HOBOKEN – “Seating for ticket customers only. 2 hour limit,” reads a sign at Newark Penn Station and applies to Hoboken Terminal transit riders as well. Whether the signs, which NJ Transit says are meant to reduce large crowds during rush hour, single out the homeless is up for debate.
“The intent of the seating policy is to ensure that our ticketed customers have access to seating while waiting for their travel,” an NJ Transit spokesperson told Fox 5 News for a story this week.
According to published reports, some homeless patrons that frequent the station are opting to stand up in fear of being told to leave the Hoboken station. The new seating policy, according to Fox 5, is an attempt by NJ Transit to balance rider convenience and sensitivity for the less fortunate.
But the issue is nothing new. Homeless dwellers in the train station have asked questions about NJ Transit’s policy toward them for many years, as noted in a Hoboken Reporter cover story years ago.
What do you think? Comment below or email editorial@Hudsonreporter.com.
Our Digital Archive from 2000 – 2016
