The Middlesex County Area Transit, Division of Transportation, has scheduled the Public Hearing for October 7th 2025 at 11:00am to discuss the 2026 application for the Senior Citizens & Disabled Residents Transportation Assistance Program funded through Casino Revenue Funds.
The Public Hearing will be held remotely and is open to the public by audio conference call only. Members of the public may participate remotely by calling one of the following numbers and entering the Webinar ID and Passcode:
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Meeting ID: 293 005 060 174 0
Passcode: Jk7Aa2dF
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+1 732-515-5844,,914228110# United States, Metuchen
Phone Conference ID: 914 228 110#
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Goal 1) Diversify funding portfolio through grant revenue and pilot partnerships and fiscal restructuring.
Objective: Ensure Ride on Demand and the broader commingled transit model are financially viable beyond February 2026
Milestones for FY2026:
- Q1 FY206:Finalize a multi-year funding proposal with NJ TRANSIT and present it to County Commissioners.
- Q2 FY206: Launch a cost-sharing framework with departments benefiting from RIDE Services (e.g. Community Services, Arts Institute, Board of Elections)
- Q3 FY2026: Secure at least $1.5M in external/state grants or reallocated budget lines to support pilot zone continuation and phased rollout.
Goal 2) Launch Phase 1 of Countywide Commingled Transit Model
Objective: Begin phased implementation in 2-3 Mobility Market Areas using data from the County Forward Together study.
Milestones for FY2026:
- Q1 FY2026: Identify the first 2-3 Mobility Market Areas for expansion based on equity and demand analysis.
- Q2 FY2026: Procure software platform from automated dispatch billing, and scheduling integration
- Q4) FY2026: Deploy 5+ commingled vehicles (Reservation + on-demand) and complete 10,000 rides in new zones with 95% rider satisfaction.
Goal 3) Optimize Operational Efficiency and Internal Coordination
Objective: Increase operational effectiveness by addressing staffing, reimbursement, and vehicle utilization issues.
Milestones for FY2026:
- Q1 FY2026:Decommission or repurpose 2 underutilized RIDE shuttles based on vehicle utilization audits.
- Q2 FY2026:Launch a cross-departmental reimbursement tracking and billing dashboard.
- Q3 FY2026:Reduce manual scheduling by at least 50% through tech-enabled automation and reallocate staffing to support expansion zones.
