WASHINGTON, DC – Today, all twelve New Jersey U.S. House Representatives lauded the U.S. Department of Transportation’s $10 million grant to New Jersey Transit (NJT) to advance its implementation of Positive Train Control (PTC) along its rail lines.

U.S. Representatives Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02), Tom MacArthur (NJ-03), Chris Smith (NJ-04), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Leonard Lance (NJ-07), Albio Sires (NJ-08), Bill Pascrell, Jr. (NJ-09), Donald Payne, Jr. (NJ-10), Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) all support NJT implementing this life-saving technology.

“This funding will help save lives in New Jersey,” said Rep. Norcross. “Positive Train Control helps prevent derailments and NJT can now add this necessary technology to more trains. We must do everything we can to improve rail safety and I will keep fighting for resources that ensure NJT passengers travel on a safe and reliable system.”

“I am pleased that our congressional delegation was successful in helping to secure this $10 million in federal funding for the implementation of positive train control in New Jersey,” said Rep. Payne, Jr. “Chronic underfunding of our rail infrastructure has put the lives of passengers at risk. This investment will not only prevent train derailments, it will keep passengers safe.”

“New Jersey Transit needs all the help it can get to implement these critical safety measures in place,” said Rep. Pascrell. “Our commuters deserve peace of mind when riding our transit system and I’m glad that our request for federal assistance was granted.”

"I applaud this critical investment in the safety of New Jersey's railways and will continue to work with the New Jersey delegation to get every federal penny back to our state to improve our rails, boost safety, and better serve our commuters," said Rep. Gottheimer.

In November, the full New Jersey delegation sent a letter in support of NJT’s application for PTC funding. It was signed by U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker and U.S. Representatives Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02), Tom MacArthur (NJ-03), Chris Smith (NJ-04), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Leonard Lance (NJ-07), Albio Sires (NJ-08), Bill Pascrell, Jr. (NJ-09), Donald Payne, Jr. (NJ-10), Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).

On Sept. 29, 2016, there was a fatal NJT train crash in the Hoboken Terminal. A preliminary report issued by the National Transportation Safety Board found that the train abruptly accelerated to more than twice the posted speed limit just moments before impact. According to its June 2016 filing to the Federal Railroad Administration, NJT had made no progress on PTC despite a December 2018 federally-imposed deadline for completion.

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Contact: Ally Kehoe, Communications Director
ally.kehoe@mail.house.gov