Amtrak not solely to blame for New Jersey commuter rail's unreliability, report finds

A new report from the Garden State Initiative found that while Amtrak-owned infrastructure contributed to service disruptions for New Jersey Transit’s commuter rail — Amtrak manages the train signals, tracks and electrical infrastructure on the Northeast Corridor used by NJ Transit — its reliability challenges could not be pinned solely on Amtrak. 

Mass Transit reports:

"Public discussion often centers on Amtrak, and our research confirms that Amtrak-related disruptions certainly impact on-time performance, but the data also show that NJ Transit faces a separate mechanical reliability challenge that cannot be explained by Amtrak alone,” [Danielle Zanzalari, the author of the report] said. “If New Jersey wants a more reliable transit system, policymakers should pair continued infrastructure investment with stronger operational management, better asset planning and clear performance measures."

The study looked at data from 2020 through 2024, and also found that while NJ Transit’s budget grew by 20%, reliability declined significantly over the same period. The report concluded that reliability depends on how transportation resources are managed, not simply how much is spent, and that New Jersey should adopt a more performance-based approach to transit investment and accountability, Noah Kolenda writes for Mass Transit.