Amtrak and NJ Transit Officials Tell New Jersey Panel decades of underinvestment led to summer disruptions; agencies seek long work windows and federal match

Amtrak Chief Executive Steven Gardner and New Jersey Transit President and CEO Kevin Corbett told the Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee that decades of deferred repairs and aging electrical systems were central to a series of service failures that disrupted commuter and intercity rail service on the Northeast Corridor this spring and summer.

Gardner, testifying for Amtrak, described the scale of the corridor and the company’s capital push: “we're deeply sorry for those that are impacted,” he said, apologizing for passenger hardships and stressing that the company is increasing inspections, hiring outside experts and working with the Federal Railroad Administration on root‑cause investigations. Gardner said Amtrak executed its largest capital program in fiscal 2024 — about $4.5 billion — and that the bipartisan infrastructure law has created a once‑in‑a‑generation opportunity to replace antique catenary, substations and signals.

Kevin Corbett, president and CEO of New Jersey Transit, told lawmakers NJ Transit pays Amtrak more than $200,000,000 annually for the segment it uses between Trenton and New York — a figure Corbett broke into approximate line items for operations, maintenance and routine capital — and described joint steps the two agencies have taken since the spike in incidents, including increased inspections, new high‑resolution cameras on locomotives and more frequent operational reviews. Corbett said on‑time performance for NJ Transit improved from about 83.2% in June to over 91% in September and October after the agencies implemented the joint plan.

Both executives urged the Legislature to support steady, multi‑year funding and the local matching dollars that allow the agencies to compete for federal grants. Gardner and Corbett said many necessary interventions require longer, uninterrupted work windows on the railroad — sometimes five to six hours overnight or extended weekend outages — because major repairs cannot be done efficiently while trains are operating. Gardner said those longer windows increase productivity and lower total costs to taxpayers.

Committee members pressed for specifics. Several lawmakers asked how agencies notify riders during incidents; Corbett said NJ Transit has improved its app and given crews handheld devices, and that it relies on Amtrak’s operations center for tunnel‑area information. Members also raised the role of freight tenants and the Northeast Corridor Commission cost‑allocation formula; Gardner explained the formula is federally required and that freight railroads and other tenants pay usage charges.

Republican and Democratic lawmakers pressed on accountability and fares. One legislator criticized recent fare increases and the corporate transit fee and asked whether NJ Transit needed a top‑to‑bottom audit and management overhaul; Corbett pushed back, saying, “No, I don't,” defended periodic fare adjustments against rising labor and operating costs, and said the authority must show it is spending funds wisely while continuing to deliver improvements.

Lawmakers asked technical questions about power infrastructure, including Substation 41. Gardner described a multiyear phased program of substation redesign and rebuilds, new frequency conversion work in Metuchen and replacement of transmission components, and he said Amtrak has brought in new engineering leadership and outside technical expertise to address those upgrades.

The hearing closed after lawmakers and agency leaders agreed on the need for clearer advance notice of planned outages for riders, stronger workforce development to deliver the work, and continued legislative support for matching funds that unlock federal dollars. The committee approved a motion to adjourn.