Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Transportation has been called a silent need. But in Atlantic County a new community shuttle service has been launched to help meet this need by providing affordable, reliable transportation to those who might otherwise feel "mobility impaired."
"Times are tough, but for those who don't drive, don't have a car or don't have access to fixed transportation, it is all the more difficult to manage," noted Dennis Levinson, Atlantic County Executive. "This is why the new English Creek-Tilton Road Community Shuttle is so important and can help dramatically improve the quality of life for many of our citizens. However, the shuttle welcomes all riders regardless of their circumstances."
The English Creek-Tilton Road Community Shuttle provides service between Egg Harbor Township and Northfield, 6 AM to 8 PM daily with 16 designated stops along an 18-mile route that runs from English Creek Avenue to Delilah Road, out to the Atlantic City International Airport, and down Tilton Road. The fare for each one-way trip is $1, however, the service is running fare-free throughout the month of October as a special introductory promotion. The shuttle is provided as a public-private cooperative effort of the Pascale-Sykes Foundation, Atlantic County government, South Jersey Transportation Authority and Cross County Connection Transportation Management Association.
The English Creek-Tilton Road route was chosen for this service due to a lack of public transportation options for more than 5,000 households within proximity of this corridor. Shuttle riders can also make connections to three NJ Transit bus routes, the 502, 507 and 509 to further expand accessibility to Mays Landing, Atlantic City and Ocean City.
"Pascale Sykes Foundation is delighted to partner with Atlantic County, SJTA, Cross County Connection, Family Service Association, NJ Transit and the residents of the greater Northfield/Egg Harbor Township area to provide this shuttle service. This service answers a need for people to have convenient transportation to employment, medical appointments and shopping. Opportunities such as this help families in their journey toward self-sufficiency," stated Frances P. Sykes, President, Pascale Sykes Foundation.
The shuttle is operated by the South Jersey Transportation Authority and offers full accessibility. Riders who require lift service may make a reservation by calling customer service at (609) 280-1066 by 4 PM the day prior to traveling. Service animals and portable oxygen tanks are permitted on board. For additional customer assistance for those with special needs, a NJ Relay Operator is available at 1-800-852-7899 or 7-1-1.
"Partnering with Atlantic County for this shuttle furthers one of the SJTA core missions, which is to provide the traveling public with safe and efficient transportation through transportation projects and services that support the economies of Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties," said Sam Donelson, Acting Executive Director of the SJTA.
The shuttle was put into service on October 1. Ridership has steadily been increasing through the first few weeks. Several riders are now regular customers who use the shuttle to get to and from work and medical appointments while others have used it more sporadically to access retail businesses as well as the airport.
"We fully anticipate that the shuttle will continue to build ridership and prove to be an invaluable service for our residents," concluded Levinson.
To learn more visit www.driveless.com or call Cross County Connection at (856) 596-8228.