Mass transit on right track in NJ

A new report on transportation trends in New Jersey released today shows that rail and bus usage is on the rise in the state. More than 10 percent of New Jersey commuters take mass transit to work. New Jersey ranks second only to New York in mass transit use.

According to the report, prepared by the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, rail ridership grew 15 percent between 1997 and 2004, while bus ridership increased 5 percent. The number of miles traveled by mass transit grew 30 percent, while the number of miles driven by car and truck grew 15 percent. Buses carry 57 percent of mass transit riders, compared to 42 percent for rail.

Among other noteworthy findings: Truck traffic is growing at a far greater rate than passenger travel; New Jersey has the highest percentage of roads in poor condition in the nation; and bus and light rail reliability - measured by the frequency of vehicle breakdowns - has deteriorated even though the fleet has become younger.

The report looks at 25 different measures of transportation in New Jersey, including infrastructure, service, congestion and impact on the economy and environment.
To read the full report: http://www.tstc.org/press/2006/StateofNJ.pdf.