NJ Transit marks record locomotive engineer recruits

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy last week recognized New Jersey Transit for marking a record number of locomotive engineer training classes running concurrently. 

Between 2019 and 2020, seven classes of locomotive engineers will graduate from the NJ Transit’s 78-week training program — the same number of classes that graduated in the previous five years combined, NJ Transit officials said in press release from Murphy’s office.

“Beginning this year, we are starting to see real net gains in our ranks of locomotive engineers, thanks to an unprecedented effort to recruit, train, and hire these essential members of our railroad crew,” said NJ Transit President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Corbett.  

A class of seven trainees will graduate in April after completing the final requirements and certifications necessary to become locomotive engineers with NJ Transit. 

That graduating class will bring the total number of new engineers who have joined NJ Transit since late 2018 to 169.