Jitney Service Sets 2023 Return To Ocean City

OCEAN CITY, NJ — After a largely successful pilot program this year, Ocean City's jitney transportation service will return in 2023.

At the Thursday meeting, City Council voted unanimously to advertise for bids to find contractors interested in operating the service next summer.

Its pilot program in 2022 was "largely a success" and more than 12,000 people rode the jitneys in total, Director of Community Services Daniel Kelchner said in a letter in City Council's agenda packet.

For a $2 fee, riders could head either downtown or to the Boardwalk during the summer.

The majority of riders were tourists, young families, teenagers and seasonal boardwalk employees who used the jitney to commute, Kelchner said.

There were very few complaints overall and zero complaints from users, Kelchner said.

Kelchner said that he expects the program to increase in popularity and improve, and found it in the best interest to continue the program in 2022.

The total 2022 cost was $52,244, he said.

However, Kelchner expects a slight increase in cost for 2023, due to increased anticipated ridership and "various factors within the economy."