A bill sponsored by state Senator Angela McKnight (D-31) requiring transportation providers to develop and publish their route schedules has cleared the New Jersey Senate Transportation Committee unanimously (6-0).
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“An informed commute can help make for a seamless commute. Providing details on route schedules both online and at facilities and requiring these schedules to be updated regularly will help prevent the stress of unknown service changes and enhance the overall travel experience for riders,” McKnight said in a statement.
Bill S-1768 would require certain motorbus, rail, and ferry passenger service owners or operators to post route schedules on their websites and at each transportation facility where service is provided.
The bill’s provisions would apply to the New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ Transit) and private carriers, as well the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ), the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA), and the Port Authority Transit Corporation (PATCO).
Concurring legislation from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New York are in the works as well.
Specifically, public transportation owners or operators would be required to update their websites and facilities with any changes to a route schedule within 30 days of the changes taking effect.
McKnight sponsored the bill as an assemblywoman back in January 2022, co-sponsored by then fellow member of the Hudson County delegation, Assemblywoman Annette Chaparro (D-33).
The bill sat in legislative purgatory for quite some time, but has since become more relevant in light of A&C bus in Jersey City and Coach USA, which serviced Bergen and Passaic Counties, along with a small portion of Hudson, closing.
Additionally, McKnight and state Senator Teresa Ruiz (D-29) sponsored a bill requiring public process for private bus service changes earlier this year, which Gov. Murphy recently signed into law.
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