NJ Transit to Suspend Entire Atlantic City Line for Months

TRENTON — NJ Transit will suspend service on its Atlantic City Line for at least four months, according to a memo obtained exclusively by New Jersey 101.5.

The memo from NJ Transit Senior Director of Operations Richard Green to key staff said the line would no longer be operational as of September 9.

GC Burkett, general chairman of SMART Local 60, sent a text alert to union members on Friday afternoon to give them advance notice about the NJ Transit announcement.

"There was no advance notification and I will be meeting with the carrier ASAP and will keep members updated," Burkett wrote.

Neither the memo or the text offered a reason for the decision.

The line last year had an average daily ridership of less than 2,000 boardings, a number that has been falling every year. The Atlantic City station has less than 600 boardings on an average weekday. Another 490 board in Philadelphia and about 300 board in Lindenwold. By comparison, the River Line between Camden and Trenton has about 9,000 weekday boardings in 2014.

Several years ago, Atlantic County officials discussed expanding the Atlantic City Line but NJ Transit officials were skeptical about such an investment.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article has been updated to correct Richard Green's name.