A resident asks NJ Transit officials about the River Line during a public meeting last October at the community center.
A second public meeting is planned at the Community Center next month to focus on River LINE service reliability, accountability, communication and safety.
The session will be hosted on Thursday, Nov. 13, by state Sen. Troy Singleton, with NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri in attendance. It follows NJ Transit’s transition to assume all responsibility for the operation of the light rail system from Alstom – a multi-national rail transport manufacturer – by the end of the year.
The transition began on Sept. 3.
“NJ Transit and Alstom are committed to providing safe and reliable service for our customers on the River LINE,” the two parties said in a shared statement, adding that they have worked closely together to assess the line’s conditions.
“This mutually agreed decision reflects the evolving investment needs of the service,” the statement added, “which have grown beyond the current scope of Alstom’s contract covering River LINE operations and maintenance.
“This transition will enable NJ Transit to be best positioned to shape and implement the next steps that will strengthen and enhance the future of the service.”
There will be a public comment session after a presentation from NJ Transit at the November meeting. RSVP attendance at https://www.troysingleton.com/riverline2025.
“As NJ Transit assumes full operation of the River LINE, we felt it was necessary to bring leadership back before the public to share its improvement plan and outline any progress made since our last meeting,” Singleton noted.
“A year ago, riders voiced real concerns about cancellations and delays, communication failures and safety issues that have undermined confidence in the system,” he added. “We’re hopeful that this new transition will mark a turning point in overall reliability, timeliness and service.”
There are 11 River LINE stations in the county that run along Bordentown City, Bordentown Township, Florence, Burlington City, Burlington Township, Beverly, Delanco, Edgewater Park, Delran, Riverside, Riverton, Cinnaminson and Palmyra.
Last October, some 150-plus borough residents filed into the community center for a public meeting to question NJ Transit officials about safety and other issues on the River LINE. The borough and Riverton were still reeling from the August death of Matthew Dickinson, a 15-year-old who was struck and killed by a River LINE train while heading to soccer practice.
Another fatality occurred on Oct. 14 of last year, when train operator Jessica Healey, a 41-year-old from Levittown, Pennsylvania, was killed and 23 others injured after her train struck a fallen tree on the tracks in Mansfield Township.
The Burlington County Sheriff’s Office in December provided special details through a legislative grant in towns along the River LINE to combat property crimes like shoplifting, burglaries and package theft.
Public meetings are just one component of Singleton’s continued commitment to addressing issues regarding the line. Other efforts include holding the agency accountable for delays and cancellations, especially in the summer months, and improving public safety in the River LINE communities by securing funding for the sheriff’s office to assist local police.
Alstom remains committed to ensuring a safe and efficient transition, it said, while continuing its support of NJ Transit’s success through other ongoing projects. Among them is the manufacture and delivery of hundreds of new multi-level commuter rail cars, the first of which are expected to arrive in the middle of next year.
Both NJ Transit and Alstom say they value the strong partnership built over many years and look forward to continuing to work together on projects that deliver safe, reliable and innovative public transportation for New Jersey and the region, the agencies noted in their statement.
NJ Transit is the nation’s largest state-wide public transportation system, providing more than 925,000 weekday trips on 263 bus routes, three light-rail lines, 12 commuter-rail lines and Access Link paratransit service.
It is the third largest transit system in the country, with 165 rail stations, 62 light rail stations and more than 19,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.
