April 14, 2026
Provided image/NJ Transit
NJ Transit President Kris Kolluri stands in front of the new Multilevel III rail car. The transportation authority plans to introduce 40 to the fleet this year.
NJ Transit has received the first of the sleeker, faster trains that will replace its aging fleet, and the agency plans to deploy it on commuter lines later this year.
State officials unveiled the new Multilevel III rail car at a maintenance complex Monday, the first of 374 coming to the transit network. The upgraded vehicles have operating speeds of up to 110 mph and can travel about 400,000 miles before they break down. The aging trains they'll replace can go only 30,000 to 40,000 miles before a mechanical failure.
The Multilevel III rail cars are equipped with new onboard information screens, USB charging ports and more seats. NJ Transit plans to add the first 40 vehicles to the fleet by 2026. Commuters could see one as early as late summer or early fall, NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri said.
The transportation authority will ultimately retire all of its Arrow III and Comet II and IV single-level cars, which date back to the '70s, in favor of this modern model. The Multilevel III train is manufactured by Alstom in Plattsburgh, New York.
"The introduction of new rail cars, buses and light rail vehicles is central to strengthening the reliability our customers depend on every day," Kolluri said in a statement.
NJ Transit plans to modernize its entire fleet by 2031. The next-gen bus model, unveiled in the fall, has a low-floor design to facilitate faster and easier exits. It also features onboard security cameras, clearer intercoms and systems to warn pedestrians when buses are making turns. Access Link is aiming to put these vehicles into service this summer, ultimately integrating a total of 250 new buses.
For too long, NJ TRANSIT riders have been promised change.
— Governor Mikie Sherrill (@GovSherrillNJ) April 13, 2026
Today, we start delivering the results they deserve – with the introduction of 40 new railcars, 250 new buses, and 30 new accessible vehicles for NJ Transit.
This is a first step toward fully replacing NJ TRANSIT’s… pic.twitter.com/qZB1JywWL6
Public transportation has been a priority for Gov. Mikie Sherrill, who earmarked over $1 billion for NJ Transit in her first budget proposal. That's an extra $215 million, or 26% increase, in funding over the previous year. The modernization initiative will cost over $3 billion.
"New Jersey commuters deserve a transit system that is reliable and state-of-the-art," the Democratic governor said in a statement. "That’s why my budget makes a historic investment to modernize one of the oldest rail fleets in the nation — starting with 40 new rail cars and 250 new buses this year. By upgrading its fleet of vehicles, NJ Transit is providing greater comfort, efficiency and dependability to riders statewide."
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