Assembly Passes Bill Requiring NJ Transit to Provide Notice of Alternative Options in Event of Service Curtailment

Murphy, Lopez & Kennedy Legislation Heads to Senate

(TRENTON) – As the state continues its reopening process and more residents return to work, public transit use will begin increasing. Ahead of this anticipated increase, the full Assembly unanimously passed Democrat-sponsored legislation on Thursday that would require NJ TRANSIT to notify the public of alternative options if a certain service is being limited or terminated.

Under the bill (A-2321), NJ TRANSIT would be required to dedicate a portion of its public hearing held in advance of a substantial curtailment of service to providing information about alternative service options available to commuters, including information on services available for people with disabilities.

Following the legislation’s passage, Assembly sponsors Carol Murphy (D-Burlington), Yvonne Lopez (D-Middlesex) and James Kennedy (D-Middlesex, Somerset, Union) released the following joint statement:

“As our state reopens and more in-person activities resume, many more New Jersey residents will rely on public transportation to get to and from their destinations. Now is the time to address important changes to NJ TRANSIT that will benefit commuters throughout our state.

“Whenever a particular service is reduced or stopped altogether, many riders are left desperately searching for another way to get where they need to go. This is especially true for riders with disabilities who may have a harder time finding ADA accessible options.

“NJ TRANSIT must provide the information residents need in order to find an appropriate alternative route, including routes with accessible trains or buses.”