More Proof We Should End Limitations Across State Government

Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean said New Jersey Transit’s recent hiring successes highlight how eliminating residency requirements could benefit all of State government:

“For years I have called for New Jersey to eliminate the rigid state residency mandates for public employment,” Kean said. “Those hiring limitations are a big part of the reason NJ Transit ended up so short staffed, leading to many cancelled trains and buses for commuters. I am pleased we succeeded in getting NJ Transit exempted from these requirements, which led to recent accomplishments in filling vacancies in their training programs.”

New Jersey Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti today praised NJ Transit’s new policy allowing out of state residents to apply. Since the residency requirements were lifted, NJ Transit has hired 102 new locomotive engineers and 386 new bus operators, filling crucial vacancies across NJ Transit statewide.

“It’s clear that lifting this requirement across government in all agencies can serve a similar purpose,” Kean added. “We shouldn’t create artificial barriers mandating people live in NJ. We should have policies that make NJ more competitive, more affordable, and provide a good quality of life for our residents.”