TrainLink shuttle service wins a reprieve

Plainsboro service to train station gets funding

By: Nick Noreln
   PLAINSBORO — The 125 or so riders of the TrainLink shuttle won’t have to make alternate arrangements after all.
   The Greater Mercer Transportation Management Association, which manages the service, announced Monday that the program has acquired additional funding that will allow it to continue transporting employees of businesses located in the Forrestal Center to and from the Princeton Junction railroad station — as it has done since 1990.
   In February, TMA Executive Director Sandra Brillhart said the program was in danger of being shut down May 1 because the Forrestal Center had decided to discontinue its funding portion, which accounted for 40 percent of the costs required to run the service.
   She said previously the Forrestal Center originally agreed to provide the funding in the hope that it would eventually be covered by employers at the site.
   In a statement released Monday, Ms. Brillhart said the necessary funding has been acquired through commitments from four sponsors: Merrill Lynch, Munich Re America, NEC Laboratories and the Forrestal Center itself.
   "We received a groundswell of support from passengers, employers and government officials who recognized the value of TrainLink, not only for their respective transportation needs, but also for the region’s accessibility and economic developmental potential," she said. "In addition to renegotiating the commitments from the existing sponsors, TMA is negotiating sponsorship agreements with several other employers and property owners, including Princeton Forrestal Village."
   In addition, Monday’s release said the service "will likely be expanded."
   It states that the "TMA and existing sponsors are optimistic that, with more sponsors, TrainLink service can be expanded to include a lunchtime shuttle, upgraded vehicles, on-board amenities, enhanced bus stop signage and routes to new developments."
   Corporations interested in finding out more about the service are encouraged to contact the TMA at (609) 452-1491.