C
captainron19
Guest
What is the name of your state? NJ
Need an opinion if I should pursue this matter firther with legal counsel.
Here in NJ we have a transportation system called NJ Transit. They recently developed a light rail train going through South Jersey called The Riverline.
After seeing an ad in the local paper identifying a specific stop on the Riverline system with businesses advertising I came up with an idea for a website. I reserved the domain already (called link removed). My plan is to have the website up listing all stops of the Riverline system. Each stop will have sections labeled dining, shopping, and entertainment where businesses can advertise. My plan is to list the website as having nothing to do with NJ Transit.com and I even planned on providing links to the official pages of njtransit.com and riverline.com with Riverline info and stop schedules.
Out of a courtesy, I emailed NJ Transit to inform them of this venture and asked for their opinion. I received no reply so I then contacted their legal office with an email of my intentions. The original email I sent was replied to yesterday with a phone call from their Marketing Director who informed me of what a great idea it is and that they have the same intention int he future.
He informed me in the phone conversation that he cannot stop me from providing advertising space on a web site for businesses to endorse economic development but I cannot use the URL of [(url] link removed) because NJ Transit already has a trademark on the term Riverline. He said if I start up the website, I will be issued a cease and desist order from NJ Transit and ultimately be named in a law suit.
Does anyone have an opinion on this matter? A couple of things concern me....
1. I went to the patent office website and did a search, and found no trademark listed for Riverline.
2. Why did the Marketing Director contact me and not their legal counsel?
3. He informed me the main reasoning for his decision is based on the fact that they believe my website will mis-lead individuals making them think they are at an official web site rather than a private one. When I informed him I will have text on the main page stating "This page is in no way affiliated with NJ Transit", he replied back by saying "You just can't do it"
I find it hard to believe that they can prevent me from developing this website when there are still web sites out there that intentionally mis lead individuals to sites such as [(url] link removed ) which is actually a pornographic web site.
Any infromation provided would be greatly appreciated.
Need an opinion if I should pursue this matter firther with legal counsel.
Here in NJ we have a transportation system called NJ Transit. They recently developed a light rail train going through South Jersey called The Riverline.
After seeing an ad in the local paper identifying a specific stop on the Riverline system with businesses advertising I came up with an idea for a website. I reserved the domain already (called link removed). My plan is to have the website up listing all stops of the Riverline system. Each stop will have sections labeled dining, shopping, and entertainment where businesses can advertise. My plan is to list the website as having nothing to do with NJ Transit.com and I even planned on providing links to the official pages of njtransit.com and riverline.com with Riverline info and stop schedules.
Out of a courtesy, I emailed NJ Transit to inform them of this venture and asked for their opinion. I received no reply so I then contacted their legal office with an email of my intentions. The original email I sent was replied to yesterday with a phone call from their Marketing Director who informed me of what a great idea it is and that they have the same intention int he future.
He informed me in the phone conversation that he cannot stop me from providing advertising space on a web site for businesses to endorse economic development but I cannot use the URL of [(url] link removed) because NJ Transit already has a trademark on the term Riverline. He said if I start up the website, I will be issued a cease and desist order from NJ Transit and ultimately be named in a law suit.
Does anyone have an opinion on this matter? A couple of things concern me....
1. I went to the patent office website and did a search, and found no trademark listed for Riverline.
2. Why did the Marketing Director contact me and not their legal counsel?
3. He informed me the main reasoning for his decision is based on the fact that they believe my website will mis-lead individuals making them think they are at an official web site rather than a private one. When I informed him I will have text on the main page stating "This page is in no way affiliated with NJ Transit", he replied back by saying "You just can't do it"
I find it hard to believe that they can prevent me from developing this website when there are still web sites out there that intentionally mis lead individuals to sites such as [(url] link removed ) which is actually a pornographic web site.
Any infromation provided would be greatly appreciated.