As the state begins its reopening process and more residents return to work, public transit use will begin increasing. In advance of this anticipated increase, the Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee approved Democrat-sponsored legislation on Monday that would require NJ TRANSIT to notify the public of alternative options if a certain service is being limited or terminated.
Under the bill (A-2321), NJ TRANSIT would be required to dedicate a portion of its public hearing held in advance of a substantial curtailment of service to providing information about alternative service options available to commuters.
Following the legislation’s advancement, Assembly sponsors Carol Murphy (D-Burlington), Yvonne Lopez (D-Middlesex) and James Kennedy (D-Middlesex, Somerset, Union) released the following joint statement:
“As our state begins to reopen and in-person activities gradually resume, many more New Jersey residents will rely on public transportation to get to and from their destinations. Now is the time to address important changes to NJ TRANSIT that will benefit commuters throughout our state.
“Whenever a particular service is reduced or stopped altogether, many riders are left desperately searching for another way to get where they need to go. This is especially true for riders with disabilities who may have a harder time finding ADA accessible options.
“NJ TRANSIT must provide the information residents need in order to find an appropriate alternative route, including routes with accessible trains or buses.”