Service Scheduled to Begin January 2015

CRANFORD – Members of the Raritan Valley Rail Coalition (RVRC) are pleased to announce confirmation of after-8 p.m. “one-seat” service into New York Penn Station beginning on the Raritan Valley Rail Line in January 2015. The RVRC made the announcement at a packed open house in Cranford on Oct. 27.

“We were very pleased with the turnout,” said RVRC Chairman and Somerset County Freeholder Peter Palmer. “We were even more pleased with NJ TRANSIT’s announcement that they will find the money somehow to institute after-8 p.m. ‘one-seat’ service as of January 2015. This brings us one step closer to the ultimate goal of ‘one-seat’ service during peak hours.”

The Raritan Valley Rail Coalition was formed to advocate for “one-seat” service from the Raritan Valley Rail Line to New York Penn Station. Currently, riders must switch trains in Newark in order to board a train bound for New York . The RVRC has made considerable strides, announcing in early 2014 the availability of midday “one-seat” rides between the morning and evening peak hours. Evening “one-seat” service is the next step of four that will give riders access to “one-seat” service throughout the day.

In an interview with Transportation Radio, RVRC Vice Chairman Tom Jardim said, “We need to motivate and rally every single rider along the Raritan Valley Line and beyond because it affects all of us in every community. They need to start pushing legislators and NJ TRANSIT to give us a complete ‘one-seat’ ride. It’s a matter of fairness and equity.”

Fanwood Mayor Colleen Mahr attended as the head of RVRC’s Coalition of Mayors. “It was wonderful to see so many people come out, even all the way from Hunterdon County ,” she said. “There were many excellent questions and comments, all with one common theme – that Raritan Valley riders want equity when it comes to service from NJT and that means scheduling ‘one-seat’ ride trains during peak commuting hours.”

Many public officials attended the meeting to show support for “one-seat” service, including State Senator Tom Kean, Jr. (Dist. 21); Assemblywoman Linda Stender (Dist. 22); Union County Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski, Alexander Mirabella, Bruce Bergen and Linda Carter; Westfield Mayor Andy Skibitsky; Roselle Mayor Joseph Accardi; Cranford Mayor Andis Kalnins; Cranford Deputy Mayor Lisa Adubato; Roselle Park Councilman Carl Hokanson; Scotch Plains Councilman Llewellyn Jones; Fanwood Councilman Jack Molenaar; Westfield Councilmen Keith Loughlin and Mark LoGrippo; and Somerville Council members Amanda O’Neill and Thompson Mitchell.

To learn more about the Raritan Valley Rail Line, contact Mindy Scarlett at 908-499-9298 or at info@raritanvalleyrail.com  Additional information can be found on the RVRC website at www.raritanvalleyrail.com