Authorizes funding for on-demand micro transit service under Senior Citizen and Disabled Resident Transportation Assistance Program.

S4010 1R

[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 4010

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MARCH 19, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� BENJIE E. WIMBERLY

District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)

Senator� ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT

District 31 (Hudson)

Co-Sponsored by:

Senator Timberlake

SYNOPSIS

���� Authorizes funding for on-demand micro transit
service under Senior Citizen and Disabled Resident Transportation Assistance
Program.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As reported by the Senate Budget and Appropriations
Committee on June 28, 2026, with amendments.

��

An Act

concerning on-demand micro transit service
funding and amending P.L.1983, c.578.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� Section 3 of P.L.1983,
c.578 (C.27:25-27) is amended to read as follows:�

����
3.
��� As used in
[
this act
]

P.L.1983,
c.578 (C.27:25-25 et seq.)
:�

����
[
a.
]

�Accessible� means a service
that can be used by all individuals, including those who cannot negotiate steps
or who can negotiate steps with great difficulty.

����
�Board� means the Board of
Directors of the New Jersey Transit Corporation.

���� �Corporation� means the New
Jersey Transit Corporation.

����
[
b.� �Board� means Board of
Directors of the New Jersey Transit Corporation.

���� c.
]

1
[
�Disabled resident� means any
individual who, by reason of illness, injury, age, congenital malfunction, or
other permanent or temporary incapacity or disability, is unable without
special facilities or special planning on design to utilize mass transportation
facilities and services as effectively as persons who are not so affected.
]
1

���� �Eligible counties� means
counties submitting a proposal meeting the program guidelines.

����
[
d.
]

�Geographic region� means one
of the following regions of the State: �the southern region encompassing the
counties of Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, and
Salem; the central region encompassing the counties of Hunterdon, Mercer,
Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean

1
,
1

and
Somerset; and the northern region encompassing those counties remaining in the
State.

���� �New Jersey Special Services
Citizen Advisory Committee� means a committee representing advocacy groups from
senior citizens and
[
the
]

1
[
disabled
residents
]

people
with disabilities
1

and other interested parties appointed by the
1
President and Chief
1

Executive
1
[
Director
]

Officer
1
of
1
the
1
New
Jersey Transit
1
Corporation
1
.

����
[
e.� �Accessible� means a service
that can be used by all individuals including those who cannot negotiate steps
or who can negotiate steps with great difficulty.

���� f.���� �Disabled� means any
individual who, by reason of illness, injury, age, congenital malfunction, or
other permanent or temporary incapacity or disability, is unable without
special facilities or special planning on design to utilize mass transportation
facilities and services as effectively as persons who are not so affected.

���� g.��� �Geographic region�
means one of the following regions of the State: the southern region
encompassing the counties of Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May,
Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem;� the central region encompassing the
counties of Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean and Somerset; and the
northern region encompassing those counties remaining in the State.
]

��
�On-demand
micro transit� means

1
[
publicly-available,
technology-enabled,
]
1

shared

1
public
1

transportation

1
services
1

provided
by means of a motor vehicle to individuals selecting a pick-up and drop-off location
by telephone or through a

1
[
mobile
]

software
1

application,
and which transportation is provided at a time selected by the individual or as
soon as possible after the individual selects pick-up and drop-off locations
for such transportation.

����
1
�People
with disabilities� means individuals who, by reason of illness, injury, age,
congenital malfunction, or other permanent or temporary incapacity or
disability, are unable without special facilities or special planning on design
to utilize mass transportation facilities and services as effectively as
persons who are not so affected.

����
�Software application�
means technology that enables a county to provide on-demand micro transit
service. ��Software application� shall not include a digital network as that
term is defined in section 2 of P.L.2017, c.26 (C.39:5H-2).
1

(cf:� P.L.1983, c.578, s.3)

���� 2.��� Section 2 of P.L.1983,
c.578 (C.27:25-26) is amended to read as follows:�

����
2.
��� The Legislature
finds and declares that many senior citizens and
1
[
disabled
residents
]

people with disabilities
1

in the State require assistance in meeting their need for available and
accessible transportation so that they may obtain the necessities of life,
including
,
but not limited to
,
employment, post-secondary
education, social and recreational activities, shopping and medical service;
and that the voters of this State recognized the need for such assistance when
,

in 1981
,
they approved an amendment
[
of
]

to
the
State Constitution
[
which
provides
]

providing
that State revenues derived from the taxation of gambling
establishments in Atlantic City may be used, in addition to the purposes for
which they were originally dedicated, for additional or expanded transportation
services or benefits to senior citizens and
[
the
]

1
[
disabled
residents
]

people
with disabilities
1
.

