CLIMATE ADVOCATES AND COMMUTERS UNITE FOR FULLY-FUNDED AND ELECTRIC TRANSIT IN NEW JERSEY

Camden – On November 14th, a united front of environmental and climate advocates, along with community members and transit riders, gathered outside the Walter Rand Transportation Center Camden, NJ, for a critical call to action directed at Governor Murphy’s administration. The event, spearheaded by the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, highlighted the urgent need for sustainable and dedicated funding for NJ Transit, emphasizing the significant climate benefits tied to such initiatives like bus electrification.

Bus riders and representatives from New Jersey’s top climate advocacy organizations spoke about the importance of NJ Transit throughout the state and the dire need to address NJ Transit’s funding deficit of $900 million dollars by 2026. “If the funding crisis is not addressed, it could lead to potential fare hikes and service cuts,” said Renae Reynolds, Executive Director of Tri-State Transportation Campaign. “There is a need for a well-coordinated and well-funded transportation network to mobilize communities, support economic development, ensure transportation equity, and improve the quality of life for people of all ages and abilities. Investing in public transportation is an investment in the lives of New Jersey’s transit riders, economy, and climate. We, as the commuters and residents of New Jersey, call on Governor Murphy to invest in NJ Transit and create a public transit system that New Jersey deserves.”

Advocacy groups underscored the urgent need for expanding NJ Transit’s electric bus fleet and boosting operational funding. They praised NJ Transit and the Murphy administration for putting the state’s first zero-emissions buses on the road in Camden, but emphasized that this alone is insufficient for meeting New Jersey’s climate goals. Advocates argued that consistent funding is essential not just for operating these buses but also for advancing the state’s wider environmental and clean energy ambitions.

“It is unconscionable that NJ Transit recently voted to purchase a second wave (750) of dirtyndiesel buses with an option to buy even more in the future. This is in direct violation of existing state law (P.L. 2019 C. 362),” said Amy Goldsmith, NJ State Director, Clean Water Action. “NJTransit is required to phase in electric bus purchases ultimately buying 100% electric by 2032; yet its current trajectory will keep it hooked on diesel for decades to come. The only clear path to healthier air both in the neighborhood and on the bus is driven by electric buses. The only way to get there is by properly and only funding electric bus fleets and corresponding infrastructure while providing good service. As all of NJTransit buses convert to electric, first priority must be given to routes in pollution-burdened communities that breathe disproportionately dirtier air everyday and are put in harm’s way riding dirty diesel buses.”

“This is a tale of two cities for NJ Transit – transit ridership is booming, especially on bus lines, as the agency has added more service by taking over lines from private carriers. But the fiscal cliff is looming for the agency with a close to a billion dollar deficit in the next two fiscal years. NJ Transit and the Murphy Administration can’t cut their way out of this crisis through “efficiency” service cuts or fare hikes,” said Doug O’Malley, director of Environment New Jersey. “The Murphy Administration needs to end the raids on the NJ Transit capital budget to allow for investment in our buses and trains. We need to fulfill the Administration’s own mandate for bus electrification by investing in a retrofit program for NJ Transit’s bus garages that leverages state capital investment and federal grant dollars. Straphangers depend on NJ Transit – we need state investment to match that need.”

“A well run, reliable public transit system is critical for the thousands of riders who take NJ Transit everyday, as well as for public health, our environment, and the economic well-being of our state more broadly,” said Debra Coyle, Executive Director of NJ Work Environment Council. “Additionally, NJ Transit either directly or indirectly supports hundreds if not thousands of good paying, family sustaining jobs both as a direct employer and as a primary mode of transportation for workers throughout the state. Securing sufficient funding is necessary so we can protect riders, reduce emissions, and protect jobs.”

“If we don’t find a solution and properly fund NJ Transit, our state could see increased emissions, job losses, and overall economic damage,” said Drew Tompkins, Director of the Jersey Renews Coalition. “Efficient and reliable public transit reduces the amount of greenhouse gasses entering our atmosphere, creates and sustains thousands of jobs, and provides mobility options for people throughout the state, which is why ensuring NJ Transit is properly funded is critical to meeting the goals of the Murphy Administration and our state more broadly.”

“Five years ago, the World Health Organization declared climate change to be “the greatest threat to global health in the 21^st century.” Virtually every professional medical organization in the United States has since taken the same position,” said Dan Quinlan, co-leader of the Clinicians for Climate Action New Jersey. “As documented by the American Lung Association, pollution from New Jersey’s transportation sector is a core driver of rapidly rising asthma rates in the state. On top of that, we need to take action today at a scale and speed that meets the unprecedented threat of climate change to the health and well-being of New Jersey’s children.”

“Without a well-funded transit system, traffic will get worse, many people will not be able to reach their jobs, and the state will not reach its goals for reducing climate emissions,” said Zeke Weston, Policy Coordinator for New Jersey Future. “NJ Transit is the largest public owned transit system in the U.S., giving the state a massive tool to improve service, reduce emissions, speed up commutes, and provide New Jerseyans ample opportunities to explore the state free of an automobile. With 10% of the state’s labor force commuting to work on public transit, NJ Transit must be funded.”

“Reliable mass transit is a necessity for mobility, strong local economies, and reducing air pollution across the state,” said Alex Ambrose, Policy Analyst at New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP). “Transportation is by far the largest contributor to air pollution in New Jersey, harming the health and wellness of families who live closest to highways and congested city streets. Mass transit is essential to meeting our climate goals by replacing car rides and lowering dangerous fossil fuel emissions. Investing in NJ Transit is investing in a cleaner and greener future.”

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