NEWARK, N.J. — NJ Transit will overhaul its existing fleet of 429 Multilevel railcars under a $917 million program approved today (Nov. 12, 2025) by the agency’s board of directors.
The oldest of the Multilevel I and II cars, built by Bombardier, date to 2006. They will eventually be joined by 374 Multilevel III cars now on order from Alstom, which purchased Bombardier in 2021. [See “NJ Transit orders 200 new railcars …,” Trains.com, Sept. 9, 2025]. NJ Transit says the recommended midlife overhaul will ensure the older cars’ compatibility and interoperability with the new equipment.
“As I’ve committed to the Governor, modernizing our fleet isn’t just about adding new vehicles — it’s also about keeping our current ones in a state of good repair for the people who ride them every day,” NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri said in a press release. “This overhaul is part of our broader effort to fully modernize NJ Transit’s rail and bus fleets by 2031, ensuring safe, reliable, and modern service for our customers systemwide.”
The program approved by the board will invite contractors to submit expressions of interest with their qualifications, capabilities, and relevant project experience. From those expressions of interest, NJ Transit will select companies that will be invited to participate in the procurement and contract award stages. Aspects of the overhaul program will include state-of-good-repair work, upgrading the cars with features such as USB charging ports, to match the Multilevel III cars, and use of energy-efficient systems and materials where feasible.
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