N.J. Admin. Code § 16:78-3.3

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 21, November 4, 2024

Section 16:78-3.3 - Eligible activities

(a) Eligible county activities are as follows:

1. The development and provision of additional or expanded accessible feeder transportation service to accessible fixed-route transportation services must be provided where such services are available, and accessible local transit service to senior citizens and people with disabilities within the entire county and at least five miles beyond county boundaries. Services may include, but not be limited to, door-to-door service, curb-to-curb service, fixed-and route-deviation service, local-fare subsidy, and user-side subsidy which may include, but not be limited to, private ride or shared ride subsidy and to coordinate the activities for the various participants in the program in providing the services to be rendered at the county levels and between counties. Only passenger transportation services are eligible for reimbursement pursuant to the program. The transport or delivery of meals or other goods is not an eligible activity pursuant to the program. Specifically, eligible activities include, but are not limited to, the following:

i. General Administration Activities and Planning: Analysis and inventory of needs, existing services: determination of unmet needs, development of county's coordination plan, analysis of cost, transit asset management, and safety management systems. Also included are day-to-day administrative expenses through either in-house staff or contracted third parties.

ii. Capital Investment: Includes, but is not limited to, the purchase of accessible vehicles, lifts, communications, and other necessary equipment and technology to be used in the delivery of transportation services.

iii. Operating Costs: Any activity related to providing transportation services. Such activities include drivers' salaries, maintenance, insurance, gas and oil, dispatching expenses, driver training, and contracted services, including the purchase of bus and rail fare tickets and passes.

2. The recipients are required to provide transit service for seniors and people with disabilities for the following trip purposes including, but not limited to, employment, post-secondary education, social and recreational activities, shopping, and non-emergency medical services. In order to ensure that activities pursuant to the program meet the purpose of the SCDRTAP, trips should be scheduled on a first-come, first-serve basis; trips cannot be prioritized based on trip purpose so that senior citizens and people with disabilities may obtain the necessities of life. It is recognized that a during state of emergency there may be a need to prioritize trips. Transportation services for medical purposes are eligible, as long as they are of a non-emergency nature. The recipients must make serious efforts to provide transit service for people with disabilities needing employment and post-secondary education transportation. Subscription service is discretionary and is not mandated by this chapter. For counties or designated recipients that provide subscription service, it is recommended that subscription service not absorb more than 60 percent of the available trips.

(b) Eligible NJ TRANSIT activities are as follows:

1. Technical assistance and planning studies to counties eligible for assistance. Such activities may include, but not be limited to, collecting and disseminating information on the coordination of transportation services and funding sources, vehicle scheduling, routing and dispatching, specifications for vehicle procurement and maintenance, and the maintenance of Statewide databases and websites pertaining to transportation funding available.

2. Accessible capital improvements, which include the design and purchase of capital improvements that provide additional or expanded accessible fixed route and other transit service. These accessible capital improvements include improvement to rail cars, rail stations, buses, bus facilities, light rail vehicles, light rail facilities, transfer points that facilitate coordination between county services and services provided by NJ TRANSIT, and other related rail, light rail, and bus facilities that make transportation services accessible to senior citizens and people with disabilities.

3. Costs associated with the operation and maintenance of additional and expanded accessible capital improvements.

4. The planning, implementation, and operation of Statewide activities or programs that promote the use of or lead to improved additional or expanded accessible transit services.

5. Administration of the program within and among the counties, as well as coordination of NJ TRANSIT's improvements are allowed pursuant to the program. The total dollars allowed for general administration of these activities must not exceed 10 percent of the total monies allocated pursuant to the program.

N.J. Admin. Code § 16:78-3.3

Adopted by 56 N.J.R. 141(b), effective 1/16/2024