PATCO TO THIN SEVICE IN INTEREST OF SECURITY AND OTHER PATCO NEWS

[daveklepper]

A.

PATCO will run fewer trains and close seven stations under a new overnight schedule that will put a police officer on each train starting Monday, May 13.

Under the new weekday owl schedule, trains will operate every 60 minutes instead of every 45 minutes between midnight and 4:30 a.m.

Trains will stop at all stations except one — 9th/10th and Locust — between midnight and 1 a.m. Between 1 and 4:30 a.m., trains will only stop at the Lindenwold, Woodcrest, Ferry Avenue, Broadway, 8th and Market, and 15th/16th and Locust Stations. The Ashland, Haddonfield, Westmont, Collingswood, City Hall, 9th/10th and Locust, and 12th/13th and Locust stations will be closed.

On weekends, trains will operate every 45 minutes and make stops at all stations except 9/10th and Locust between midnight and 2 a.m. After that, trains will run every 60 minutes and only stop at Lindenwold, Woodcrest, Ferry Avenue, Broadway, 8th and Market, and 15th/16th and Locust while the other stations will be closed.

Weekend trains will resume making all station stops starting with the 4:30 departure from the 15th/16th and Locust Streets station and the 5 a.m. departure out of Lindenwold.

PATCO said a police officer will be on every train operating on the owl schedule. The new schedule can be found on PATCO’s website.

“There’s safety in numbers; having more riders together on trains and in stations provides greater security and better police coverage,” John L. Stief, chief of the joint Delaware River Port Authority/PATCO Police Department, said in a statement. “We evaluated ways to increase our police presence throughout the system during the owl hours. These service modifications allow us to do just that.”

The initial reaction from riders on social media was negative, with some complaining about the short notice for the schedule change and warning that late-night partygoers might find themselves passing through a station where they had parked their cars earlier.

 

B.

 PATCO to Postpone Recently Announced New Owl Service Agency to further analyze rider and community feedback On May 8, PATCO announced that it is postponing the start date of its new owl service. The targeted new implementation date is Saturday, June 1 and will allow PATCO to analyze feedback from riders and the community, as well as provide additional time for notification of the changes to the public. It is our goal to incorporate the feedback and concerns to greatest extent possible to the new owl schedule to when implemented. To view the previously announced changes to the owl schedule, please click here. Questions or comments? Please contact us. Port Authority Transit Corporation | PO Box 4262 | Lindenwold, NJ 08021 Customer Service: [phone] | Contact Us ©2019 PATCO Select Language​▼ 

 

PATCO to Postpone Recently Announced New Owl Service

Agency to further analyze rider and community feedback

On May 8, PATCO announced that it is postponing the start date of its new owl service. The targeted new implementation date is Saturday, June 1 and will allow PATCO to analyze feedback from riders and the community, as well as provide additional time for notification of the changes to the public. It is our goal to incorporate the feedback and concerns to greatest extent possible to the new owl schedule when implemented.

[Flintlock76]

Very wise.  You can't be too careful, especially in this day and age.

Nothing good happens between midnight and 4:30 AM.

One other thing:  I'd make that on-board cop a K-9 officer.  Bad guys don't want to get eaten by very angry K-9 dogs who won't let anything bad happen to their partners!

[SD70Dude]

That's when railroaders go to work!

But you do see some "interesting" sights along seedy areas in the wee hours...

[NKP guy]

Flintlock76

Nothing good happens between midnight and 4:30 AM.

That's when railroaders go to work!    (SD70Dude) 

Those are also Amtrak's convenient boarding and disembarking hours here in the Midwest.

(So you're both right!)

 

[Flintlock76]

NKP guy

 

 

Flintlock76

Nothing good happens between midnight and 4:30 AM.

 

 

That's when railroaders go to work!    (SD70Dude) 

Those are also Amtrak's convenient boarding and disembarking hours here in the Midwest.

(So you're both right!)

 

 

Sounds like a sneaky way to discourage passenger patronage.  

It's been done before.  

[daveklepper]

PATCO to Cancel Recently Announced New Owl Service

Agency to create a special task force to further study safety and security during the owl hours

On May 13, PATCO announced that it is canceling the planned changes to its owl service. PATCO has received public feedback about the plan which would have closed some PATCO stations during owl service hours in order to provide greater security. PATCO will continue to evaluate the feedback and study issues related to security during owl service.

"I want to thank the public for their feedback and particularly Mayors Teague, Rochford, and Maley," said John T. Hanson, DRPA CEO and PATCO President. "PATCO continues to study security concerns during the owl hours and I am creating a special task force led by DRPA Police Captain George Bollendorf to make recommendations about security on the owl service."

PATCO will continue to operate the schedule currently in effect since April 15.

[daveklepper]

Rather post here, beecause it is related to PATCO as came from them:

Glassboro-Camden Line Achieves Important Milestone

A vital transportation link for South Jersey will advance to preliminary engineering design CAMDEN, NJ – The Glassboro-Camden Line (GCL) remains on track to significantly impact transportation in South Jersey. The new commuter rail line will benefit thousands of commuters while strengthening communities, creating jobs, bolstering economies, and promoting economic development. This week, the light-rail project achieved a significant project milestone with the completion of a comprehensive Environmental Impact Study (EIS). The EIS was a critical phase that carefully reviewed the project’s environmental impacts. Nationally recognized transportation experts conducted the study with feedback from hundreds of members of the community. “The GCL project is a vital transportation link for South Jersey, one that is long overdue,” said Jeffrey L. Nash, Camden County Commissioner, and DRPA Vice Chairman. “The GCL will serve to reduce our carbon footprint, increase property values for homeowners, spark economic opportunities for businesses, and provide a convenient means of transportation for workers, students, and those who want easy access to the universities, hospitals, and cities.”

The GCL is an 18-mile passenger light rail line that will traverse Gloucester and Camden counties, including the communities of Glassboro, Pitman, Sewell, Mantua Township, Deptford Township, Wenonah, Woodbury Heights, Woodbury, Westville, Brooklawn, Gloucester City and Camden. The GCL restores passenger rail service in a corridor that historically provided passenger rail service. The South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA) has committed $200 million towards the next phase of the project- preliminary engineering design and project management.

“South Jersey Transportation Authority is pleased to invest in this transformative project,” said Stephen F. Dougherty, SJTA Executive Director. “This project will reduce traffic congestion, provide greater transportation options, and advance environmental stewardship.” “The GCL will effectively extend the Philadelphia-Camden metropolitan area,” said John T. Hanson, DRPA CEO and PATCO President. “This commuter rail line will provide convenient transportation for workers, students, and those who want easy access to the many cultural, recreational, educational, economic and medical resources on both sides of the river.”

To view the environmental impact study, please visit www.glassborocamdenline.com.