Awards Recognize Experience and Leadership in the IT Sector
NJ TRANSIT announced its IT team is the recipient of two Intelligent Transportation Society of New Jersey (ITSNJ) Annual Awards for 2021. NJ TRANSIT received the Outstanding Project/Program Award and Senior Systems Analyst Melvin Jones has been named ITSNJ’s Young Professional of the Year.
“Over the past four years, NJ TRANSIT has implemented a series of technologically-focused service improvements that have made our system safer and easier to use for our customers,” said NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kevin S. Corbett. “We have also leveraged technology to realize significant efficiencies in our back-office functions, and it is very gratifying to see all of these efforts being recognized by high-profile, independent organizations like ITSNJ.”
“Rapidly transforming technology in a living system depended upon by millions of people is no small feat. I am proud of our award-winning team” said Lookman Fazal, NJ TRANSIT Chief Information and Digital Officer. “Conducting this type of large-scale technological shift meant building trust internally, listening to the needs of our customers and giving our team the tools needed to succeed.”
NJ TRANSIT was selected for the ITSNJ awards based on the IT team’s work on the Data-Enabled Experiential Commuter Journey, which represents an overhaul of the traditional commuter experience. This project included both technology and cultural updates that improve the customer experience while unlocking a new era of technology innovation in public transportation. The work includes creating a touchless commuter experience, developing a network of predictive analytics to improve rail and bus on-time performance, and becoming the first public transportation network in the U.S. to become third-party verified in the international standard for information security (ISO 27001:2013)
The ITSNJ Annual Awards recognize notable New Jersey projects, firms, programs, and individuals who have contributed substantially to the advancement of ITS technologies to improve surface transportation efficiency, safety, and mobility. The winners of the ITSNJ Annual Awards are selected by ITSNJ’s Board of Directors, headed by Andrew Tunnard the Assistant Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
In addition, Lookman Fazal, Chief Information Officer, was recognized by GovTech Magazine as one of 2021’s Top 25 Doers, Dreamers, Innovators, and Faisal Jameel, Chief Technology Officer, was recognized for the 2021 HMG Global Leadership Institute Award, for his exemplary leadership during this multi-phase project.
NJ TRANSIT’s IT Department is also the recipient of:
- CIO100 Award, which celebrates 100 organizations and the teams within them that are using IT in innovative ways to deliver business value, whether by creating competitive advantage, optimizing business processes, enabling growth, or improving relationships with customers.
- CSO50 Award, which recognizes 50 organizations for security projects and initiatives that demonstrate outstanding business value and thought leadership.
NJ TRANSIT is the nation’s largest statewide public transportation system providing more than 925,000 weekday trips on 253 bus routes, three light rail lines, 12 commuter rail lines and through Access Link paratransit service. It is the third largest transit system in the country with 166 rail stations, 62 light rail stations and more than 18,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.
