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News
NJ Transit Trumps MTA in Information Game
by Bob Hennelly
NEW YORK, NY August 10, 2007 —The most frequent complaint heard from City commuters during Wednesday's subway chaos was the total lack of information coming from the MTA and other regional transport agencies. But as WNYC's Bob Hennelly reports it was a very different story for some New Jersey Transit customers.
LOUDSPEAKER: There is no information at this time on the four or the five. Repeat there is no information at this time on the four or the five.
REPORTER: That's what subway commuters heard below ground at Penn Station. Contrast that with the 46,000 New Jersey Transit customers who subscribe to that systems up to the minute real time information service.
Dan Stessel with NJ Transit, says keeping customers informed is his agency's top priority.
STESSEL: That's why we developed a system called "My Transit" which sends alerts to your pager or blackberry or PDA whenever there is a delay effecting your specific trip. It is not a general message. If you tell us you are taking train 1,2,3. We are going to send you an alert when your train 1,2,3 is having a problem.
REPORTER: The MTA also, has an e-mail service, but it only communicates planned service disruptions.
On Wednesday NJ Transit sent out dozens of broadcast e-mail messages that included information updates on the Port Authority's PATH system. Subscribers learned in real time what lines were down and why. For WNYC I am Bob Hennelly