Bill Text: NJ S1607 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires NJT to provide on-demand transit service in certain areas.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2024-01-09 - Withdrawn from Consideration [S1607 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-S1607-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator ANDREW ZWICKER
District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)
SYNOPSIS
Requires NJT to provide on-demand transit service in certain areas.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning on-demand transit service and supplementing P.L.1979, c.150 (C.27:25-1 et al.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. As used in P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill):
"City of the first class" means a city of the first class as classified under N.J.S.40A:6-4.
"County of the first class" means a county of the first class as classified under N.J.S.40A:6-1.
"Electric motor vehicle" means a motor vehicle that is propelled solely by an electric motor or energy storage device.
"Motor vehicle" means a vehicle that is completely enclosed, used and designed for the transportation of passengers, and propelled otherwise than by muscular power, excepting such vehicles as run only upon rails or tracks.
"On-demand transit" means publicly available transportation provided by means of a motor vehicle to individuals selecting a pick-up and drop-off location by telephone or through a mobile application and is provided as soon as possible after an individual selects pick-up and drop-off locations for such transportation.
"Plug-in hybrid motor vehicle" means a motor vehicle that can be charged from a source of electricity external to the vehicle through an electric plug, but which is not solely powered by electricity.
"Transit desert" means a municipality, or physically contiguous area in the State, in which residents have limited access to public transit options, including motorbus regular route service, rail passenger service, and light-rail passenger service.
b. The New Jersey Transit Corporation shall establish and operate, or contract with a third party to establish and operate, an on-demand transit system as an affordable public transit option that provides public transit service to individuals traveling in the same general direction from a location within:
(1) a transit desert to another location within the same transit desert;
(2) 10 miles of a bus, rail, or light rail station or terminal to such station or terminal;
(3) a county of the first class to another location within the same county of the first class; and
(4) a city of the first class to another location within the same city of the first class.
Under the program, the corporation shall operate, or cause to be operated, motor vehicles with a seating capacity of at least 10 individuals, including the driver, that provide on-demand transit service.
c. The corporation shall, when feasible, use electric motor vehicles and plug-in hybrid motor vehicles to provide on-demand transit service.
d. The corporation shall discount the fare charged for on-demand transit service provided pursuant to this section for:
(1) any person who possesses a non-expired monthly pass for motorbus regular route service, rail passenger service, or light-rail passenger service at the time of collection of the fare;
(2) any senior citizen or person with a disability who receives reduced fares for transportation provided by the corporation, or provided under contract with the corporation, pursuant to P.L.1973, c.126 (C.27:1A-64 et seq.); and
(3) any member of a household that is at or below twice the poverty threshold as that threshold is determined annually by the United States Census Bureau.
e. To the extent permitted by federal law, the corporation shall fund on-demand transit service provided pursuant to this section from federal monies provided or made accessible to the State from the federal "American Rescue Plan Act of 2021," Pub.L.117-2.
2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the seventh month after enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ Transit) to establish and operate an on-demand transit system as an affordable public transit option for individuals traveling in the same general direction within: (1) a transit desert; (2) 10 miles of a bus, rail, or light rail station or terminal; (3) a county of the first class; and (4) city of the first class. The bill authorizes NJ Transit to contract with a third party to provide and operate an on-demand transit system. Under the bill, NJ Transit is required to operate, or cause to be operated, motor vehicles with a seating capacity of at least 10 individuals, including the driver, to provide on-demand transit service. NJ Transit is to use electric motor vehicles and plug-in hybrid motor vehicles when feasible.
NJ Transit is required to discount fares charged for on-demand transit service for certain individuals and to fund on-demand transit service from federal monies made accessible from the federal "American Rescue Plan Act of 2021," to the extent permitted by federal law.
"On-demand transit" is defined to mean publicly available transportation provided by means of a motor vehicle to individuals selecting a pick-up and drop-off location by telephone or through a mobile application and is provided as soon as possible after an individual selects pick-up and drop-off locations for such transportation.
