The NJ Transit Board of Directors approved a $1,517,057,398.99 contract for a new Hudson-Bergen Light Rail operator, just the second since the service launched in 2000.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
The contract was awarded to Puerto Rico-based ACI-Herzog JV and is for operation of the light rail system and the maintenance of the light rail vehicles, infrastructure, and the right-of-way. The agreement also includes two five-year options for extension.
“With this new contract, NJ TRANSIT reaffirms its focus on maintaining the highest standard of service our HBLR customers have come to expect, while supporting the continued growth of Hudson County,” NJ Transit President & CEO Kevin Corbett said in a statement.
Since its inception, HBLR has been run under a design-build-operate-maintain (DBOM) contract. The construction component of the DBOM contract was completed and service began in 2000.
That contract is approaching expiration in 2025 and the current contractor will transition the operation and maintenance of the system to ACI-Herzog by September 15th, 2025.
The HBLR encompasses 24 stations, running north-south along the Hudson River waterfront in Hudson County for 20.6 miles and delivers service to more than 48,000 daily weekday riders, according to NJ Transit.
Why are they electric with overhead cables instead of battery powered in the belly?
Why do they have conductors and engineers? Why aren’t they autonomous. If cars can drive themselves, rail should be much easier.
That is why it costs $1.5B. Crazy.