���� The Legislature further finds
and declares that it is appropriate that the New Jersey Transit Corporation, in
conjunction with its advisory bodies, representatives or associations of
counties, and other interested parties, develop a plan for transportation
assistance to senior citizens and
[
the
]

1
[
disabled
residents
]

people
with disabilities
1
;
that the instrumentalities of local government, particularly the counties of
this State, should play a major role in facilitating the provision of that
transportation assistance; and that the New Jersey Transit Corporation in
conjunction with the New Jersey Department of Transportation�s Office of
Coordination, as well as the counties, should coordinate the assistance with
existing transportation services, including
,
but not limited to
,

those services funded by any other State agency, at the local level and
coordinate inter-county transportation services.

(cf:� P.L.1983, c.578, s.2)

���� 3.��� Section 4 of P.L.1983,
c.578 (C.27:25-28) is amended to read as follows:�

���� 4.��� a.� The board shall
establish and administer a program to be known as �The Senior Citizen and
Disabled Resident Transportation Assistance Program� for the following
purposes:�

���� (1)��
[
To
]

to

assist counties to develop and provide accessible feeder transportation service
to accessible fixed-route transportation services where such services are
available,
including, but not limited to, on-demand micro transit service,

and accessible local transit service to senior citizens and
[
the
]

1
[
disabled
residents
]

people
with disabilities
1
,
which
services
may include
,
but
shall
not be limited to
,

door-to-door service, fixed route service, local fare subsidy,
on-demand
micro transit service,
and user-side subsidy, which may include
,
but
not be limited to
,
private ride or taxi fare subsidy; and to coordinate
the activities of the various participants in this program in providing the
services to be rendered at the county level and between counties; and

���� (2)��
[
To
]

to

enable the corporation to develop, provide
,
and maintain capital
improvements that afford accessibility to fixed route and other transit
services in order to make rail cars, rail stations, bus shelters
,
and
other bus equipment accessible to senior citizens and
[
the
]

1
[
disabled
residents
]

people
with disabilities
1
;
to render technical information and assistance to counties eligible for
assistance under
[
this
act
]

P.L.1983,
c.578 (C.27:25-25 et seq.)
; and to coordinate the program within and among
counties.

���� b.��� In the State fiscal year
beginning July 1 following the effective date of P.L.2009, c.261
,
and in
each fiscal year thereafter, there shall be appropriated to the corporation
from the revenues deposited in the Casino Revenue Fund
,
established
pursuant to section 145 of P.L.1977, c.110 (C.5:12-145)
,
a sum equal to
8.5 percent of the revenues deposited in the fund during the preceding fiscal
year, as determined by the State Treasurer, to effectuate the purposes and
provisions of P.L.1983, c.578 (C.27:25-25 et seq.).

���� Notwithstanding the provisions
of any other law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, for
[
the
]
State Fiscal
Years 2022, 2023, and 2024, appropriations to the corporation from the revenues
deposited in the Casino Revenue Fund or the Property Tax Relief Fund, as
appropriate, shall be given priority to ensure that the corporation receives an
amount equal to 8.5 percent of the sum of the revenues deposited in the Casino
Revenue Fund during the preceding fiscal year, adding back any reductions in
revenues during the preceding fiscal year that directly resulted from the
temporary credit allowable under section 1 of P.L.2021, c.314 or the temporary
deduction allowable under section 3 of the P.L.2021, c.314, as determined by
the State Treasurer, to effectuate the purposes and provisions of P.L.1983,
c.578 (C.27:25-25 et seq.).

(cf:� P.L.2021, c.314, s.6)

���� 4.��� Section 5 of P.L.1983,
c.578 (C.27:25-29) is amended to read as follows:�

����
5.
��� The corporation,
in conjunction with the New Jersey Transit Special Services Citizen Advisory
Committee, appropriate advisory committees of the corporation and with
representatives or associations of counties in this State and other interested
parties, as determined by the board, shall develop program guidelines to
implement the program.� The guidelines shall set implementation criteria and
shall be adopted by the board at a public meeting. �Commencing on the first
anniversary of the effective date of
[
this
act
]

P.L.1983,
c.578 (C.27:25-25 et seq.)
, the corporation shall annually conduct at least
one public hearing in each geographic region in order to gather information
from interested parties as to the efficacy of the program.� The corporation
shall submit an annual report to the Legislature by October 1 of each year
covering the period of the previous State fiscal year.�� The report shall cover
the status of this program including any recommendations concerning the general
improvement of mass transit for
[
the
]
senior
citizens and
[
the
]

1
[
disabled
residents
]

people
with disabilities
1
.

