Merry Christmas; PATH looks to add new cars, repair others and make more improvements

PATH now has $300 million in their stocking and are looking to possibly buy new train cars, rehab other ones and run more trains during rush hours. PATH says when this plan is finished, along with a new flood-proof power station in Harrison they hope to be able to run 19% more trains during the busiest times. The devil is in the details which you can find here along with your mistrust the Port Authority can get anything right which you brought with you when you showed up here.

The time has come to confront and video both NJ Transit and PATH workers over attitude and service

"The way you get a better world is, you don't put up with substandard anything" said Joe Strummer and right now both NJ Transit and PATH are beyond substandard in customer service and service in general. Sadly, that will take you getting your cell phone out and asking questions of workers. Get your cell phones out when PATH and NJ Transit workers are being condescending or rude. Light 'em up. Confront their bad behavior, confront their lack of information. If workers start badgering a passenger for no real reason, get the cameras out. They simply do not have a right to treat you like this. Is everyone in the tri-state going to wait until someone gets bloodied and dragged like United Airlines before speaking up?

Bullshit. These are entities who take YOUR money to run on tracks YOU pay for. You are beyond part owner of the train system. This lack of information, surly employees and a general lack of caring about just who pays their wages is beyond broken, it requires citizens take matters into their own hands and act.

Attitude/surly employees - videotape it, post it
Broken trains - videotape it, post it
People standing around without being given any instruction - videotape it, post it
Late trains - videotape the time boards, post it

If you want better train systems serving the area, sadly neither NJ Transit or PATH give two shits about you as long as the money comes in, you'll have to do it yourselves. No, you're gonna have to let the employees you come in contact with know and keep letting them know.

Lather, rinse, repeat. Keep after them.

The Port Authority Police Benevolent Association thinks their cops sleeping are keeping you safe

Johnny was going to do a write up on the fact the NY Post's video story of Port Authority/PATH cops who were sleeping away large chunks of their shifts had now become a FEDERAL investigation. It has and we'd hope you'd go read all about how your money is being spent and how your safety is being put at risk by Port Authority cops. Then he got to the end of the article and Red Forman came to mind.

According to the Port Authority Police Benevolent Association this sleeping on the job en masse (44 cases) is no big deal because crime on PATH is down which to them (Specious reasoning alert) means the investigation is overblown, these guys are doing a great job:

A spokesman for the Port Authority Police Benevolent Association told NJ Advance Media that the agency's low crime rates at PATH stations is proof the officers were doing their jobs.

"The PAPD is doing its job to keep our patrons safe, contrary to the Port Authority's attacks," the spokesman said. 

Incredible. Forget for one second it only takes one small window of success for a terrorist to get his job done. One small window where someone isn't where they are supposed to be. One time. One missed assignment. Secondly, what horseshit. Do your fucking job. Sleeping? Playing cards? Video games? Bzzzzt unacceptable. Maybe, and this may be hard for the PAPBA to understand, maybe people just respect the train. Maybe they have more things going on in their own lives than to rob and pilfer the PATH system.

Proof jobs are getting done while sleeping. Time for one last Red Forman dumbass award for 2016.

The Port Authority is paying PATH employees overtime to sleep

You wanna complain to their supervisor? He's sleeping on that desk over there. 

This is horrifying, people. PATH tells us they need to close tunnels on weekends for years at a time for our safety. They tell us there will be a need for emergency repairs so certain lines will be shut or shuffled with little warning. They tell us they still need time to clean up four years after Sandy.

Do they?

This report really shines a light on the fact just about every claim the Port Authority and PATH makes about why they close tunnels on certain lines for arbitrary amounts of times can be called into question. NO, The Port Authority do NOT get the benefit of the doubt that their claims have to be believed. Bridgegate, all their credibility lost right there. The fact the P.A. hands out your tax money in overtime pay to these slug-a-beds like Halloween candy should make everyone all the more upset. Only an independent forensic accounting of these layabouts will do.

We don't really do endorsements here but think about Port Authority appointees and who makes them in next year's governor's race New Jersey.

PATH has shut down the Journal Square to Newark route

Obviously the only above-ground section of PATH and it is shut down. PATH continues to run JSQ to 33rd St via Hoboken.

The National Weather Service has just moved us into the 24-30" range.

If you are heading into NYC for the Women's World Cup ticker-tape parade...

And why wouldn't you? It's AWESOME! If you are going do know PATH is running extra trains starting later this morning on the Newark-WTC line. NJ Transit will also have extra busses running on the NJ Transit also will have extra mid-morning buses on the 128, 139, 158, 159, 161, 163, 165, 166, 167, 190, 193, 197, 199, 320 and 324 routes, said Jennifer Nelson, an NJ Transit spokeswoman. The procession will start at Battery Park at 11 a.m., then move north on Broadway to City Hall Park. Get there early and stake your spot!

Also this morning at 10AM the world's biggest American flag will be unfurled in honor of the Women's National team from the George Washington Bridge so make sure to crane your neck up the Hudson River today.

Important, perhaps weather related PATH announcement

PATH service between Journal Square and Newark has been completely suspended at this late, wet hour according to the Port Authority as of 11:45pm:

PATH service from Newark-Journal Square, in both directions, is currently suspended.

Could be weather-flooding related. Could be White Walkers. We'll let you know when we find out.

Sunday at the Jersey City Desk, more boring yet vital reading

If you live in New Jersey chances are, and Johnny's guessing here, you've been on some kind of train. Since this article deals with rail safety over the last twenty years, we'll use that as our baseline. Sometime in these last twenty years you've gotten on some kind of NJ-based train, PATH, Amtrak, NJ Transit, HB Light Rail, you're probably been on one.

