Senator Bucco urges bipartisan solutions as Gov. Murphy considers call for NJ Transit audit

NEW JERSEY – In light of Governor Murphy considering Republican calls to conduct an updated audit of NJ Transit, Senate Republican Leader Anthony M. Bucco (R-25) is calling for the formation of a bipartisan coalition to set politics aside and address NJ Transit’s ongoing structural and operational issues.

“It’s encouraging to see a growing coalition of Democrats joining Republican legislators’ calls to conduct hearings and address NJ Transit’s constant failures,” said Bucco. “Recognizing the urgency of the situation is a good first step, but New Jerseyans desire action. It’s time we set our politics aside and work together to deliver the reliable transit system our constituents deserve.”

According to Bucco, Senate Republicans have sought to address NJ Transit’s issues:

• In March, Senator Bucco and Senator Tiver called for an updated audit to fully understand NJ Transit’s structural and operational challenges.
• In July, Republican legislators from District 13 and District 40 called for special legislative hearings to address the NJ Transit issues.
• Senator Michael Testa recently reiterated the need for accountability by calling for new leadership at the troubled public transportation agency.
• Even dating back to 2019, Senate Republicans have called for, and served on committee hearings related to service issues at NJ Transit.

According to Bucco, Democrats are finally talking about taking action to hold NJ Transit accountable for their unacceptable service. Most recently:

• On an episode of Power and Politics, Governor Murphy acknowledged the ongoing issues with NJ Transit and said that his administration was working with a group called “North Highland” to conduct an audit of NJ Transit. “You mentioned Senator Tony Bucco asking for an audit and I said I’m open, but we’re all over it,” said Governor Murphy. “My colleague reminded me actually we instilled – I started an audit a few weeks ago with a group called North Highland, which does transportation stuff only. They’re really good and they’re helping us find our way through this.”
• Other Democrats in Trenton have also echoed Republican calls for hearings into NJ Transit’s performance in recent weeks.

“Our constituents didn’t elect us to sit around and play political theater, they elected us to work together and solve problems for the Garden State,” Bucco said.