearny, NJ. Transmission lines and associated infrastructure will extend to substations in Kearny, Jersey City, Bayonne, Hoboken, Weehawken, Union City, and North Bergen, NJ. The site is right next to the North Bergen Generating Station in Bergen County and near PSE&G’s South Kearny natural gas power plant.

“The agency is moving forward on building a “resiliency project” that relies on fossil fuel. Government agencies are supposed to protect the public and promote renewable energy, but instead they are doing just the opposite. You cannot have a resiliency project if you are building a fossil fuel power plant. NJ Transit is siding with the fossil fuel industry and making riders and commuters pay for a project that will hurt them. They’re going to be adding more pollution in these communities with a disproportionate amount of air pollution, whether by driving dirty buses through North Bergen or a powerplant in Kearny,” said Tittel. “NJ Transit’s plan to use this money for dirty buses instead of clean technology is a one-two punch to our lungs and our wallets. They should be helping get cars off the road and making our air cleaner instead of creating more greenhouse gases. NJ Transit’s problems can’t be fixed with dirty fuel.”

According to data released by the Federal Transit Administration last year, New Jersey has had the most breakdowns on any transit system in the nation during 2018. NJ Transit was ranked first for 375 total mechanical failures in 2018, which meant the train could not complete or start a trip. NJ Transit buses ranked 7th worst in the nation with 9.850 total mechanical failures in 2018. NJ Transit rankings are not too far from their 2015 rankings which were 5th worst in the nation for breakdowns.

“This report from the state auditor should be a wake up call to Governor Murphy. NJ Transit needs to hold contractors accountable for implementing Positive Train Control so that we can avoid federal fines. We need to make sure NJ Transit is inspecting bridges, and the agency has to stop being fiscally irresponsible with their capital funds. This needs to be Governor Murphy’s top priority so that our trains can be fixed as soon as possible. Murphy must take action to make sure the people of New Jersey are riding on safe trains,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club.