The 3500-space parking garages constructed at Metropark in 1996 and 1997 are used heavily, and the station - fourth largest in New Jersey's rail system - is an important regional facility for NJ Transit and Amtrak riders. But over 60% of the 6,000 riders using the station live within 3 miles, and the congestion and parking problems there call for a concerted effort to diversify riders' mode of access.

Some bicycle improvements have been made, including installation of racks and lockers for 24 bikes. The station also does slightly better than most on bus access, with 7% of riders arriving by bus. But the density and sheer number of potential riders near the station suggest that NJ Transit could do far better, and in fact the bus service misses several key neighborhoods. In a 1998 NJT survey, over half of respondents said they would "always" use a hypothetical shuttle service that passed within 5 minutes' walk of their home, if it cost $.50 and ran every 15 minutes. In addition to the many residential neighborhoods near Metropark, there are several large office complexes a short distance away. Thus jitneys could serve a dual function, especially given that station-to-office users would be largest at an hour when the home-to-station demand is declining.