Trenton – The Governor today signed into law a bill (S-2517) sponsored by Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg to improve the quality of paratransit by enabling client-based service agencies to adopt best practices that cut travel times, reduce accident rates and lower costs.
The legislators said the paratransit reforms are designed to address inefficiencies and gaps in the way that transportation services are provided for physically and developmentally disabled riders.
“This will help update and improve New Jersey’s paratransit services for physically and developmentally disabled people who cannot use regular bus and rail services,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “We need to bring ‘best practices’ to our paratransit network to meet the needs of the most vulnerable. These reforms are especially important in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, which will put new demands on all mass transit services.”
Senator Weinberg thanked New Jersey Transit for heeding the sponsors’ request to not automatically approve two, two-year renewals of new contracts for Access Link services in anticipation of the reform legislation.
“We were gratified that NJ Transit from the start showed strong support for reforms that will deliver paratransit services more efficiently for our most vulnerable riders,” said Senator Weinberg (D-Bergen). “This law will bring together NJ Transit, the county transportation departments and service providers to develop a coordinated, responsive and cost-effective paratransit network.”