Op-Ed: Here’s how we’ll bring a fast and free bus system to Jersey City
Originally Published — https://hudsoncountyview.com/op-ed-heres-how-well-bring-a-fast-and-free-bus-system-to-jersey-city/
In an editorial, Jersey City mayoral candidate Mussab Ali explains how he will bring a fast and free bus system to the entire city if he’s elected mayor.
Transportation in Jersey City has not kept pace with its growth. Commuting to work, school, or the grocery store costs too much or takes too long. That’s why last week, my campaign released a policy plan laying out a vision for a fast and free city-run bus service.
Despite their problems, existing options like Via, NJ Transit buses, and the HBLR are critical lifelines for many residents.
But they’re designed and operated by out-of-town transit agencies and private companies, whose priorities and incentives are not necessarily aligned with local needs.
The result has been cascading delays and vulnerabilities in our public transit system, affecting all residents, but especially the more than 40% of residents who don’t own a car.
The scale of our proposal is modest, starting off with four routes connecting The Heights, West Side, and Greenville to Journal Square and Downtown.
But a modest scale means we could get this off the ground quickly, and immediately fill in some dramatic gaps left by existing transit options.
The areas connected by these bus lines (available in detail on our website) are the worst transit deserts in the city, based on publicly available data from Via and NJ Transit.
With some upfront investment, we can quickly guarantee residents quick and easy access to work, school, and further transit options via PATH or the HLBR.
And by adding signal priority for our new buses, we can make sure they move faster and more reliably than existing options.
Funding a free city-run bus system might seem like a socialist fantasy, but it’s not. Boston, Washington, D.C., Kansas City, and several other cities have all successfully launched free bus services.
We don’t even need to look at other states; Hoboken’s no-fare Hop shuttles have proven that a city-run bus service can be free and effective.
Collecting and enforcing fares on buses is difficult, expensive, and slows down the service for everyone. The juice is barely worth the squeeze, and whatever marginal revenues are actually collected come straight out of the pockets of Jersey City’s working class.
For someone commuting twice a day, five days a week, fares add up to hundreds of dollars a year. This isn’t just a new bus line – this is a cost-of-living relief measure, guaranteeing access to transit as a right, not a burden.
Effective public transit has been proven time and time again to be a principal driver of economic development.
In cities like Austin and Olympia, local businesses reported increased foot traffic and higher revenues after free transit programs were introduced.
Not only that, but a well-designed bus network also takes cars off the road, leading to less congestion and lower levels of pollution. The ultimate effect for Jersey City will be a better quality of life, higher productivity, and ultimately, a much stronger economy.
There are many great options for funding a service like this.
Firstly, Jersey City already spends more than $7 million every year on the Via micro transit service, a band-aid solution that serves only a relatively small number of riders.
By downsizing the city’s contract with Via and redirecting some of that funding towards the new bus routes, we can serve a greater number of residents without increasing the burden on taxpayers.
Moving riders from Via to a free bus service would cut the city’s per-rider subsidy in half, leveraging the cost advantage of fixed-route transit over point-to-point service.
Via would still maintain operations, just at a smaller scale because many of their passengers would be able to take advantage of this new system.
Second, state funding is available for municipal transit projects like this.
There are ostensibly huge amounts of federal funding available through the Federal Transit Administration thanks to Biden’s infrastructure bill, however, the unfortunate reality is that we’re unlikely to secure reliable new federal funds under the Trump administration.
That’s why we’ll focus on solutions from the state, including the NJ Transportation Trust Fund and state transit grants like municipal aid grants from the NJDOT.
Thirdly, collaborating with local businesses and large employers can bring in major support for the bus service. Businesses are happy to contribute to support transit infrastructure when they see a return on investment in the form of a stronger, more reliable workforce.
In Denver, the Eagle P3 project brought in $450 million from private partners for the construction of a new set of commuter rail lines. Closer to home, Citi invested more than over $100 million to sponsor the Citi Bike program many of us know and love.
Further, some “luxury” housing providers across Jersey City offer free shuttle bus services to the PATH or other transit providers to their residents because they understand the value of fixed-route transit to high-demand areas.
We can attract business support for the bus service in several ways, like corporate sponsorship deals, exploring public-private financing models, and joint infrastructure investments with developers where necessary.
Ultimately, employers understand that fewer delays, easier commutes, and a larger labor pool help them too.
We’re already leaders in progressive, effective urban policy, but we have so much more to build.
Implementing a fast and free city-run bus line would be a major step forward, ensuring that transit is accessible, affordable, and equitable.
We have a chance to build a life-changing service for working families while reducing congestion and boosting our economy. We should take it.
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Mussab Ali is the former JC BOE President, education non-profit founder, and cancer survivor. The son of immigrants, Mussab was raised and educated in Jersey City. A graduate of McNair, Rutgers, Tsinghua, and Harvard Law, Mussab founded the Ali Leadership Institute to equip activists, organizers, and community leaders with the necessary skills for effective civic participation at the local level.
