Hello and thank you for the opportunity to provide public comment this evening. My name is Brian Fritsch and I am the Manager of Advocacy Campaigns for Regional Plan Association.

I know I hardly need to mention what NJ Transit means to the state. Transit is an economic engine and a key driver of economic growth in New Jersey, with residents accessing $10 billion in income annually from out-of-state jobs via transit. It is also a vehicle for equity. Transit is key for the most vulnerable New Jersey residents — including those who continued riding local buses at high rates throughout the pandemic. Transit is also a climate crisis solution. The current carbon emission cost avoided due to transit services in New Jersey is approximately $200 million annually.

Recognizing the pivotal role it plays for the state and region, NJ Transit recently published a 10-year strategic plan and the first five-year capital plan in the agency’s history. These plans are designed to ensure the agency can modernize and deliver the reliable service residents deserve. Now is an absolutely critical time to invest in public transit infrastructure for the future.

Yet unlike many comparably-sized transit systems around the country, NJ Transit is not supported by a dedicated funding source and is forced to use its capital funding for day-to-day operations. This practice perpetuates a cycle of disinvestment and deferred maintenance that takes an ongoing toll on riders through delays and inadequate conditions on buses and trains.

We were very pleased to see the NJ Turnpike Authority make a significant commitment to funding NJ Transit. This action helped reduce the capital-to-operating transfer by approximately $100 million annually earlier this year. There is, however, still a significant gap that must be closed to fully support the agency.

We hope this body will support the two major goals — and urge the state to do the same:

• First — identify and establish dedicated, ongoing funding sources that avert the use of capital and Clean Energy Fund dollars to fill operating budget gaps. These funds should also meet structural increases in transit operating costs that result from established labor contracts, inflation, and other price increases.

• Fully fund NJT’s 10-year strategic and five-year capital plans and ensure dedicated funds are directed to operating and capital budgets.

It is essential that we prioritize these efforts and invest in transit over the long term so the agency can effectively plan for the future. If we do not, we will not achieve the sustainability, equity, and economic development goals we know the state needs in order to thrive.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration. We look forward to continuing to work with stakeholders to help make these efforts reality in the near future.