In The News

Port Authority sees cargo increase at local ports following Baltimore Bridge collapse News12 New Jersey, 5/10/2024

NJ Bus Companies Could Face New Rules If They Plan To Cut Routes Patch.com, 5/9/2024

Truck traffic at issue in Route 202 warehouse plan in Hunterdon MyCentralJersey.com, 5/10/2024

NJ Gov. Murphy: We can get seniors a big tax break and plug NJ Transit's $1B hole Gothamist, 5/9/2024

NJ Transit awards $85M contract to bus company accused of fraud. Which routes are affected NorthJersey.com, 5/9/2024

Academy Express bus company, paying $20.5M fraud settlement, seeks NJ Transit contract NorthJersey.com, 5/8/2024

NJ Transit consulting team is looking to transform the agency. And cut $600M NorthJersey.com, 5/7/2024

Bipartisan bill tasks FAA with ensuring safer takeoffs, flights and landings NJ Spotlight News, 5/7/2024

NJ Transit one-way tickets will expire after 30 days starting this summer NorthJersey.com, 5/7/2024

Number of track outages grossly underestimated for Portal Bridge replacement project NorthJersey.com, 5/7/2024

Dozens of groups urge lawmakers to kill $10.7B Turnpike project, fund NJ Transit NJ.com, 5/7/2024 (PAYWALL)

Contract to build first Gateway rail tunnel coming this year, planners say NJ.com, 5/7/2024 (PAYWALL)

The deadline to get a Real ID is fast approaching. What you need to do to get one. NJ.com, 5/6/2024 (PAYWALL)

It just got a little easier to ride the PATH in N.J. NJ.com, 5/4/2024 (PAYWALL) - PATH’s new fare payment system that lets commuters tap their digital chip-enabled cards and smartphones to ride is now in all seven New Jersey rail stations, officials said.

Fatal crashes rise in NJ, Central Jersey is hot spot NJ Spotlight News, 5/3/2024 - Fatal crashes are up 28% statewide over the last year, according to new data from the New Jersey State Police, and Central Jersey is a hot spot for the problem. There have been 197 fatal crashes statewide so far this year, with 21 of those occurring in either Middlesex County or Monmouth County.

N.J. drawbridge is still stuck in the open position. Free shuttle should help, officials say. NJ.com, 4/30/2024 - People who normally use the Route 71 bridge over the Shark River between Avon and Belmar that’s been stuck in the open position since early March will get a free shuttle bus to ride until the span is fixed. The free ride between the business districts of Belmar and Avon-by-the-Sea was announced by the state Department of Transportation and will start Wednesday morning. It will operate until the bridge is fixed.

Monmouth County offers free rides for medical visits for anyone who needs one Asbury Park Press, 4/30/2024 -  Monmouth County residents can now schedule two free round-trip rides every week to address their medical, wellness and nutrition appointments. 

N.Y. - N.J. Port Authority revenues are up over last year. Will the trend continue? NJ.com, 4/30/2024 (PAYWALL) - Port Authority officials were brimming with good news: revenues for the first quarter of 2024 were up by $31 million compared to 2023 and $16 million more than budgeted for. Citing strong airport recovery and proactive toll increases on the authority’s six bridges and tunnels that had minimal impact on traffic levels, Fitch Ratings gave a stable AA- ranking to a $650 million Port Authority bond issue that would fund major capital projects.

Warehouse industry reports point to possible slowdown NJ Spotlight News, 4/30/2024 - Recent data from state and industry sources shows a sharp slowing in the number of building permits issued for warehouse construction last year in New Jersey. Those sources also show a new rise in vacancies, and a lower rate of increase in rents for the giant buildings, which have been springing up throughout the state for several years.

NJ's Route 1 has become an increasingly dangerous commute. Here's what police are doing MyCentralJersey, 4/29/2024 - Fatal crashes are up over 27% statewide in the first four months of the year, police said in a statement. Central Jersey leads the state in fatal crashes with Middlesex and Monmouth counties seeing the most deaths, the statement said.

Governor’s plan for funding NJ Transit is getting scrutiny NJ Spotlight News, 4/22/2024 - Under the governor’s nearly $56 billion spending plan, a small group of only the state’s most profitable companies would be forced to dig deeper, with the additional revenue earmarked for New Jersey Transit, the state’s chronically cash-strapped bus and rail agency. For some lawmakers, a key issue is whether the governor has picked the right tax to dedicate to supporting NJ Transit’s strained operating budget over the long haul.

Arizona’s Culdesac: A Car-Free Paradise or Part of the Problem? Strong Towns, 4/30/24 - There’s a new housing development in Tempe, Arizona, that’s getting a lot of attention for something it excludes. Culdesac offers more than 700 apartments — and zero parking spaces. Its developers say they’re striving to make Culdesac Tempe “the best place to live car-free in the U.S.” It’s a great goal, but is it a realistic one

Why Some Cities Want to Combine Transit Agencies Governing.com, May 10, 2024 - Chicago and San Francisco are looking to consolidate the transit agencies in their respective cities, proposals backed by state lawmakers. Advocates say such reforms could improve service for riders and make it easier for politicians to address funding issues.

To Expand Transit on the Cheap, Cities Explore Infill Stations CityLab Transportation, May 8, 2024 - Infill stations are an increasingly popular solution in cities whose rail transit systems were originally designed to shuttle suburban commuters to and from downtown. At a time when laying new tracks can be prohibitively expensive, they’re an affordable way to make the most of infrastructure that’s already in place.

Why only 22 EV models now qualify for the $7,500 federal tax credit The Washington Post, May 3, 2024 - Americans buying electric vehicles will no longer be able to claim federal tax credits of up to $7,500 if their cars contain Chinese materials, the Biden administration announced Friday, the result of a landmark 2022 climate law that sought to reduce U.S. reliance on clean-energy components from China.

Trucks with no one aboard? The future is near for self-driving tractor-trailers NBCPhiladelphia.com, April 29, 2024 - On a three-lane test track along the Monongahela River, an 18-wheel tractor-trailer rounded a curve. No one was on board. The self-driving semi, outfitted with 25 laser, radar and camera sensors, is owned by Pittsburgh-based Aurora Innovation. Late this year, Aurora plans to start hauling freight on Interstate 45 between the Dallas and Houston areas with 20 driverless trucks.