Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
NJ Transit To Pilot "Quiet Commute" Program
By
Jen Chung
Published Jul 15, 2010
Modified Jul 15, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Jul 15, 2010
Modified Jul 15, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Beginning in September, certain Northeast Corridor NJ Transit trains will have "quiet cars"—the first and last cars of the train—as part of a 90-day pilot program to see if offering some people sanctuary from their fellow riders' cell phone yakking is worth the effort. Officials are confident; executive director Jim Weinstein told the Star-Ledger, "It’s one of the things people ask for most often. We expect it to be very popular."
According to the Star-Ledger, "Passengers on the library-quiet cars will be prohibited from using cell phones and must disable sound features on pagers, games, computers and other electronic devices. Conversations must be conducted in subdued voices and headphones used at a volume that cannot be heard by other passengers." To explain the program, conductors will be handing out business cards that say, "On behalf of our customers, we ask that you lower your voices and set all electronic devices on vibrate when entering the first and last cars on our 3900 series (express) trains between Trenton and New York" on the back. On the front of the card? The universal sign for shutting your mouth—an image of a finger in front of someone's mouth.
If the program is successful, it'll be rolled out to other train lines. NJ Transit would be the first mass transit agency in the tri-state area to have quiet cars—the LIRR might want to take note, lest any more etiquette vigilantes emerge.
Tagged
cellphone
nj transit
quiet
quiet commute
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
5 men charged with trespassing in 2 Manhattan manhole cases
Two people who were found soaking wet and smelling of sewage say they went underground to look for jewelry, according to police and a criminal complaint.
By
Charles Lane
Published Oct 23, 2026 at 7:49 p.m. ET
6-year-old girl breaks leg after getting hit by falling bricks in Queens
The girl was walking with her mother in Maspeth on Thursday. The Department of Buildings cited the owner of a garage for “failure to maintain” it.
By
Charles Lane
News
6-year-old girl breaks leg after getting hit by falling bricks in Queens
The girl was walking with her mother in Maspeth on Thursday. The Department of Buildings cited the owner of a garage for “failure to maintain” it.
By
Charles Lane
Mamdani extends ban on permits for new street fairs due to NYPD overtime
By
Carol Chen
Inside the Midtown Bus Terminal rebuild: Decks over Lincoln Tunnel approach, a new park
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Black couple seeking Queens apartment sues over racist text from broker
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .