SENATE, No. 249

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

218th LEGISLATURE

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2018 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Senator  JEFF VAN DREW

District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)

Senator  CHRIS A. BROWN

District 2 (Atlantic)

SYNOPSIS

     Requires NJT to study and report on commuting needs of residents in Atlantic, Cumberland, and Cape May counties.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.

An Act requiring the New Jersey Transit Corporation to study and report on the commuting needs of residents in Atlantic, Cumberland, and Cape May counties.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

     1.  a.  The New Jersey Transit Corporation shall conduct a study and prepare a report concerning the public transportation needs of residents in rural areas of Atlantic, Cumberland, and Cape May counties to commute to employment in industrialized areas within the counties and provide recommendations on how the corporation’s transportation services can better address the commuting needs of these residents.  The study shall examine:

     (1)  the current transportation service provided by the corporation between rural areas and industrialized areas in the counties;

     (2)  alternative transportation options that are available to these residents to commute to employment, including, but not limited to, non-public transportation options and transportation service provided by a county or municipality;

     (3)  the estimated cost for the corporation to provide additional transportation service between rural areas and industrialized areas in the counties to accommodate the commuting needs of the residents of the counties;

     (4)  the estimated number of residents in rural areas of the counties that will use additional transportation service provided by the corporation to commute to and from employment in industrialized areas in the counties;

     (5)  the feasibility of the corporation providing additional transportation service between rural areas and industrialized areas in the counties to accommodate the commuting needs of the residents of the counties; and

     (6)  any other relevant information concerning the public transportation needs of residents in rural areas of the counties to commute to employment in industrialized areas within the counties.

     b.  Within six months of the effective date of this act, the Executive Director of the New Jersey Transit Corporation shall submit a report of the study’s findings and recommendations to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature.

     2.  This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire upon submission of the report required pursuant to subsection b. of section 1 of this act.

STATEMENT

     This bill requires the New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ Transit) to conduct a study and prepare a report concerning the public transportation needs of residents in rural areas of Atlantic, Cumberland, and Cape May counties to commute to employment in industrialized areas within the counties.  NJ Transit is also required to provide recommendations on how its transportation services can better address the commuting needs of these residents.

     The study is to examine: (1) the current transportation service provided by NJ Transit between rural areas and industrialized areas in the counties; (2) alternative transportation options that are available to these residents to commute to employment; (3) the estimated cost for NJ Transit to provide additional transportation service between rural areas and industrialized areas in the counties to accommodate the commuting needs of the residents of the counties; (4) the estimated number of residents in rural areas of the counties that will use additional transportation service provided by NJ Transit to commute to and from employment in industrialized areas in the counties; (5) the feasibility of NJ Transit providing additional transportation service between rural areas and industrialized areas in the counties; and (6) any other relevant information concerning the public transportation needs of residents in rural areas of the counties to commute to employment in industrialized areas within the counties.

     The Executive Director of NJ Transit is to submit a report of NJ Transit’s findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within six months of the bill’s effective date.  The bill expires upon submission of the report.