New Jersey commuters brace for Penn Station repairs

MAPLEWOOD, New Jersey (WABC) -- New Jersey Transit customers may have been in denial about the upcoming longer commute, but not any longer.

The long awaited track repair work at Penn Station New York is getting underway which means big service changes beginning Monday morning.

One change will be found in Maplewood where the only Midtown Direct trains into the city will leave before many commuters crawl out of bed. The town got late word that NJ Transit will provide additional bus service starting Monday morning.

Commuters usually riding into the city from Summit, Chatham and surrounding towns can go onto the Boxcar website and find charter bus service into the city. You can book a seat on the bus, which will be operating for the morning commute.

Another website called Skedaddle is also offering charter bus service from Morristown into the city.

"This will not be a normal commute for any of us including our customers, so we ask that you; stay connected to social media and our web page for the latest information; stay ahead by building in extra time for your commute; and stay cool and try not to lose patience. On Monday, our customer service ambassadors will be out in force, so if you have questions or need directions, just look for them in their bright yellow vests," NJ Transit Executive Director Steve Santoro said.

PATH is also increasing service and cross-honoring during the repairs.

Amtrak announced that several tracks will be taken out of service during the work, reducing train service as much as 25 percent at times. The work that begins on Monday (July 10) is scheduled to last until Sept. 1, Amtrak said.

More details about the schedule changes and electronic printable versions of the revised schedules can be found at njtransit.com/theupdate.

You can find more information and continuing updates from Eyewitness News at abc7ny.com/pennstationrepairs.

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