����
1
The guidelines
shall specify that any driver providing on-demand micro transit service through
an on-demand micro transit program that receives funding through �The Senior
Citizen and Disabled Resident Transportation Assistance Program,� established
pursuant to section 4 of P.L.1983, c.578 (C.27:25-28), and is operated by a
county, whether directly or indirectly through contract or subcontract, is
required to receive a federal Internal Revenue Service W-2 form.
1

(cf:� P.L.1983, c.578, s.5)

���� 5.��� Section 7 of P.L.1983,
c.578 (C.27:25-31) is amended to read as follows:�

���� 7.��� a.�
[
Moneys
]

Monies

under this program shall be allocated by the corporation in the following
manner:�

���� (1)�� 85
[
%
]

percent

shall be available to be allocated to eligible counties for the purposes
specified under paragraph (1) of subsection a. of section 4 of
[
this act.
]

P.L.1983,
c.578 (C.27:25-28); and

���� (2)�� 15
[
%
]

percent

shall be available for use by the corporation for the purposes specified under
paragraph (2) of subsection a. of section 4 of
[
this act
]

P.L.1983,
c.578 (C.27:25-28)
and for the general administration of the program, but
no more than 10
[
%
]

percent

of the total
[
moneys
]

monies

allocated under this program shall be used for the general administration of
the program.

���� b.��� The amount of money
[
which
]

that

each eligible county may receive shall be based upon the number of persons
resident in that county of 60 years of age or older expressed as a percentage
of the whole number of persons resident in this State of 60 years or older, as
provided by the U.S.
[
Bureau
of the
]

Census
Bureau
.� As similar data become available for
1
[
the disabled
resident

population
]

people with disabilities
1
,
such data shall be used in conjunction with the senior citizen data to
determine the county allocation formula.� No eligible county shall receive less
than
[
$150,000.00
]

$150,000

during a fiscal year under this program
[
,
except that during
]
.�
However, during
the first fiscal year
,
no county shall receive less
than
[
$50,000.00
]

$50,000

nor more than
[
$150,000.00
]

$150,000
.

���� c.���� The governing body of
an eligible county, or a group or groups designated as an applicant or as
applicants by the county after a public hearing in which senior citizens and
[
the
]

1
[
disabled
residents
]

people
with disabilities
1

shall have the opportunity to comment on the appropriateness of such
designation, may
[
make
application
]

apply
to the board for
[
moneys
]

monies

available under subsection b. of this section.� The application shall be in the
form of a proposal to the board for transportation assistance and shall specify
the degree to which the proposal meets the purposes of the program under
paragraph (1) of subsection a. of section 4 of
[
this act
]

P.L.1983,
c.578 (C.27:25-28)
and the implementation criteria under the program
guidelines and the proposal shall have been considered at a public hearing.�
The board shall allocate
[
moneys
]

monies

based upon a review of the merits of the proposals in meeting the purposes of
the program, and the implementation criteria, under the program guidelines.�
The governing body of an eligible county shall schedule a public hearing
annually for interested parties to provide the governing body with any facts,
materials, or recommendations that would be of assistance regarding the
efficacy of the program established under paragraph (1) of subsection a. of
section 4 of
[
this
act
]

P.L.1983,
c.578 (C.27:25-28)
.

(cf:� P.L.2009, c.261, s.2)

���� 6.��� Section 8 of P.L.1983,
c.578 (C.27:25-32) is amended to read as follows:�

����
8.
��� a.� The board
shall promulgate, in accordance with the �Administrative Procedure Act,�
P.L.1968, c. 410 (C. 54:14B-1 et seq.),
[
such
]
rules and
regulations as may be necessary to effectuate the purposes of
1
[
this act
]

P.L.1983,
c.578 (C.27:25-25 et seq.)
1
.

���� b.��� The corporation shall be
entitled to call upon the assistance, or contract for services, of any State
department, board, bureau, commission
1
,
1
or
agency as may be necessary to implement the provisions of
[
this act
]

P.L.1983,
c.578 (C.27:25-25 et seq.)
.

���� c.���� Notice of any public
hearing required to be held pursuant to
[
this
act
]

P.L.1983,
c.578 (C.27:25-25 et seq.)
shall be published at least 30 days prior to the
date in at least two newspapers circulating in the specific geographic area in
which the meeting is to be held.� Notice of any hearing shall also be
transmitted, at least 30 days in advance thereof, to every municipal clerk
within the specified geographic area where the meeting will be held.

���� d.��� All public hearings held
pursuant to
[
this
act
]

P.L.1983,
c.578 (C.27:25-25 et seq.)
shall be held at locations
[
which
]

that

are accessible to senior citizens and
[
the
]

1
[
disabled
residents
]

people
with disabilities
1
.

(cf:� P.L.1983, c.578, s.8)

���� 7.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.