A bill that would automatically refund fares if New Jersey Transit trains were canceled or delayed for more than three hours is being pushed through the federal Congress. On the 12th, Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D, NJ 5th District) announced that he would introduce the “All Aboard Act” bill to protect passengers from train service disruptions.
The bill includes a “Passenger Bill of Rights” that would guarantee passengers a full refund if train service were canceled or delayed for more than three hours. The bill is gaining attention as it was proposed at a time when passengers are experiencing significant inconvenience due to frequent disruptions of New Jersey Transit trains that use Amtrak-managed tracks.
According to Rep. Gottheimer’s office, more than 650 New Jersey Transit trains were canceled in June. More than half of the cancellations, 415, were related to Amtrak, which operates the Northeast Corridor route connecting New York and New Jersey. Transit says 92.3 percent of trains would have run normally if there were no issues with the track and equipment managed by Amtrak.