Does Montclair Needs Its Own Shuttle Bus? Many Residents Think So, Survey Says

MONTCLAIR, NJ — Does Montclair need its own shuttle bus? Lots of community members are saying “yes” – and most of them are willing to pay a buck or two for the privilege.

The township’s Local Shuttle Transportation committee – which is part of Montclair’s Public Transportation Working Group – put out a survey to local residents last summer. The goal? To see if there was interest in relaunching a local shuttle bus service.

More than 2,000 people responded, 93 percent of which were Montclair residents. A summary of the results can be viewed online here.

The overwhelming number of respondents said they would use the jitney bus, the township reported:

“Of those who use existing NJ Transit buses around Montclair often (daily, weekly, or monthly), 98.7% reported that they'd use a local Montclair jitney. Even of those who use them seldom (yearly or less), 95.0% reported that they'd use a local Montclair jitney. And 89.1% of respondents reported themselves as likely (3–5 on a scale of 1–5) to use a Montclair jitney.”

According to survey administrators, there was “strong support” for certain local needs. They included:

• Getting commuters to/from the NJ Transit train stations.
• Getting travelers to/from Bay Street weekend trains and Allwood buses.
• Providing better access to local businesses and business districts, public spaces, and events for dining, nightlife, entertainment, culture, and recreation.
• Getting people who lack car transport to critical local venues, including grocery stores, pharmacies, banks, and medical services.
• Reducing car dependence, letting some residents drop usage or ownership.
• Reducing parking hassles, traffic, and pollution. Improving safety.
• Smoothing connections with other modes of transport, including walking, bikes, trains, NJ Transit buses, and neighbor towns' shuttles.
• Ensuring that seniors and people with disabilities have adequate mobility.
• Getting students to/from high school and after-school activities.
• Connecting Montclair residents with one another across town, for socializing, friendship, and stronger sense of community.
• Better integration between the Montclair State University community and Montclair

Most Montclair residents indicated they would be willing to pay a $1 or $2 fare for a one-way trip on the shuttle.

The idea of running a jitney bus in Montclair isn’t new: the town’s former commuter train shuttle service ended several years ago after declining ridership, deputy mayor Susan Shin Andersen said.

However, it may be time to take another swing at things, she added.

“We are reimagining a shuttle service that will be cost-effective while creating a stronger foundation and broader use for residents and local businesses,” the deputy mayor said.

The survey was published on SurveyMonkey and distributed through township communication channels, with flyers at community hubs throughout town and an accompanying press release. Paper copies were also made available at the Clerk’s Office. The sample size corresponds to an estimated margin of error of approximately ±2.2 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level, after applying a finite population correction.

In the coming months, the Local Shuttle Transportation committee will analyze options and costs for shuttle service, identify potential funding sources and look for partnership opportunities – with an eye towards potentially launching shuttle services in 2027.

The committee is accepting community feedback, which can be emailed to info@montclairnjusa.org

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