Press Release: Camden County Commuters Appreciate Transit Options but Call for Improved Reliability and Accessibility, Rutgers University Report Finds
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(CAMDEN, NJ) – Nearly two-thirds (64%) of residents travelling in and around Camden County reported using public transportation (bus, light rail, public on-demand services) at least once a week, according to a new report published in collaboration with the New Jersey State Policy Lab and the Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs (WRI) at Rutgers University. This study was part of an ongoing research project documenting the changes and barriers faced by Camden County and other South Jersey residents in accessing transportation as well as emerging trends in addressing those concerns.
Of the eight South Jersey counties, Camden County fares best in terms of public transit access. Within that context, there remains a significant desire within communities in the county to improve and address gaps. According to a community needs assessment published by WRI in 2020, almost one-quarter (23%) of residents in Camden County have reported that public transportation was a resource missing from their communities and considered low access to transportation as a barrier to employment and career services (46%), health services (39%), and childcare services (37%).
This latest report continues this research by seeking to identify community priorities and recommendations around transportation gaps in these same areas. Approximately 303 participants were recruited through robust outreach to over 50 community organizations in Camden County, promotional efforts at PATCO and New Jersey Transit stations, direct mail campaigns, and targeted outreach at local events. Researchers sought the ideas and recommendations of residents, commuters, and visitors in and around Camden County through online surveys as well as virtual and in-person focus groups. Some key findings include:
- Survey participants reported reliability of transportation (45.9%), accessibility of transportation mode (47.2%), and cost of trip (49.1%) as their three top transit considerations. This was further echoed in focus group discussions in addition to the importance of cleanliness and customer service.
- Ease of access to public transportation influenced how survey participants felt those transportation methods met their needs; while over three-quarters (77.4%) of all participants indicated that public transportation meets their travel needs “somewhat well” to “very well,” survey participants who reported traveling in the southeast portion of Camden County where public transportation options are fewer and farther between were more likely to indicate that their travel needs were only met “somewhat well” (41.1%), “not too well,” (30.4%), or “not well at all” (3.6%).
- Multiple participants in focus groups noted that a prevalent barrier to public transportation accessibility was the cost and payment methods of transportation, with many saying they would like to see changes to the payment structure and more digital ticket opportunities for riders to pay via phone or app.
The report concludes with a series of recommendations for improving transportation throughout Camden County, which include:
- More than four in ten respondents (44.4%) identified expanding rail and train services as a top recommendation, along with creating more direct public transportation routes outside the county (36.2%) and expanding and improving bus services (34.2%) and bicycle networks (31.1%).
- Participants who reported traveling in and around the southeast portion of Camden County considered creating “direct public transit routes outside the county” as a higher priority (41.7%) than those who traveled around the northwest portion of Camden County (26.6%).
- Across survey and focus group participants, respondents indicated that improving bus frequency, enhancing customer service, and ensuring access to real-time information would improve their experience.
“Our findings highlight the services that community members appreciate and emphasize the need for reliable and accessible transportation services,” explained Kristin Curtis, Associate Director of Research at WRI and one of the researchers on the report. “We believe our research serves as a vehicle for ongoing dialogue and policy development around transportation in Camden County and the South Jersey region overall.”
On February 12 2025, the New Jersey State Policy Lab and WRI will be holding a webinar to discuss findings from this report and upcoming research from 1:00pm to 2:00pm. Those interested in attending this webinar can register here: https://go.rutgers.edu/
Read the report here: https://policylab.rutgers.edu/
About the New Jersey State Policy Lab: The NJSPL assists the state of New Jersey and its many communities with the design, implementation, and evaluation of state policies and programs by conducting rigorous evidence-based research that considers equity, efficiency, and efficacy of public policies and programs in holistic and innovative ways. The Lab is run as a partnership between the Edward J. Bloustein School of Public Policy in Rutgers-New Brunswick and the School of Public Affairs and Administration in Rutgers-Newark. The Policy Lab is funded by the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE). The contents of this report do not necessarily represent the policy or endorsement of OSHE or the state of New Jersey.
About the Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs: The Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs (WRI) at Rutgers–Camden has been a long-standing and trusted regional community partner for over 20 years. WRI honors former Senator Rand’s dedication to Southern New Jersey and exists to produce and highlight community-focused research and evaluation leading to sound public policy and practice in the region. With that as a foundation, WRI convenes and engages stakeholders in making the connections across research, policy, and practice in support of Camden City and Southern New Jersey residents. Using social science research methods, WRI specializes in transforming data into actionable information across a variety of areas, including workforce development, education, transportation, and public/population health. WRI reinforces and amplifies Rutgers’ research, teaching, and service goals by connecting the multidisciplinary expertise of faculty to regional problems, developing research and professional skills in students, and linking the resources of higher education to communities in Southern New Jersey.
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