NJ Transit expands quiet car program to off-peak hours

New Jersey Transit will expand its Quiet Commute program to off-peak trains that serve Hoboken Terminal through a pilot program starting next month, the agency announced earlier this week.

Starting May 5, Quiet Commute cars will be added to all off-peak trains arriving and departing Hoboken Terminal between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekdays, NJ Transit officials said in a press release. The Quiet Commute car will be the first car on trains traveling into Hoboken and the last car on trains departing the terminal.

The Quiet Commute program is being expanded in response to riders' requests, said NJ Transit Executive Director Veronique Hakim.

"We want our customers to know that their feedback will continue to be the driving force behind NJ Transit's ongoing efforts to improve their overall experience on our system," she said.

NJ Transit launched the Quiet Commute program on peak-period trains in September 2010. Quiet Commute cars are intended to provide a quiet environment for riders who wish to refrain from using cell phones and are willing to disable the sound feature on pagers, games, computers and other electronic devices.