SJ Connects, a free shuttle service operated by the South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA) in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey (CCSNJ), has officially expanded into Burlington County.
“Transportation is something many people take for granted until they don’t have it, and since Burlington County is New Jersey’s largest county, it’s one of our biggest challenges,” said Burlington County Commissioner Randy Brolo. “We believe the addition of the SJ Connects shuttle will be a lifeline for these families by providing access to jobs, health care, shopping, recreation and more.”
Backed by a $5 million regional investment and developed in coordination with NJ Transit, NJ Connects includes a fleet of all-new ADA-compliant 20-passenger shuttle buses and funding for driver salaries during the 18-to-24-month pilot period.
Local, county and state leaders joined the SJTA, the CCSNJ and regional business and health care leaders for a ride-along on the SJ Connects Burlington County shuttle on Sept. 14. The Burlington County route travels between the Pennsauken Transit Center and Twosome Drive at Church Street in Moorestown, with a total of 11 stops on the route. For the Moorestown Mall’s Cooper University Health Care campus, the new route also creates an additional transportation option for patients and employees.
“This is exactly what SJ Connects was designed to do: connect people to the places they need to go,” said Stephen Dougherty, executive director of the SJTA. “Adding Burlington County to the SJ Connects network expands the reach of this service and gives residents another transportation option to get to work, access health care, pursue an education and take care of everyday needs. Our focus now is making sure people know about the service and that we make this pilot a success.”
“It’s hitting a lot of really important areas for residents to access whatever they need,” said Christina Renna, president and CEO of the CCSNJ. “SJ Connects is a really great example of a public-private partnership. The Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey was able to advocate successfully to the Murphy (former Gov. Phil Murphy) administration to secure the funding to make SJ Connects possible.
Besides Burlington, SJ Connects will serve six additional counties – Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem – across the Southern region. The shuttle program is designed to provide additional transportation options while connecting residents throughout South Jersey to employment, health care, education, government services, retail destinations and transportation hubs. For route information, schedules and additional details, visit www.sjta.com.
“We know there’s a dearth of transportation options here in Southern New Jersey, and this allows us to provide something else in that menu to help folks get through all areas, not just in Burlington County, but to go from Burlington County elsewhere,” said Sen. Troy Singleton, who sponsored the legislation adding Burlington County to the SJTA’s charter. “The expansion of SJ Connects into Burlington County provides another option for residents to get where they need to go, while strengthening connections between our communities and the economic opportunities available throughout South Jersey.”
State, county and local officials participated in a ride-a-long to highlight the new bus shuttle route in Burlington County.
The new SJ Connect bus route is designed to provide greater mobility for South Jersey residents.
