Established in 1962, PATH is a heavy rail rapid transit system that operates every day 24×7 linking lower Manhattan, New York, with the northeastern parts of New Jersey. It also serves Jersey City, Harrison, Newark, and Hoboken. The rail system is also one of the busiest in the country.
The three major transportation hubs include Newark Penn Station, Journal Square Transportation Center in Jersey City, and the World Trade Center Transportation hub. The last one connects 11 of New York’s subway lines. In all, PATH serves 13 stations (7 in New Jersey and 6 in New York). The New Jersey stations are — Newark, Harrison, Journal Square, Newport, Exchange Place, Grove Street, and Hoboken. The New York stations are — World Trade Center, Christopher Street, 9th Street, 14th Street, 23rd Street, and 33rd Street.
The PATH weekday routes currently include Newark – World Trade Center; Journal Square – 33rd Street; Hoboken – 33rd Street; and Hoboken — World Trade Center. The weekend routes include World Trade Center — Newark and Journal Square — 33rd Street ( via Hoboken).
PATH’s safety record has been exceptional over the years. It has an exhaustive list of travel safety rules and regulations — no smoking, drinking, eating on the train; no photography allowed inside the train; except for wheelchairs for the disabled, no vehicles allowed, and others as such.
The New York Subways stay within the limits of the NY city, but PATH goes beyond to reach the suburbs, connecting NJ. You can enjoy a PATH ride at a flat rate of $2.75, and this applies even when you are traveling across states — New York and New Jersey. There are paper tickets available at any vending machine at a PATH station. You may also use your MetroCard to ride on a PATH train, or the SmartLink card if you are a regular on PATH.
The PATH Police Command is in charge of monitoring the vast transit line, and they keep guard on foot and in radio cars. They are in charge of keeping situations in control. Theft or any sort of crime on the train or track gets reported to them.
If you ever lose or miss a bag or other items on a PATH train, this is what you do.
Dial The PATH Helpline
Make sure to call the PATH helpline to log a missing item complaint the sooner you discover the loss. You can call 201-216-6078 or 800-234-PATH (7284). PATH rail networks are busy and crowded on an average day. The chances of recovering your lost items are higher when you bring them to the notice of the concerned authorities without wasting time. Please make sure to give a detailed report and leave your contact number for them to revert to you when your items are traced.
Once a complaint is lodged, it formally enters into their system and they generate a case/file number for you which will be needed for all future references. If they find something that’s matching your description, they will run a check through their system before calling you for verification.
Visit the PATH Police Command
Now this one is effective by itself. Every PATH station is manned by a crew of police officers. Why waste time looking up customer service when you have the police at your service?
Lost and Found items are submitted to the PATH Police Command. To visit in person, here is the address to note – Journal Square Station, 1 Path Plaza, Jersey City, NJ 07306, US. You can contact them between 9 am and 5 pm, Mondays through Saturdays. Items are retained for a maximum of 90 days after which they are given away to auction. Dangerous, flammable items and perishables are immediately destroyed. Valuables like jewelry, wallets, and electronics are kept safely under lock and key.
You will need to produce valid documents to claim ownership of your items, more for valuables. For the Journal Square PATH Station, please contact 201-216-2677, or 212-435-2611. Â For the World Trade Center hub, contact 212-435-7400. You may also reach out to the Port Authority Police Department at 201-216-6078 to book a missing item complaint, or to inquire about one.
Make Use of Social Media Platforms
Social media is convenient to use and most often the first line of action for many as people are virtually more active these days than anywhere else. It catches attention fast, as messages on Facebook or Twitter get viral instantly, reaching the right authorities.
When you let people know which train you took and at what time of the day, giving a detailed description of your lost items, someone will take note and turn in your things at the Lost Property Office at a PATH station. This will make things easier, as an officer/staff will contact you informing you about the item recovery, and the place and time you could pick it up. You can thank social media for this, among other reasons.
