- Legislative Priority: Establish innovative public transportation options focused on overburdened communities so people can get from their homes to already established public transit routes; and continue to electrify public transportation options like school buses.
- Budget Priority: Establish a dedicated funding source for NJ Transit.
Why is this on New Jersey LCV’s Common Agenda?
Transportation is responsible for over 45% of greenhouse gas emissions and is a primary contributor to localized air pollution in New Jersey. The negative health impacts of this pollution cannot be overstated, especially to the state’s most vulnerable and overburdened communities.
One of the best ways to reduce emissions and localized air pollution is to electrify traditional transportation options, including school buses, which are the most commonly used form of public transportation in the country. But more needs to be done.
Additionally, the idea of what public transportation looks like should be re-envisioned. Public transportation has traditionally meant mass transport via buses, trains, and ferries. While these conventional methods of transit serve as the primary engines of our public transit system, New Jersey must begin to take advantage of smaller, more creative options to take cars off the road. Mobility innovations, such as bike and e-bike shares, scooter shares, car-sharing, and electric van sharing, continue to show how roadways can create options that circumvent the use of cars while making use of and increasing access to existing cleaner forms of transit. Regional programs such as the Transportation and Climate Initiative and Low Carbon Fuel Standard could be suitable funding options for these innovations. This new industry of “shared mobility” helps transit riders overcome the “first mile, last mile” challenge– easing the burden of getting to and from traditional local transit networks to final destinations. Shared mobility can expand the potential catchment area for transit users where additional bus or rail service may not be feasible and increase transportation access to New Jersey residents who do not own a car.