Passaic County plans ride-share app options
Officials say MOVE service to be affordable
By: Matt Fagan
NorthJersey.com
USA Today Network - New Jersey
..... Clifton and Passaic residents in need of a lift to their doctor, grocery store, train station or wherever, will soon have a new public transit service called Passaic County MOVE.
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Through this new micro-transit program, powered by TransitTech provider Via, riders will benefit from on-damand, app-based transit services that operate with greater flexibility than traditional bus routes.
..... Officials form both cities as well as Passaic county said they expect the pilot program, which uses current ride-sharing technology to cerate a micro-transit system, to begin operating by next summer. [2025]
..... These systems are a hybrid of public transpiration and ride-sharing. It will enable riders to contact Passaic County MOVE via a cellphone app task to seek a ride, Passaic County officials said.
..... For residents of both cities, the rides will connect with existing transportation paratransit services.
..... The program is important to many urban residents who do not own a vehicle in Clifton and in particular Passaic, which has one of the state's largest populations of individuals who do not own private automobiles.
..... "It can be a real bugaboo,: County commissioner Chair John Bartlett said. "To get people that first (pr last) mile to a bus depot or train that's a real challenge."
..... Clifton Mayor Ray Grabowski called the service a fantastic opportunity.
..... "It's almost like an Uber or private care service," he said, adding that while Clifton does have senior transport, it often requires people to request rides a few days in advance.
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The county said the initiative is designed to complement existing services, including Passaic County's well-establish paratransit service, which serves seniors, people with disabilities and residents who need help getting to their doctors, the food store or other necessary appointments.
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Unlike other ride-sharing services, the cost per ride of Passaic County MOVE will be minimal. while no set fee has been set up, officials expect each ride to cost $3 to $5. The service is envisioned to run from 6 AM. to 8 PM. Monday through Friday.
..... The app contracts the 10 or so minivans that will circulate through Clifton and Passaic and pick up riders five days a week.
..... The app, created by Via a transit tech company, uses algorithms to provide greater flexibility than traditional bus routes by grouping riders and prospective riders onto minivans heading to the same area.
..... The initial budget for the program is $1.5 million, county officials said. Funding comes in part from the state and county.
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Users contact Passaic County MOVE through the phone applications, which alerts the drivers to pick them up nearby, much like ride-sharing apps such as Uber or Lyft and take them to the desired location that is within a 2-mile radius of the Clifton-Passaic city limited.
..... The applications directs the minivans to a location near the rider's location often within a few hundred feet.
..... "This should be a game changer, especially for those undeserved communities," said Passaic City council President Gary Schaer, who is also the assemblyman representing the 26th district.
NJ cities that use Via ride-sharing
..... The closest city that uses the Via application is Jersey City. Eric Gardner, Via's East Coast partnerships director said. Since its inception in March 2000, more than 2.5 million riders have used the service.
..... Other cities that utilize Via's app are Camden and New Brunswick, he said.