More than 1,500 buses now have upgraded equipment, with improved arrival predictions due in rider apps and station displays beginning in October.
NEWARK, NJ – NJ Transit has installed upgraded tracking equipment and free passenger Wi-Fi on more than 1,500 buses, beginning a statewide rollout that the agency says will cover more than 80 percent of its bus fleet by the end of 2026.
The project combines new onboard computers, GPS equipment and antennas with a public wireless network. NJ Transit says the location data have already improved the accuracy of bus-arrival predictions in its app from 74 percent to 86 percent.
Beginning in October, the enhanced predictions are scheduled to appear on the NJ Transit website, mobile app, station signs and third-party transit applications. The change is intended to give riders a more reliable estimate of when a bus will reach a stop, particularly on routes where congestion and variable running times make printed schedules less useful.
NJ Transit retrofitted more than 1,300 existing buses, while newer vehicles entered service with the equipment already installed. The agency expects the total to exceed 1,900 buses by December, representing more than 80 percent of its 2,373-bus fleet. Buses left without the equipment are scheduled for retirement and their replacements are expected to arrive with the technology built in.
Wi-Fi-equipped buses display a sticker near the entrance. Riders can select NJTRANSITWIFI from a device’s wireless-network list, then accept the connection terms. The network is designed for general web browsing and opens a landing page with links to employment, education and health services.
The Wi-Fi program is supported by a $15 million federal Capital Projects Fund grant administered through the U.S. Treasury Department. NJ Transit describes internet access as a rider amenity and a way to reduce gaps in broadband access for passengers who may not have a convenient connection elsewhere.
The agency is also testing solar-powered digital signs at eight bus stops. Five northern New Jersey locations are included: two in Hoboken, two in Union City and one in Jersey City. The signs can display arrivals, detours, delays, service alerts and crowding information, and include text-to-speech and nighttime lighting features.
The northern pilot locations are 15th Street and Willow Avenue and 9th Street and Washington Street in Hoboken; 31st Street and Bergenline Avenue and 31st Street at Kennedy Boulevard in Union City; and Congress Street at Palisades Avenue in Jersey City.
The announcement describes current installation and planned expansion, not a guarantee that every bus or every route already offers Wi-Fi. Riders should look for the entrance sticker and should continue checking service alerts because better tracking does not prevent delays, detours or cancellations.