Seniors and disabled persons who rely on NJ Transit’s Access Link to get around could be on the verge of getting more rides if a revised bill clears the state Legislature.
The state Assembly took the first step, voting unanimously Thursday to add Gov. Phil Murphy’s recommendations to legislation he vetoed on Sept. 12 that would allow taxis, rideshare and limo companies in New Jersey to provide para-transit services statewide to seniors and disabled persons.
The amended bill (A2607) was passed 75-0 and now goes to the state Senate for a vote before going back to Murphy.
The bills expands the concept of NJ Transits “Rider’s Choice” pilot program that allows Access Link customers in 16 counties to opt in to receive their rides through transportation network companies and a taxi company, if they don’t need a wheelchair-lift equipped van.
Under NJ Transit’s pilot program that began in May 2023, Access Link riders in specific counties can now opt in to receive their rides through Lyft or Black and White Taxi as part of the Riders’ Choice. That program was expanded by NJ Transit to additional counties on Feb. 7, 2024, to serve a total of 14 counties and parts of two others.
“This proposal offers a modern-day solution to address the challenges NJ Transit has experienced in providing Access Link riders timely and efficient service,” state Assemblyman Michael Inganamort, R- Sussex, said in a statement. “It builds upon the agency’s successful pilot program and ensures our seniors and residents with disabilities have the safe, reliable and accessible transportation they deserve.”
Inganamort was one of the bipartisan bill’s five primary sponsors.
Access Link is NJ Transit’s para-transit program to comply with the federal American with Disabilities Act by providing public transportation to people with disabilities who are unable to utilize local bus services.
It is also under federal scrutiny after a December 2022 settlement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to resolve rider complaints that NJ Transit failed to operate a para-transit service that complied with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
That investigation found service had capacity constraints that “significantly limits the availability of the service, including poor telephone performance and untimely pickups and drop-offs.”
The Rider’s Choice program provides additional transportation options to many people that rely on Access Link services for medical appointments, grocery shopping and other critical mobility needs. Access Link uses a combination of wheelchair lift vans for people with mobility issues and cars for those who don’t need wheelchair accommodations.
Murphy’s concern was that the bill needed to conform to federal laws and regulations that govern Medicaid non-emergency transportation services. They including ensuring that drivers have a cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification, a clean driving record, and a valid driver’s license.
Rider’s Choice now serves Bergen, Passaic, Hudson, Mercer, Monmouth, Middlesex, Essex, Morris, Union, Somerset, Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Salem counties, parts of Cumberland County and northern Ocean county.
To use the existing Rider’s Choice program, passengers must opt in to the program, visit njtransit.com/accessibility or read the Riders’ Choice Pilot Program brochure.
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