4-Year Plan Aims to Make Jitney Self-Supporting

More details are emerging regarding Madison's plan to launch a jitney linking the downtown area with the borough's nearby colleges.

The jitney, a decade in planning by the Downtown Development Commission, is expected to boost foot traffic for downtown businesses while easing connections for people working in Madison as well as staff and students at Drew University, Fairleigh-Dickinson University, and the College of St. Elizabeth.

"We have been trying unsuccessfully for [a jitney] since at least 1996," said Mayor Mary-Anna Holden, who announced the plan at the Borough Council Meeting on Monday.

Holden said that the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority has given its blessing to the plan. Monies and oversight will flow through NJ Transit, which has approved a $223,000 transportation grant for Madison at the end of August. The jitney will be operated in a multi-year deal in cooperation with the three colleges.

The organization of the jitney is being managed by TransOptions, the Transportation Management Association for commuters, business, and local municipalities in Morris, Sussex, Warren, and suburban Essex, Passaic, and Union counties.

According to the borough, the three-year grant from NJ Transit is structured in such a way that the participants (transOptions, schools and borough) work together to create a business model that will hopefully become self-funding in Year Four of the plan.

The one-way fare is expected to be $1.

TransOptions will manage the three-year project, including the funding, and will issue the Request for Proposals for shuttle services. According to the borough, the shuttle company will own the vehicle, hire the driver, maintain the vehicle, pay insurance, and provide back-ups in case driver or vehicle are unavailable.

Both FDU and Drew have made financial pledges to support the shuttle, although the exact dollar amount has not been determined.

The DDC will dedicate time, resources and financing to help with the marketing and branding of the shuttle.

The jitney's planned route will take it from St. Elizabeth in Convent Station to Fairleigh-Dickinson to a connection with NJ Transit at the Madison Train Station, and to the east end of town. The shuttle will then take a reverse route back to St. Elizabegth.

The route will enable employees of Whole Foods and Staples to commute via NJ Transit rail and jitney rather than driving into town and taking up valuable parking space, according to information from the borough.