PATCO E-Newsletter - December 2010

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John H. Estey
Chairman
Board of Commissioners
 
Jeffrey L. Nash
Vice Chairman
Board of Commissioners
 
John J. Matheussen
President
PATCO
 
Robert A. Box
General Manager
PATCO
 
Welcome to PATCO E-News!!!!
PATCO E-News is yet another way for PATCO to stay in touch with you and to provide the very best in customer service. Through this monthly communication, we will keep you informed about train service, system improvements, events and happenings in the region and share relevant transit information from a regional and national perspective. You can also stay connected to PATCO throughout the week by following PATCO on Facebook and RidePATCO on Twitter. We'd love to hear from you, so stay in touch.

Special Thanks
PATCO would like to thank our customers for their continued support. 2010 marked the third year we carried 10 million passengers and we say "Thanks for riding".
PATCO Forms Partnership With Google Transit
Now planning your trip is even easier. Directions on using PATCO along with New Jersey Transit and SEPTA to get to where you want to go are now just a mouse click away.  PATCO's partnership with the world-renowned, highly utilized Google expands its visibility beyond the region making PATCO schedule information accessible to visitors to the region from around the world through Google Transit. A link can be found on the PATCO website, www.ridepatco.org or through www.google.com/transit .  The service can also be accessed on Google Maps via Desktop computer or web-enabled cell phone.  Users can simply enter a starting location and destination in Google Maps to get directions, and click on the "public transit" icon at the top of the screen to see suggested routes and times. There is no cost to use the Google Transit trip planning tool. 
2011 Girl Scout Cookie Sale
Forget the diet, its cookie time.
Specific Girl Scout troops will be in stations to sell cookies per the schedule below.  

Hours of cookie sales will be 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Ashland~ (Fridays 1/21-2/18)
Woodcrest~ (Fridays 1/21-2/25)
Haddonfield~ (Fridays 1/21-2/25)
Westmont~ (Wednesdays 1/26-2/23)
Collingswood~ (Wednesdays 1/26-2/23)
PATCO Gives you More Ways to Save
PATCO's FREEDOM to SAVE program welcomes our newest partners to the program, The Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre and Versa Fit Studios. Click link below to see the full list of participating businesses and offers. http://www.ridepatco.org/freedomtosave/
PATCO's 20th Annual Valentine Food Drive
For the 20th year, PATCO will place red barrels in all New Jersey stations to gather donations for the Food Bank of South Jersey.  The barrels will be available February 14-18, 2011 for morning customers to deposit non-perishable foods. Last year marked 25 years that the Food Bank of South Jersey has been fighting hunger and malnutrition in South Jersey. Their goals, to reduce hunger and malnutrition have been made possible thanks to the support of PATCO riders. 
PATCO Cares
On January 25, 2011, the PATCO Cares program welcomed the Boys and Girls Club of Camden County to the Westmont Station. They passed out literature, talked with customers about the various programs and how to volunteer.

They believe each child or teen that comes through the doors of the Boys & Girls Club can BE GREAT. They are focused on helping them develop self-esteem, courage, and positive values through programs and services like tutoring, computer training, sports education, homework help, and mentoring. For more information about the Club go to www.bandgccc.org.

Snow Train vs. Ice Train

The "Snow Trains" are non-revenue service six car trains that keep the tracks functional by covering the gaps, with additional 3rd rail shoes running across the 3rd rail to prevent snow and ice from building up.

The "Ice Train" consists of three single cars equipped with special ice scraping 3rd rail shoes. In addition, the ice train maintains large storage tanks which contain an environmentally friendly antifreeze/de-icing solution. The train lays down a thin layer of solution on the 3rd rail from the Lindenwold Yard to Broadway Station and across the Ben Franklin Bridge.