New Jersey-2020-S227-Introduced

A Supplement to "An Act making appropriations for the support of the State Government and the several public purposes for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019 and regulating the disbursement thereof," approved July 1, 2018 (P.L.2018, c.53).

Be It Enacted by the Senate and the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. Notwithstanding the provisions of P.L.1984, c.73 (C.27:1B-1 et al.), in addition to the amounts appropriated under P.L.2018, c.53, the annual appropriations act for Fiscal Year 2019, there is appropriated the sum of $3,000,000 from the revenues and other funds of the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority, and from the amounts on deposit in the Transportation Trust Fund Subaccount for Capital Reserves as follows:

78 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION *60 Transportation Programs* *61 State and Local Highway Facilities* CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION
60-6320 State and Local Highway Facilities.....................		$3,000,000
Total Capital Construction Appropriation,		$3,000,000
State and Local Highway Facilities ...............................
*Capital Projects*:
Electric bus purchase grants ...............	($3,000,000)

The amounts hereinabove appropriated for grants to be distributed by the Department of Transportation for the purchase of electric buses by private motorbus carriers may also be distributed for the purchase of battery recharging equipment and facilities and other necessary equipment or facilities necessary for the operation of electric buses by private motorbus carriers.

2. The following items and language provisions in section 1 of P.L.2018, c.58, the annual State appropriations act for Fiscal Year 2019, is amended to read as follows:

78 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

60 Transportation Programs

62 Public Transportation

CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION

Notwithstanding the provisions of P.L.1984, c.73 (C.27:1B-1 et al.), there is appropriated the sum of [$759,909,000] $762,909,000 from the revenues and other funds of the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority, and from the amounts on deposit in the Transportation Trust Fund Subaccount for Capital Reserves, for the specific projects identified as follows:

New Jersey Transit Corporation

Description County Amount

Private Carrier Equipment Program Various [($3,000,000)] ($6,000,000)

From the amounts appropriated from the revenues and other funds of the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority for the current fiscal year transportation capital program, the Commissioner of Transportation [may] shall allocate [$4,000,000] $6,000,000 of the amount listed for the Private Carrier Equipment Program to the New Jersey Transit Corporation's Private Carrier Capital Improvement Program (PCCIP). The amount provided herein shall be allocated to the private motorbus carriers consistent with the formula used to administer the PCCIP and shall be restricted to those carriers that currently qualify for participation in the PCCIP. These funds may be used for the procurement of any goods or services currently approved under the New Jersey Transit Corporation's PCCIP, as well as: facility improvements, vehicle procurement, and capital maintenance that comports with section 3 of P.L.1984, c.73 (C.27:1B-3). Such maintenance and equipment procurements shall apply to vehicles owned by the private motorbus carriers and used in public transportation service, as well as to the New Jersey Transit Corporation owned vehicles. Private motorbus carriers receiving an allocation of such funds shall be required to submit to the New Jersey Transit Corporation a full accounting for all expenditures, demonstrating that the funds were used to increase or maintain the current level of public transportation service provided by the carrier or to improve revenue vehicle maintenance. Under no circumstance shall these funds be used to provide compensation of any officer or owner of a private motorbus carrier.

(cf: P.L.2018, c.53, s.1)

3. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill appropriates a total of $6 million in additional money from the revenues and other funds of the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority (TTFA) for two purposes related to improving public transportation. $3 million would be appropriated to the Department of Transportation (DOT) for making grants to private motorbus carriers for the purchase and operation of electric buses and an extra $3 million for a total of $6 million would be appropriated to fund the New Jersey Transit Corporation's (NJT) Private Carrier Capital Improvement Program (PCCIP) for the 2019 fiscal year.

The appropriation of $3 million for electric buses is intended to promote the introduction of electric battery-powered buses into the New Jersey passenger bus fleet, which promises to substantially

reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the operation of fossil-fueled buses. According to a May 2018 report jointly authored by the New Jersey Public Interest Research Group and others, on average, an electric bus costs approximately $750,000, substantially more than the $500,000 cost of a conventional diesel bus.

The bill also appropriates $6 million from the funds of the TTFA to the PCCIP, increasing the authorized level of PCCIP funding from a maximum of $4 million in FY2019 to $6 million for FY2020, and would require this funding. Given the fiscal year implementation, this provision is to take effect on July 1, 2019.

Private motorbus carriers operate approximately 25 percent of the scheduled bus transportation in this State and receive no operating subsidy. They face the same cost pressures that underpin recent increases in the operating subsidy of NJT but depend on revenues from the fare box to address existing needs and to make new investments. Allowing the DOT to recognize the increased capital needs of private carriers and the passengers who depend on them will help to ensure that the State's efforts to enhance public transportation, to keep it affordable, and to improve air quality benefit all New Jerseyans.