As of March 2, 2014, New Jersey residents will enjoy limited direct service into Manhattan offered by NJ Transit. One-Seat Ride service rides along the Raritan Valley Line.
According to the Raritan Valley Rail Coalition announcement made on Monday, NJ Transit will offer off-peak service into Manhattan.
The service, One-Seat Ride, arrives in Penn Station weekdays between 10am and 3pm. Towns impacted include: Westfield, Union, Somerville, Scotch Plains, Roselle Park, Readington, Raritan, Plainfield, Piscataway, Netherwood, Mountainside, Lebanon, Hillsborough, High Bridge, Garwood, Fanwood, Dunellen, Cranford, Clinton, Bridgewater, Branchburg, and Bound Brook.
Peter S. Palmer, Rail Coalition Chairman, and Somerset County Freeholder, states One-Seat service is one that is an important first step in the development of towns impacted by the new service. According to Palmer, major development near the train stations is going on.
The mayor was also given praised for his coalition in the effort to make the project possible. Colleen Mahr, Fanwood mayor, headed the coalition, which had a major influence in the outcome of the project.
Since NJ Transit first purchased dual mode locomotives, a lengthy petition began in the effort to put through a one-seat ride into Manhattan by the Raritan Valley Rail Coalition along with 30 mayors. Union, Middlesex and Somerset counties are on the route which the new locomotives will now operate as diesel. Before the tunnel, the locomotives will switch to electronic.
Evaluations will be performed quarterly by the Raritan Valley Rail Coalition who will meet to evaluate and discuss the development of the service and future expansions of the One-Seat with the next improvement being to offer One-Seat rides into Manhattan after 8pm.
For more information you can visit the official Raritan Valley Rail Coalition website at www.raritanvalleyrail.com