New Jersey Transit: A Transit System Supporting Innovative Transit

This article describes the unique dual roles played by New Jersey Transit, which acts as the state’s public transportation corporation, while it also orchestrates programs with localities and manages investments in transit development on both levels. Its dual role means that it brings better understanding to smaller transit agencies because New Jersey Transit is a transit provider in its own right. In that role, it has a service area covering more than 5,000 square miles, carrying nearly 223 million riders each year. It is the third largest transit system in the country. Two of its busiest passenger terminals aren’t even in New Jersey, but located in midtown New York and Philadelphia. Local transit planning and purchases are done with U.S. Department of Transportation resources from the 5310 and 5311 programs, leveraged by a steady 7.5 percent share of the state’s Casino Tax Fund, which has been in place as a transit-dedicated revenue stream since 1984. Among New Jersey Transit’s programs is the Local Programs Unit, which supports more than 60 local systems that have in operation more than 1,000 vehicles, more than half of which are funded through New Jersey Transit programs.