Officials announced a direct shuttle service between Vineland and Atlantic City meant to boost job access for Cumberland County residents. (Dana DiFilippo | New Jersey Monitor)
State transportation officials announced a new pilot program that will create an express bus route between Vineland and Atlantic City in a bid to boost transit accessibility and job access for South Jersey residents.
The program will see two round-trip weekday buses tailored to worker schedules in Atlantic City and would nearly halve transit times compared to existing bus routes connecting Cumberland County to the gambling mecca.
“This pilot will provide a reliable, affordable option for workers and residents in Cumberland County who need to reach Atlantic City,” Transportation Commissioner Fran O’Connor said Wednesday.
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The shuttles could ferry 40 total riders each day and would charge $6 for a one-way ticket, matching existing NJ Transit bus prices. The South Jersey Transportation Authority, which would operate the buses, will also honor existing eight-zone bus passes.
The program won plaudits from Republican lawmakers who have traditionally been critical of NJ Transit and its comparatively sparse services in South Jersey.
Sen. Mike Testa (R-Cumberland), who has sometimes lampooned the agency as “North Jersey Transit” over the dearth of services in South Jersey, said the program would boost job access for Cumberland residents, particularly lower-income residents without access to a vehicle.
“We have much to be proud of. This is the start of something very big for southern New Jersey, and it shows you what good government looks like when we all work together and pull in the same direction,” Testa said at a press conference in Vineland.
The senator credited former Unite Here Local 54 president Bob McDevitt for helping develop the idea. Local 54 is the chief union for Atlantic City Casino workers.
The program is expected to cost about $270,000 annually and could be expanded if successful, NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri said.
“If it works, I think it’s an absolute test case for other areas in the state,” he said.
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