The board of directors for NJ TRANSIT approved the next phase of the agency’s fleet modernization efforts this week, approving $917 million to overhaul its existing fleet of 429 multilevel railcars.
The cars, which are approaching 20 years of service, are due for a mid-life overhaul. NJ TRANSIT is currently procuring third-generation Multilevel vehicles, the board said, and the overhauls will ensure the compatibility and interoperability of the older railcars with the new Multilevel III vehicles.
“As I’ve committed to the Governor, modernizing our fleet isn’t just about adding new vehicles—it’s also about keeping our current ones in a state of good repair for the people who ride them every day,” NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kris Kolluri said. “This overhaul is part of our broader effort to fully modernize NJ TRANSIT’s rail and bus fleets by 2031, ensuring safe, reliable, and modern service for our customers systemwide.”
The board authorized the funding to overhaul 329 Multilevel I vehicles, and 100 Multilevel II vehicles. An Expression of Interest (EOI) process will be used to identify qualified rail vehicle overhaul contractors with proven experience, the board said. The EOI process will invite contractors to submit their qualifications, capabilities and project experience, to be evaluated by NJ TRANSIT. Once a list of eligible contractors has been finalized, the agency will invite companies to participate in the final procurement and contract award stage.