Scutari Bill to Establish Transportation Services Coordination Task Force Passes Committee

Trenton – In an effort to coordinate transit services among counties, New Jersey Transit (NJT) and the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Senate Transportation Committee today advanced legislation sponsored by Senator Nicholas Scutari which would establish the Transportation Services Coordination Task Force.

The bill, S-1555, would require the task force to study, find and make recommendations for how NJT, the DOT and New Jersey counties can better coordinate transportation services offered throughout the state to better service communities, particularly transit-dependent individuals, including seniors and people with a disability.

“New Jersey residents who are frequent users of New Jersey Transit’s paratransit services are very familiar with the significant delays and service interruptions that often come with no status updates,” said Senator Scutari (D-Union/Middlesex/Somerset). “The goal of this bill is to find ways to improve both the efficiency and coordination between Access Link and local units in order to address the complaints that we have been hearing from residents in our most vulnerable communities.”

Under the bill, the task force would be comprised of 24 members, which would include the Executive Director of the NJT or their designee, the Commissioner of the DOT or their designee, the President of the Bus Association of New Jersey or their designee and an individual from each of the 21 counties that have expertise and experience in public transportation to be appointed by their respective boards of county commissioners.

The bill was released from the committee by a vote of 6-0.