PATCO Inaugurates ‘Quiet Cars’ On All Weekday Trains

March 1, 2012 1:45 PM

(A Patco train crosses the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. File photo by John Ostapkovich)

Reporting Al Novack

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By Al Novack

CAMDEN, N.J. (CBS) — PATCO is following the lead of other transit agencies, launching a three-month test of “quiet cars” on its trains.

The test program will utilize the last car of each High-Speed Line train as the so-called “quiet” car.

PATCO president John Matheussen feels the public is ready for some quiet time aboard mass transit.

“It’s a place where we ask people to cooperate with each other and refrain from talking on their cell phones, (refrain from) loud conversations, turn your earbuds down so the people next to you don’t have to listen to your music, but just a place where people can be quiet.”

For this test run, the quiet cars will be on every train, 24 hours a day, Monday through Friday. (PATCO had previously indicated the quiet cars would be enforced only during rush hours — see previous story.)

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PATCO Inaugurates Quiet Cars On All Weekday Trains

Patty

This is the greatest idea since sliced bread and I am so grateful to PATCO for doing this. I am riding the quiet car and loving it. Yes, there is an occasional person who doesn’t follow the rules but they are rare. PATCO, please get the signs up on the quiet cars to remind people. The announcements on the train are great, but sometimes the volume is too low to hear them. At least make sure the volume is up on the last car so the people in the last car can hear the announcements.
Rich

well it’s already not working…

The PATCO employee with his walkie talkie being the first example, followed by the 2 couples who stopped long enough to to listen to the announcement, only to resume their rather loud and animated conversations.

Who’s supposed to police this? The police who you never see on the trains anyway. Put this on the list of DRPA/PATCO wastes of time… The tram line, Franklin Square, automated platform announcements. Someone needs to decide who’s running the show there.
Samuel A. Maffei

Just another way to control our behavior.