Brick Introduces Shuttle Bus For Town's Seniors

BRICK, NJ — Senior citizens in Brick Township will have access to a new shuttle service that is being provided by the township.

The Brick Township Senior Shuttle, which will begin service on June 24, will provide transportation at no charge to the senior center, shopping and more. It will be available to residents age 60 and older.

"Nearly one in four Brick Township residents is over the age of 60 and many of those residents do not have adequate access to transportation," Mayor John Ducey said in a news release announcing the shuttle service.

The shuttle service includes two wheelchair-accessible buses that the township recently acquired. One bus was funded by a federal Transit Administration grant that's administered by NJ Transit. The township applied for the grant in 2015 and was notified that the request was granted. The bus was delivered earlier this year. The second bus was purchased, for $83,968, by the township through funds included in the 2015 and 2018 capital budgets.

"We are grateful to have had a bus provided to us through a grant to help make this program a reality," Ducey said.

The Senior Shuttle will offer transportation to and from the Senior Center and nutrition program on Monday through Friday and transportation to shopping areas (WalMart, ShopRite, Stop and Shop, the Dollar Store) Monday through Thursday.

On the last Friday of every month, the Senior Shuttle will bring residents to and from the Ocean County Mall. On remaining Fridays, the shuttles will be used to transport seniors to local areas of interest including parks, boardwalks and more.

"It is our ultimate goal to address the transportation needs of our elderly to provide access to food shopping, our nutrition program and our senior center," said Zulma Soto, the township's director of Senior Outreach Services. "There are so many great places in our community and Ocean County and the Shuttles offer us the ability to help residents enjoy them."

The service is available to all residents ages 60 and over. Anyone wishing to utilize the Senior Shuttle should call Senior Outreach Services at 732-920-8686 to complete a brief registration. Advance notice to request a ride is needed. Residents will be scheduled on a first come, first served basis.

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