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Assembly committee advances bill requiring paratransit drivers to announce stops
Summary
The Assembly Transportation Committee advanced A2132, which requires paratransit operators to announce stops (verbally or via an accessible format) for riders with disabilities. Advocates said the measure would prevent riders from being left at wrong locations and improve safety and dignity.
The Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee on May 7 advanced legislation (A2132) that would require paratransit vehicle operators to announce stops for passengers and expand the requirement beyond New Jersey Transit’s Access Link to all state paratransit services that operate on non‑fixed routes. The committee amended the bill and released it for further consideration.
Supporters told the committee the change is straightforward but essential. "For many Access Link riders, particularly those who are blind or have low vision, clear stop announcements are not a convenience — they are a matter of safety, independence, and dignity," said Luke Hoppish, deputy director of the Alliance Center for Independence. Hoppish said riders have missed medical appointments and shifts, and in some cases were dropped off in unfamiliar or unsafe locations because drivers did not announce stops consistently.
Alba Mila, who identified herself as a blind mother and Access Link user, described being left at the wrong location and said that unpredictability left her "feeling fear" and vulnerable. "No one should be left guessing, and no one should be left unsafe," she said, urging the committee to advance the bill.
Jacob Kaplan, director of advocacy and government affairs at Access New Jersey, voiced support but urged safeguards for rider privacy, asking that announcements avoid broadcasting home addresses where doing so could compromise privacy when multiple riders are present.
Sponsor Assemblywoman Linda Carter framed the bill as part of a broader package to improve transportation access for people with disabilities and seniors. She said the amendment expanding coverage beyond Access Link will promote consistency across providers and help people travel "safely and confidently, regardless of which paratransit provider they use." The committee voted to amend and release the bill for further legislative action.
A2132 now moves to the next stage in the legislative process; the committee’s action does not itself change law. The record shows the committee amended the bill to broaden its scope and then released it for further consideration.
