The Route 54/40 free shuttle from Richland to Hammonton has been a welcomed sight. It is a service that is not funded by local taxes! Federal transportation funds awarded to Atlantic County partially fund it; but substantial funds from the Pascale Sykes Foundation makes this pilot initiative possible.
Kudos to the Pascale Sykes Foundation which funds programs that strengthen families. Over the past four years it has purposely focused resources in four counties in southern New Jersey — Atlantic, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem. Data on child/family well-being in these counties have significantly low ratings as compared to the other NJ Counties:
The Foundation hosted countywide public meetings to gain input on services needed for strengthening families. All four counties identified transportation as a major need. In partnership with other agencies and resources, the foundation funds transportation initiatives in each of these four rural counties. The Route 54/40 Shuttle here fills the transportation gaps by transporting residents on its route to bus and train boarding locations. This opens opportunities for employment in areas previously unavailable and access to other previously unreachable resources.
Atlantic has two shuttle initiatives. One is in Egg Harbor Township. The other is the Route 54/40 Shuttle which starts near the Hammonton train station, goes through a portion of Folsom, Collings Lakes, Newtonville, Buena, Landisville, Minotola and Richland. The Shuttle’s main task is to transport residents to the NJ Transit bus stops and the train depot, with routing timed to coordinate with their schedules.
According to the data of South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA), the Shuttle has transported 2,723 persons since its January startup. Of the 18 stops on the Shuttle’s circuit, Richland has the 3rd highest on/off ridership number with 338 on and 273 getting off. The MLK Center’s ridership numbers are 745 on / 260 off, and the Hammonton train station’s data is 533 on / 620 off.
In addition to the Daily Journal’s coverage of the Shuttle’s beginning ceremonies in its January 6th edition, the town councils of each of these Western Atlantic municipalities, our school superintendent’s office, some local businesses, and a group of community residents labored at informing the residents of this available free service—sometimes door-to-door!
This information is only a brief note on the Shuttle and only shadows the 4 years of work by the Foundation, Atlantic County, SJTA, the Cross County Connections Agency, and a group of community residents. The ridership volume may seem impressive for our rural area but understandably, it is less than areas with more concentrated populations. This may mean that the Shuttle service could terminate at year’s end if ridership does not meet expectations of the federal grant. If those funds continue those of the Foundation will also. Those of us who have worked with the Foundation find it to be an example of lifting humanity to that heightened level intimated in the words of the hymn, “Brighten the corner where you are!”
by Rev. David Mallory, 1st Baptist Church of Richland
(Further information can be obtained by calling the Foundation’s local office at (856) 213-5058, and Shuttle schedules are at the Buena Vista Township Hall).