Photo by Steve Hockstein/HarvardStudio.com

The NJTPA assists NJ TRANSIT in the selection of local transit grants for shuttle vehicles and operating expenses. Grant applications and administration are managed by NJ TRANSIT. All services must be consistent with County Coordinated Public Transit Human Services Transportation Plans (CPTHSTP).  

NJ TRANSIT’s Office of Local Programs and Community Mobility provides grant opportunities for local shuttle services, planning projects, and the purchase of capital equipment to help community transportation providers fill service gaps in service.  Grant funding is available for programs that meet the needs of older adults, low-income individuals, and people with disabilities that are job seekers. Many funded programs help provide services in areas not served by fixed-route transit. 

In 2014 NJ TRANSIT launched the New Jersey Job Access and Reverse Commute (NJ-JARC) program using state operating funds. NJ-JARC provides operating assistance to support the development of shuttle services that connect low-income individuals to jobs and employment-related services. Eligible projects include shuttles and connector services to public transit hubs or warehouse job centers. 

In State Fiscal Year 2025, NJ-JARC awarded $3.1 million to projects within the NJTPA region, including the Essex County Night Owl shuttle from Newark Penn Station and the Route 57 Shuttle in Warren County. The NJTPA plays a key role in scoring NJ-JARC applications from the region. 

INJ TRANSIT also administers the FTA Section 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities program, a competitive annual grant that funds both capital and operating projects designed to improve mobility for seniors and individuals with disabilities. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, for-profit providers of shared-ride services, and public agencies. NJTPA assists in evaluating applications from its region and provides in-depth feedback during the state’s Section 5310 application review process. 

Transportation services supported by Section 5310 funding include non-emergency medical transportation, trips for shopping, and access to both competitive and non-competitive employment opportunities. In the Federal Fiscal Year 2022 application cycle, $8.2 million in capital and operating assistance was awarded to recipients in the NJTPA region. These recipients included counties, municipalities, and nonprofit organizations such as Abilities of Northwest Jersey Inc, Jewish Family & Vocational Service of Middlesex County, and ARC of Morris.