Maplewood Commits to Wyoming Jitney until July

Wyoming area residents will still have access to Maplewood's jitney service to the train station through at least July despite a recomendation by Maplewood transportation officials to discontinue the service.

Maplewood Transportation Committee Chairman Charles Bibbins said during the Maplewood Township Committee meeting this week Millburn ridership has remained anemic despite a promise by Millburn Township officials to promote the service this past summer and fall. This fall they  to Wyoming residents to encourage ridership.

Millburn officials have  at a rate of $1,000 per year, but the jitney in Millburn continues to operate at a deficit, he said.

Millburn residents and jitney riders attended both the Maplewood and Millburn township committee meetings Tuesday night to express support for the service, saying ridership has indeed increased.

In Maplewood, John Livingstone said Millburn residents were just now learning of the service. He also said ridership in the evenings was nearing 20—a number Bibbins called "absurd" although he did not have hard numbers from the evening jitney driver.

In Millburn, John Connor said he thought the proposal was signed, sealed and delivered and was wondering how Maplewood could back out of the deal. He too said ridership was up to 20 people in the evenings when there were 12-15 people riding in May.

"The free coupon did present a result," he said. "There are several new people who used it."

But the Maplewood committee was unanimous in its support for the jitney service. Maplewood Mayor Vic DeLuca suggested continuing it for at least another six months—through July 1.

The committee rejected Livingstone's idea of increasing fees for Millburn residents who already pay at a higher rate than Maplewood residents. Connor made the same suggestion in Millburn, saying the passes could be why there is a deficit in the budget.

Deluca said Millburn Mayor Thomas McDermott told him the Millburn governing body would be discussing jitney marketing. The Millburn committee expressed support for the jitney, and McDermott said he'd work with Maplewood officials to ensure it continued.

DeLuca felt that continuation of the jitney to Millburn was a part of ongoing efforts to share services between townships that Maplewood wanted to foster. The mayor also felt increased ridership on the jitney was likely. "I'm seeing more people on the trains," he said, crediting the trend to a slowly improving economy.

Other Maplewood committee members were similarly supportive. Lester Lewis-Powder argued against increasing fees and Jerry Ryan said, "Let's keep it going. Let's keep our commitment to Millburn."