Welcome to Newark Penn Station The Panhandling Capital of the Garden State

Below is text text of a message that I sent to Customer Service of New Jersey Transit

There needs more regular patrols by the NJ Transit Police of the platforms and waiting rooms to get rid of aggressive panhandlers. Today at 4:15 I entered platform of track 1 of Newark Penn Station and was immediately approached by a panhandler. Two minutes later I walked into the waiting room and again I was approached by a panhandler. At that point I phoned the police and the person answering the phone said if he had someone he would send him up to platform 1. I boarded the train to NYC and in a few minutes there was a panhandler going up and down the aisles. Where are the conductors? These creeps often hang out by the ticket machines as people are getting out their money. Another problem area is the corridor leading to the Light Rail.

Most of these panhandlers are well dressed and are likely looking for money for drugs not to pay for a train ticket. There needs to be more regular patrols by the police. This is a very serious problem. The customers of New Jersey Transit deserve a better environment away from these creeps.

There should be more signage with the phone number of the NJ Transit Police

Delay on the #7 Flushing Train

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If New Jersey Transit doesn’t get you, the MTA will.  This morning I boarded the #7 at 6:52.  Just before it got to the Queensboro Plaza station it came to a dead stop.  The conductor announced that there was a train at Court Square with mechanical failures.  We waited about 15 minutes and finally moved. The bad thing was that the car was very crowded and I was standing.  Just before it reached Grand Central, there was a shorter delay.  Never a dull moment.

New Jersey Transit Struck Out Twice Today

I tweeted about these two incidences today, but I was limited to 140 characters.  So now I can post the details.  This morning I got on the 7:53 out of NYP.  Just before the train reached Secaucus the train came to a stop.  The conductors announced there were mechanical problems.  I thought back to an incident in October 2009 when I had to taken another NJ Transit train from Secaucus to Hoboken and then two PATH trains to Newark.  That still is my worst commute in all the years I have been at NJIT.  Anyway fortunately today it was a minor problem as the train crew was able to solve the issue.  Again better maintenance would help prevent mechanical problems.

When I arrived at Newark Penn Station this evening the board stated that the 4:22 from NWK to NYP was cancelled.  This is the second time in a week that my usual train back to NYC was cancelled.  I checked my e-mail which said that it was cancelled since an Amtrak train was stuck and held up the NJ Transit train behind it.  This time I decided not to wait as I did last week and spent a couple of extra bucks and took the PATH home.

Never a dull moment.

Bad Commute Tonight Compliments of New Jersey Transit

I usually take the 4:22 from NWK to NYP in the late afternoon, but that train was cancelled.  It seems rare for New Jersey Transit to cancel a train.  I am guessing that there was mechanical problems in Trenton.  At least they communicated this to their riders.  The next trained was scheduled to leave NWK at 4:38, but was 10 minutes late.  Thus I was delayed for about a half hour.

Last week there were two fare inspectors and 3 NJ Transit Police officers at the last stop of the Newark Light Rail.  Apparently they caught a kid without a ticket and without identification.  Do they need three cops for this?