In somewhat alarming news, especially after the horrible train accident in Philadelphia this week, did you know then 600 trains have derailed in New.Jersey over past twenty years AND the rate of "human error" in those derailments is TWICE the national average? Sobering news and you're probably wanting to know more at this point, good for you Johnny has a link.

Here, enjoy an antiqued image of the PATH

Boy, where does the time go when you're trying to make a million...

Look, we all get mad at the PATH from time to time

But you can't hit the PATH conductors. Joseph Cannon whose previous arrest warrants hail from Lowell Massachusetts tried robbing a PATH conductor of his keys at the 14th St. stop about 4am Friday, like ya do. During the scuffle Cannon managed to leave his shirt and jacket behind (so already his robbery is a negative result on the old robbery bell curve) and as police were arriving on scene they noticed a shirtless man running away from the station. You'll never guess who it was. The shirtless man was arrested and booked into the jail system we've all come to know and love from television.

The conductor was treated by EMS and refused further medical attention. Service on the PATH train was briefly disrupted.

PATH closing at 11pm

Get to where you gotta be friends. PATH is running no more "until further notice" as of 11pm tonight. We'll try and let you know when further notice is...

MTA doing what the MTA does best...

...taking your money. A quick note into the Jersey City Desk newsroom, the MTA will begin tacking on an extra two bits, or .25¢ to most folks upping a one-way trip to $2.75 come March. This equals the increase in PATH fares with also now cost $2.75 one-way.

Governor Christie's bad form over PATH cuts pisses off his own transportation chief

You'll recall that Governor Christie, along with as of yet unindicted NY governor Andrew Cuomo, came out with a plan to save a mere $10 million a year (all while the Port Authority cops grab tens of thousands of dollars, in some cases passing their salaries in unneeded overtime) by cutting PATH service from NJ to NYC from 1-5am. It's a stupid plan and it reeks of Christie trying to punish Jersey City and Hoboken's mayors for now supporting his dumb ass when he ran for re-election. It cuts property values in NJ. It inconveniences thousands of Garden Staters. Basically it was a stupid idea to begin with.

The mayor or Jersey City and Hoboken and Newark and state congressmen and woman and state senators have all said this is a BAD idea. Know who else agrees? Chris Christie's Transit Chief, Jamie Fox:

"This is not the way I would save money," Jamie Fox, who once served as deputy executive director of the Port Authority, told a meeting of the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority. "Mass transit is the future of this state."

There you go Governor Gone, another person who thinks you're a vindictive idiot. So far that makes everyone.

Let's kick things off this week with a News Roundup!

Giddyup!

* State Senator Nick Sacco joins the growing list of elected officials and residents all over what we like to call "Johnnyland", Jersey City, Hoboken, Harrison and Newark, as well as those who just understand reality, the nighttime closure of the PATH would be ruinous to residents and taxpayers on so many levels.

* Dude, remember how you wondered if you touched anything and might have left fingerprints during that home invasion you did back in 2002? Turns out you did.

* Governor Christie and his brother are feeling the heat for CC's jump around with the Cowboys owner Jerry Jones in Dallas last night. We deeply respect the governor has favorite teams and cheers for them unconditionally. That being said if Christie campaigns in Michigan someone's gonna hit him ala Nancy Kerrigan as he leaves a speech.

* Remember in the last election how Mitt Romney said he'd get gas down to 2$ a gallon if he were elected? Johnny thinks we owe a big round of applause for President Romney on the 2$ gas.

* 1"-2" onches of snow tomorrow morning into the afternoon then it's gonna get c-c-c-c-c-cold.

* Seton Hall is getting some top 25 love after their win over formerly #6 Villanova. The Pirates are up to #19.

* Kushner Companies announced they have bought a plot of land next to Journal Square for $27 million dollars. We'll see if and when it ever gets developed.

* And finally, Atlantic City, where they spent more on parking employees than they made in parking meters.

Jersey City student Tiffany Fahmy has won the PATH Holiday Poster Contest!

We are very proud of Tiffany Fahmy this morning as the Jersey City eighth-grader at School 11 won the PATH Holiday Poster contest and her design will adorn the PATH Trains all holiday season.

We'd never be one to spoil Tiffany's thunder so if you'd like to see her international and very worldly design you'll have to follow this handy link.

Here's some happy fun time news -- The PATH will reopen the Exchange place to WTC line 12/20

Hooray! After a year of being shut down for "necessary repairs" on the weekends the Exchange Place to WTC line is back up and running a week from this upcoming Saturday, 12/20.

About time Port Authority. It better not screw up now either, you've had a YEAR to make your fixes.

Good morning Jersey City, our friends at the Port Authority have a message for you...

PATH Rail System @PATHTrain  ·  1h
JSQ-33 & HOB-33 suspended (track condition). @NJTRANSIT & @ridetheferry cross-honoring. NWK-WTC & HOB-WTC operating on/close to schedule.

There you go. No, this is not yesterday, just a replay.

PATH is back up on the 33rd St. line

You may now feel free to move about the Hudson.

JSQ-33rd & 33rd-HOB PATH still shut tight

According to the Port Authority the JSQ-33rd & 33rd-HOB PATH line is still shut tight due to a fire over the tracks in NYC.

PATH has opened the NWK to WTC line because of the 33rd line NYC fire

The normally closed on the weekend Newark to the WTC PATH train IS now in operation because of a fire in New York City that has the 33rd line shut down.

That is all...