Message from Mayor Josh Losardo | August 15, 2025
I am writing to update you on a matter of great importance in Scotch Plains: the need for expanded direct, “one-seat-ride” train service along the Raritan Valley Line (RVL) of NJ Transit.
As a member of the Raritan Valley Line Mayors Alliance – a bipartisan coalition founded by Westfield Mayor Shelly Brindle, Fanwood Mayor Colleen Mahr and former Cranford Mayor Kathleen Prunty – I have been working to secure fair, reliable, and convenient rail service for the more than 23,000 daily commuters who depend on the RVL.
Our priority has been consistent: advocate for one-seat-ride service so RVL passengers can reach Manhattan without having to transfer at Newark Penn Station.
In recent years, NJ Transit has offered some off-peak direct trains to New York, but more trains at expanded times are needed to accommodate the demand of RVL passengers.
Service must be expanded during the “shoulders of the peak”—the periods just before and after traditional rush hours. This would give commuters more flexibility, reduce road congestion, help fuel economic growth in town and improve the quality of life for residents.
The good news is that NJ Transit agrees. In a recent update to the Alliance, NJ Transit confirmed it is finalizing a schedule for additional one-seat-ride trains during these “shoulder” periods. They expect to share the draft schedule in the coming weeks.
The challenge right now is equipment. NJ Transit is short of specialized rail cars needed to run both the current service and expanded one-seat-rides, as major events like FIFA 2026 are arriving in 2026.
NJ Transit is in the process of modernizing its fleet. Over the next five years, all old rail cars will be replaced with new, multi-level equipment. The first of these new cars are expected to arrive in late spring or early summer of next year.
Here’s the commitment: NJ Transit has pledged to implement the new “shoulder” one-seat-ride service by late summer or early fall of 2026, once enough of the new cars are delivered.
In the long term, achieving full, all-day one-seat-ride service will require major infrastructure projects now underway, including the Hudson Tunnel Project, the Penn Station Expansion, and the Hunter Flyover.
The long-awaited Hudson Tunnel is already under construction, Amtrak has been tasked with leading Penn Station’s transformation, and NJ Transit will begin preliminary engineering for the Hunter Flyover this fall – an important step toward eliminating the chokepoints that limit RVL service.
This progress did not happen by accident. It is the result of years of sustained advocacy from the Alliance, other local officials, and residents like you. We will continue working until one-seat-ride service is not just a limited option, but a permanent, all-day option.
Thank you for your continued support and engagement on this critical issue.
