Transportation in New Jersey

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 3096: Requires NJT to provide notice concerning routine maintenance and significant reductions in service.

Bill A 3096 requires New Jersey Transit (NJT) to provide public notice and hold hearings before making significant service changes or fare increases. Specifically, NJT must hold at least two public hearings (one during work hours, one evening) for rail service curtailments or abandonments, and one hearing for bus service changes, with notices sent 15 days in advance to affected counties and municipalities. For fare increases on bus or rail routes, NJT must hold 10 geographically distributed public hearings (with specific time requirements), including five during typical work hours. This bill directly affects NJT and transit riders by mandating transparency before service reductions or fare hikes.

Topics ✓ Transportation

Sub-Topics Public Transit Rail

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 1116: Establishes motor vehicle insurance compliance programs; allows law enforcement agencies to utilize license plate readers to enforce motor vehicle insurance requirements.

This bill creates a program enabling New Jersey counties and municipalities to use automated license plate readers to enforce motor vehicle insurance requirements. Law enforcement can access a centralized database (once 90% of auto insurers submit data) to identify uninsured vehicles, using a sworn affidavit as probable cause for prosecution. It also establishes a diversion program where prosecutors may defer charges if drivers obtain insurance within six months, with a $245 surcharge partially funding the program. The law requires the Motor Vehicle Commission to verify database readiness before implementation and restricts data use solely to insurance enforcement.

Topics ✓ Transportation

Sub-Topics Vehicle Registration

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 765: Requires school vehicles transporting students with disabilities to display certain information.

This bill requires school buses transporting students with disabilities (and all school buses) to display specific information on their rear, including a school bus identification number, telephone number, website address, and other identifying details in contrasting color. The information must be displayed via a sticker designed by the Motor Vehicle Commission, allowing the public to report driver misconduct to authorities. Failure to display this information results in escalating fines ($250, $500, or $1,000 plus disqualification for repeated violations). The bill applies to all school bus operators - including school districts, nonpublic schools, and contractors - and mandates that reports of misconduct be logged, reviewed within 10 days, and investigated by the Division of State Police and Department of Education.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Transportation

Sub-Topics School Transportation Public Transit

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly May 7, 2026

A 1548: Establishes Bridge Transportation Asset Management Plan Pilot Program; appropriates $9.5 million.

This bill establishes a five-year pilot program for New Jersey's Department of Transportation to inventory, assess, and monitor all state, county, and municipal bridges. It requires creating a digital bridge inventory, a risk scoring model for bridge safety, climate vulnerability assessments, and a public dashboard showing bridge conditions. The $9.5 million appropriation funds the program ($4.5M) and a separate AI-driven "Bridge Infrastructure Innovation Module" ($5M) to test sensor-based monitoring on high-risk bridges. The program mandates annual progress reports and a final evaluation after five years to determine if the approach should be expanded statewide to other infrastructure like roads and tunnels.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Environment ✓ Transportation

Sub-Topics Appropriations Bridges

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 3697: Requires low-speed electric bicycles and low-speed electric scooters to be insured and registered with MVC; requires MVC to develop safety training module for registration.

This bill requires owners of low-speed electric bicycles and scooters (defined as vehicles under 25 mph) to maintain insurance and register with the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC). Owners must complete an MVC-developed online safety training module as part of registration, and vehicles must display a registration label. The law does not require operators to have a driver's license. Registration expires after 11 months, and the MVC will maintain records of all registrations.

Topics ✓ Transportation

Sub-Topics Driver Licensing Electric Vehicles

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 1717: Revises mileage limit for mandatory school transportation for students.

This bill lowers the mandatory school transportation mileage thresholds in New Jersey: elementary students living more than 1.5 miles from school and secondary students living more than 1.5 miles must now qualify for district-provided transportation (down from 2 miles and 2.5 miles, respectively). It allows school districts to optionally provide transportation for students living closer than these new limits, with parents potentially paying costs. Parents may also formally waive transportation services for the school year, though districts must create hardship policies for affected families. The bill includes a cost cap of $675 annually (adjusted for inflation) for transportation to nonpublic schools within 20 miles, with districts covering costs if bids stay under this limit.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Transportation

Sub-Topics School Transportation

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 1868: "New Jersey Transit Villages Act."

This bill establishes the "New Jersey Transit Villages Act," which encourages municipalities to create designated "transit villages" centered around mass transit hubs. It requires local governments to amend their master plans to include specific provisions for compact, mixed-use development within half-mile zones of transit stops, featuring higher density housing, reduced parking for cars, improved bike/pedestrian access, and shared parking. The policy directly affects New Jersey municipalities by changing land-use planning requirements to prioritize transit-oriented development. Key mechanisms include mandating transit village plan elements as supplements to master plans and requiring updated official maps to reflect these zones. The goal is to increase transit ridership, reduce traffic congestion, and support smart growth principles outlined in state planning guidelines.

Topics ✓ Housing ✓ Transportation

Sub-Topics Property Development Zoning Pedestrian Safety Public Transit

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Feb 19, 2026

A 4146: Establishes Transportation Authority of New Jersey and transfers certain powers, duties, and oversight of certain transportation entities and DOT to Transportation Authority of New Jersey.

This bill establishes the Transportation Authority of New Jersey (TANJ) to assume the powers, duties, and oversight of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, New Jersey Transit Corporation, and New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority, as well as certain transportation planning functions currently managed by the New Jersey Department of Transportation (DOT). The TANJ will be governed by a board appointed by the Governor, including a chair who also serves as CEO, 16 voting members, and two non-voting members, operating independently of the DOT. The transfer of responsibilities will occur on the "Transfer Date" when TANJ certifies to the Governor and Legislature that it has assumed all necessary functions. This consolidation directly affects the three transportation entities and the DOT by centralizing their operations under the new authority.

Topics ✓ Transportation

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 650: Requires police notification when driver license is suspended.

This bill (A 650) requires police to forward accident investigation reports to New Jersey's driver license authority within 72 hours after a fatal crash. It directly affects drivers involved in crashes resulting in death, law enforcement agencies, and the state's licensing department. The key provision mandates that police submit these reports promptly, enabling the licensing authority to process license suspensions or revocations more quickly for drivers involved in fatal collisions. The bill does not change the suspension process itself but accelerates the reporting step that triggers it.

Topics ✓ Transportation

Sub-Topics Driver Licensing

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 931: Requires NJTA to implement certain roadside maintenance safety policies.

This bill requires the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) to implement specific safety policies for employees performing roadside maintenance. It mandates that NJTA employees must not use power tools in rain during non-emergency work, must take all available precautions (like warning signs and message boards) during emergency work in bad weather, must use gas-powered equipment only in daylight (except emergencies), and must use portable light towers for nighttime maintenance. These policies directly affect NJTA maintenance workers and take effect immediately upon enactment. The bill focuses solely on operational safety standards without altering broader transportation policies.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Transportation

All transportation bills