Regional Plan Association report finds essential workers, Black and Latinx New Jerseyans depend on a well-functioning bus system and are most vulnerable to service cuts

Key recommendations include supporting NJ Transit with Turnpike Authority tolls and other new revenue; extending statewide network of dedicated bus lanes; expanding bus service to reduce overcrowding; continued lobbying for federal support

NEWARK, NJ – To better serve frontline workers and support an equitable pandemic recovery, the state must improve the bus network in New Jersey by investing billions of dollars in NJ Transit, implementing better traffic policies, and creating a single statewide transportation plan that prioritizes the needs of residents in transit-dependent areas, according to a new report published today by tri-state civic group Regional Plan Association.

The report, titled Better Service: Improving the Bus Network in New Jersey, comes at a pivotal moment for NJ Transit, which is maintaining pre-pandemic levels of service despite unprecedented revenue shortfalls. While post-pandemic ridership dropped sharply on commuter rail and buses, most local bus riders in NJ - approximately 75% of whom are essential or frontline workers - never stopped riding. The agency is also rolling out its first ever Strategic and Capital plans, which seek to improve reliability and customer experience while driving economic growth throughout NJ.

In addition to securing $1.2 billion in federal funding beyond the initial CARES allotment for New Jersey, RPA recommends using a greater share of New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) toll revenues to support NJ Transit, and comprehensively reimagining Northern New Jersey’s transportation network to give greater preference to public transit with more dedicated bus lanes and expanded bus service. Currently, there are only eight miles of dedicated bus lanes in the entire state, 15 times less than the amount in New York City alone.

“The pandemic threatens to deal a crippling blow to New Jersey’s local bus system, which is disproportionately relied upon by essential workers, women, and people of color to get to work every day. It is critical that the State leverages every available dollar in service of our public transit system, and prioritizes policies that make buses faster, less crowded, and more dependable,” said Tom Wright, President and CEO of Regional Plan Association. ​“One of the most important things New Jersey can do to support an equitable recovery and meet its ambitious carbon emissions goals is to prioritize the needs of its most vulnerable riders.”

Local bus transit is especially important in cities like Newark, where 38% of households do not have access to a personal vehicle, compared to 11% of all New Jersey households. Due to inadequate state and local funding for NJ Transit, New Jersey commuters by bus and rail face consistently longer travel times (on average 75 minutes) than riders who commute by personal vehicle (on average 30 minutes).

Investing in a stronger bus network is not just about supporting a more efficient transit system for New Jersey’s workforce, but racial equity and an inclusive recovery. For example, racial disparities in car access in the city of Newark have persisted for decades and car ownership remains significantly lower among Black and Latinx households. In 2017, 39% of Latinx and 41% of Black households did not have car access, compared to only 26% of white households.

RPA Recommendations for Improved Bus Service in New Jersey

The report’s recommendations for Governor Murphy, the State Legislature, NJDOT and NJ Transit include:

• Create a single statewide transportation plan that prioritizes social equity, public transit, and transit-dependent populations, especially bus riders.

• Secure federal funding to allow continuity of existing transit service levels through at least summer 2022.

• Identify additional revenues such as NJTA toll revenues, sales tax, Corporate Business Income Tax, and other sources, ensure that money for capital investments is not shifted to cover operating shortfalls, and enable NJ Transit to implement its Strategic Plan.

• Honor commitments to share NJTA toll revenues with NJ Transit.

• Give buses priority at traffic signals and create more bus lanes on congested roads. NJDOT should use direct funding and policy influence to make buses faster and more convenient for riders.

• Add service if necessary to reduce overcrowding on bus routes.

For the past decade, New Jersey has diverted funding for long-term transit infrastructure priorities to cover everyday operational expenses. The state spends a fraction on NJ Transit compared to the local resources devoted to metro transit agencies nationwide.

With the announcement of NJ Transit’s 10-year Strategic Plan and their first-ever Capital Plan this spring detailing investments that will lead to better, more efficient service, it’s clearer than ever what is at stake if the state fails to prioritize funding for public transportation needs: the projects necessary to deliver a functioning 21st Century transit network in New Jersey, from the Gateway Program to grid replacements and critical facility maintenance at bus stations across the state.

