Funding will support the continued provision of public transportation services in the rural areas of new jersey

The Federal Transit Administration awarded New Jersey Transit Corporation $12,519,862 on August 27, 2026, under the Formula Grants for Rural Areas and Tribal Transit Program (CFDA 20.509) to support continued public transportation services in rural New Jersey.

NJ Transit, as the designated recipient, will provide program oversight, technical assistance, and compliance monitoring to fifteen rural sub-recipients. The sub-recipients will operate demand-response and deviated fixed-route services that provide access to employment, education, healthcare, shopping, social services, recreation, and other essential destinations, particularly for residents with limited transportation alternatives.

The grant funds five activity line items: operating funds to sustain demand-response and deviated fixed-route services in rural areas; project administration to assist sub-recipients with administrative responsibilities; two Rural Transit Assistance Program (RTAP) activity line items for training and technical assistance tailored to rural community needs; and state administration covering NJ Transit's daily management activities including federal oversight, compliance and National Transit Database reporting, grant application and agreement development, financial reimbursements, grant closeouts, on-site reviews, and technical assistance to sub-recipients.

The period of performance runs from August 27, 2026, through July 30, 2030. Performance occurs in rural areas throughout New Jersey.

Activities

This grant includes five activity line items aimed at supporting rural transportation services in new jersey. Operating funds will be used to sustain demand response and deviated fixed-route services in rural areas. Project administration will assist subrecipients in managing their administrative responsibilities related to providing rural transportation. The rural transit assistance program (rtap) will fund two activity line items training and technical assistance initiatives designed to meet the specific needs of subrecipients serving rural communities. State administration will enable NJ transit staff to oversee the daily management of activities including federal oversight and compliance FTA and NTD reporting grant application and agreement development financial reimbursements grant closeouts on-site reviews and technical assistance for subrecipients.

Expected outcomes

To bridge the GAP for new jersey residents in rural areas with limited fixed-route transportation.

Intended beneficiaries

General public residents of the rural areas in new jersey needing transportation in their area and also connections to urban area. This also includes connections to public transportation systems throughout new jersey new york city philadelphia and surrounding states and metropolitan areas.

Subrecipient activities

Fifteen (15) operating projects for non-urbanized areas including atlantic county burlington county south jersey transportation authority cape may county cumberland county gloucester county hunterdon county mercer county monmouth county morris county passaic county salem county somerset county sussex county warren county.