Metro-North Railroad Commuter Council Enthusiastically Supports
the West of Hudson Quiet Car Pilot
The announcement by Metro-North Railroad that NJ TRANSIT will expand its successful Quiet Commute program to Metro-North’s Port Jervis and Pascack Valley lines during peak hours has been greeted with applause by the members of the Metro-North Commuter Council (MNRCC). According to Metro-North management, this pilot, starting June 1 and scheduled to last three months, will provide the basis for a possible Quiet Car initiative across all of Metro-North’s service area. Currently, Metro-North and the Long Island Rail Road are the only major commuter rail lines in the country without a Quiet Car program or pilot.
Over the last year the Council has received numerous rider comments indicating a desire for a Quiet Car program. Many passengers want to be able to read, work or sleep without distracting cell phone conversations and noise from electronic devices or headphone music. MNRCC acting Chair David Buchwald commented: “We want to express our support for this initiative and encourage Metro-North to expand the program to the Harlem, Hudson, and New Haven lines after the appropriate evaluation of the pilot. I know commuters on NJ TRANSIT and they are very happy with the system. I hope we can bring this amenity to more of our riders.”
ABOUT US: The Metro-North Railroad Commuter Council (MNRCC) is the legislatively mandated representative of the riders of MTA Metro-North Railroad. Our 11 volunteer members are regular Metro-North Railroad users and are appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of local officials in Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, and Westchester Counties and the Borough of the Bronx. The Council is an affiliate of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA (PCAC), which addresses MTA-wide issues and serves as a coordinating body for the MNRCC and two other riders’ councils. To learn more about us, visit our homepage at www.mnrcc.org.