Jersey City Creates App-Driven, On-Demand Bus System

JERSEY CITY, NJ — The city has created a new locally-run, on-demand bus network designed to expand public transportation access, reduce traffic congestion, and bring more jobs to the city, officials announced Thursday.

The system is the first of its kind in New Jersey. Officials have partnered with Via, a provider and developer of on-demand public transportation systems.

Using the Via app, riders will be able to hail a shuttle from their smartphone. The app will enable multiple riders to share vehicles, which will direct passengers to a nearby "virtual" bus stop.

The bus transit system will feature routes based on passenger demand, rather than routes comprised of predetermined stops at certain locations. The network looks to ease commuter frustration related to NJ Transit schedules.

The cost will be $2 a ride or $1 or discounts for senior citizens and low-income residents. Service will operate Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fourteen vehicles will run in the Greenville and Heights sections of the city. At least 10 percent of the fleet will be electronic vehicles. Wheelchair-accessible vehicles will be available.

The partnership will bring jobs to Jersey City as drivers are needed. The pay, according to officials, will be "well above the state's minimum wage," of $10 an hour.

"As NJ Transit continues to neglect the City’s mass transit systems, and without help from the state, we are now creating our own innovative solutions that will meet the needs of our residents," Mayor Steven Fulop said in a statement. "This is the latest step towards our larger vision of getting cars off the road, while creating mobility in neighborhoods that sometimes lack connectivity to other parts of the city."

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com