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New Jersey Transit has approved a $917 million plan to overhaul its aging fleet of multilevel train cars. This initiative fulfills a promise made by Governor Phil Murphy to modernize the state's public transportation system. The project will upgrade older multilevel I and II rail cars to match the features of the newer multilevel III cars.
NJ Transit's board of directors gave the green light to the "Overhaul and Modernization Project" on Wednesday (November 13), which aims to rebuild 429 rail cars. The contract for these renovations is expected to be awarded in early 2026, according to NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri. Kolluri also announced that he plans to step down from his position early next year and has not been contacted by Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill about staying on.
The older rail cars, manufactured by Bombardier Transit Corporation, were delivered between 2006 and 2013. The modernization project will include upgrades such as charging ports for phones and devices at every seat, brighter LED lighting, and updated electronics to bring them up to multilevel III standards. NJ Transit aims to complete this overhaul by 2036, aligning with Governor Murphy's goal of replacing all aging buses and trains by 2031.
Kolluri expressed optimism about the project, citing recent accelerated train and bus purchases as evidence of NJ Transit's commitment to modernization. However, he acknowledged the challenge of finding qualified manufacturers to undertake the rebuild. "We're trying to understand how many manufacturers are interested in rebuilding our rail cars," he said.