“Inadequate bus service is a major concern of my administration,” said Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. ​“Over a third of our residents do not have access to a car, and rely instead on the region’s network of buses to reach jobs, education, housing, and other essential services. Given challenges around COVID-19, now more than ever, we must provide critical services while preserving public health during the pandemic and must collaborate to do so. Recognizing this need, my administration has been working with NJ TRANSIT on projects designed to enhance outcomes for bus riders throughout the city. We are pleased that the RPA’s report recommendations are clear: we need faster, more frequent, and a more reliable bus service, as well as increased investment in our critical infrastructure. As the leading voice for our region, their research and advocacy work is critically important in supporting the quality of life needs and availability of access for so many Newark residents and businesses.”

“Many of our essential workers rely on NJ Transit busing to get to work each day,” said New Jersey State Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg. ​“I represent many commuters who have no other public transit option besides busing. We need to ensure our public transportation remains safe to ride, while also providing high quality service. Sensible investments in our bus system would provide for more equitable access to economic centers, quicker trips for riders, and decreased carbon emissions.”

“The bus system, which carries almost twice as many passengers as rail, is the backbone of New Jersey’s transportation network and it is lagging significantly behind its peers,” said Liam Blank, Policy & Communications Manager for Tri-State Transportation Campaign. ​“New Jersey’s bus system is long overdue for a route redesign, electrifcation, implementing modern fare collection systems, and better integration with other modes of transit. As workers eventually head back to offices, and for the essential workers and the transit-dependent riders that never left, they will need a reliable and efficient means of getting there without being stuck in crippling traffic congestion. The state must invest now so that public transit can help speed the recovery of our regional economy.”

“NJ Transit riders face slow and unreliable service every day, with only eight miles of bus lanes in the entire state -- conditions only made worse by COVID-19,” said Jessica Cruz, Senior Advocacy Associate at TransitCenter. ​“Despite these obstacles, bus service has played a critical role moving essential workers during the pandemic. RPA’s Better Service report lays out clear steps Governor Murphy, the state legislature, NJDOT, and NJ Transit can take to improve bus service for the riders who need it most.”

“Immigrants and people of color are doing the frontline and essential work during the pandemic that keeps all of us safe,” said Sara Cullinane, Director of Make the Road New Jersey. ​“Our safety, our families’ safety, and our state’s recovery depend on essential workers being able to get to work, home, and pick up kids without risking their health. This is a critical time for New Jersey to invest in a stronger bus network to support equity and recovery in our state.”

“COVID-19 has been the ultimate stress test for our transit agencies and with the pandemic roaring back, this is going to be a dark winter for NJ Transit and straphangers. NJ Transit’s bus ridership needs buses to get to work -- many essential workers don’t have remote working options. We can’t work as a state without a robust bus network, and this report provides a pandemic reminder that NJ Transit needs dedicated funding now more than ever,” said Doug O’Malley, Director of Environment New Jersey. ​“We need a combination of increased federal funding, NJTA toll hike dollars, and dedicated revenue to ensure we’re not leaving bus riders paying more for worse service. Dedicated funding will also ease the capital funding needs required with the transition to electric buses -- which NJ Transit needs to play catch up with.”

“In the densest state in the nation, access to safe, affordable, and reliable public transit is a necessity,” said Nicole Rodriguez, Research Director at New Jersey Policy Perspective. ​“A robust bus network is essential to the future prosperity of New Jersey, especially to the frontline workers who have kept our communities running during the pandemic. State lawmakers must act now to reduce the growing burdens on low-income communities and residents of color by investing in transit with new, progressive sources of revenue, and by seeking federal support.”

“Massive improvements to New Jersey bus services are essential to address the overlapping economic, justice, and health crises we face today,” said Amy Goldsmith, NJ State Director or Clean Water Action. ​“Governor Murphy, NJT, DOT and the legislature must push for a huge infusion of federal dollars and practice what they preach by investing in transit instead of wasting scarce state transportation resources on highway expansions or NJ Transit’s frack gas plant still under consideration.”

“NJ is a logistics state, but in addition to moving goods by truck and train, we must be able to move our workforce safely, efficiently, and affordably to their jobs,” said Michael G. McGuinness, CEO of NAIOP NJ, The Commercial Real Estate Development Association. ​“Many of the essential workers in health care, grocery and food services, e-commerce and retail, who have heroically sustained all of us through the pandemic, rely on the bus to get to work. These folks are once again bearing the greatest share of the stress as the virus surges in the cold weather. These workers are also least able to afford fare increases. NAIOP NJ supports RPA’s call for an equitable and dedicated public revenue source for the expansion of and enhancements to NJ Transit’s bus services.”