County Committed To Ocean Ride Despite Falling Grant Funding

Toms River, NJ -- While state grant funding for the county's Ocean Ride program continues to fall, Ocean County officials say they are committed to keeping the bus routes in place to serve seniors and the disabled, its primary ridership.

Ocean Ride, the public transportation system that provides ridership services in particular to the elderly and the disabled, receives funding from NJ Transit under the Senior Citizen and Disabled Resident Transportation Assistance Program, derived from casino revenues. NJ Transit notified Ocean County the anticipated grant amount for Ocean Ride for fiscal year 2017 is $1,307,858, a decrease of $97,103.

“The grant represents a major resource in terms of the county’s overall transportation budget, accounting for 33 percent of the annual budget,” said David L. Fitzgerald, director of the county's transportation department. The county’s contribution for Ocean Ride is roughly $2.9 million, more than 53 percent of Ocean Ride’s total budget.

To cope with the cut in the grant funding, the county has shifted part of the cost of employee health benefits, Fitzgerald said, taking on 24 percent of the costs.

"By charging the state less than full freight for the cost of the health benefits, it frees up money for other items such as bus repair and maintenance," Fitzgerald said by phone on Monday. The amount freed up by the shift is about $200,000, he said.

The county employs 70 drivers in the Ocean Ride system, he said; of those, 18 drivers are paid through the grant funding.

"None of our drivers are losing any benefits," Fitzgerald said. "The county is picking up the 24 percent."

Fitzgerald said casino funds used to support Ocean Ride peaked in 2008. At its height, Ocean County received $2.8 million in grant funding.

The most recent decrease has led the county review all aspects of the service, said Freeholder Virginia E. Haines, the liaison to the transportation department.

“The Ocean Ride staff has developed smart strategies to keep this transportation system functioning so it continues to be beneficial to our residents.”

The review resulted in reducing the employee fringe benefit rate to 40 percent, a 24 percent reduction.

“This rate reduction ... will allow the transportation department to cover all 2017 projected existing personnel and services," Haines said.

Grant funds cover a portion of the operational expenses, repairs and maintenance, minigrant program, reserve a ride program, fixed bus service, veterans’ transportation and other services of Ocean Ride.

In an effort to maximize its funding, Ocean County has made important upgrades to its transportation software system, including new on-board tablets in the vehicles making it more efficient for drivers and more helpful for its ridership. In addition the department continues to monitor all service levels for efficiencies.

“Let me assure you that we are committed to maintaining a high quality transportation system and we will continue to seek creative ways to sustain it, while holding down costs and managing the anticipated future reductions in the Casino grant,” Haines said.

Linwood McWilliams of Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey said the services provided were appreciated by the Caregiver Organizations.

“It’s nice to have a service we can rely on for our seniors,” he said.

Don Lippincott Jr., of Community Services Inc., the county’s nutrition program provider called Ocean Ride “an absolute lifesaver.”

“The seniors who are homebound depend on you for doctor’s visits and the opportunity to just get out of the house for a little while,” he said. “You’re doing a great job."

In 2015, Ocean Ride provided 313,167 trips.

“It’s important we work to minimize the negative effects reduced casino funding has on Ocean County’s transportation system,” Haines said. “Our Ocean Ride staff works to make certain we are providing the best service possible within the current constraints of a shrinking budget.”

Need information on Ocean Ride? Click here for the Rider's Guide.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this article said the county was reducing employee benefits by 24 percent. It has been clarified to reflect the benefits are remaining intact; the county is simply absorbing more of the cost, per David Fitzgerald.