NJ Transit receives responses to Unified Customer Communications System RFI

NJ Transit is gathering industry input on artificial intelligence (AI), real-time data, and integrated communications technology as it prepares to procure a system that delivers faster, more consistent transit updates across every customer channel.

On June 10, NJ Transit issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking information from companies that provide real-time transit communications systems. NJ Transit is entering the next phase of its customer communication upgrades to deliver better real-time information and system status across all its channels to improve the customer experience.

Industry experts shared thoughts, ideas, and possibilities for using real-time data to modernize how NJ Transit communicates system status and customer information. The RFI responses and other market research will help shape the procurement process, which is expected to follow shortly.

By studying the most current available technologies within the industry, NJ Transit is learning more about existing capabilities to inform a scope of work for a forthcoming procurement process. This effort will ultimately lead to a unified customer communications platform that uses modern technology to increase the accuracy, efficiency, timeliness, and consistency of customer communications across the statewide transit system.

The RFI asked companies to share information regarding commercially available platforms, custom-developed systems, and innovative ways to integrate these systems using AI and other tools to provide customers with a single source of accurate and timely information regarding train and bus status, across multiple platforms including NJ Transit’s mobile app, website, email and text alerts, digital station signage and more.

Currently, NJ Transit disseminates customer communications through multiple systems including:

• Station and onboard digital signage
• DepartureVision and MyBus systems
• Mobile applications
• Websites and microsites
• SMS and push notifications
• Email alerts
• Social media platforms
• Real-time data feeds and third-party data feeds
• Public address and operational messaging systems.

The RFI advances the ongoing modernization and unifies these systems into an authoritative source that provides accurate, up-to-date information to customers consistently and simultaneously across all communication channels. The new platform will support real-time operational communications, improving consistency and speed of customer messaging, and enhance accessibility and multilingual communications. The agency also seeks to build the new system so it can be readily updated and expanded to accommodate growth and future needs.

The submission deadline is September 17, 2026. Once that process is completed, the agency will commence a more formal procurement process. NJ Transit expects to award a final contract to create the new system in 2027.

Source: NJ Transit