• How About Carpooling?
• Use Mass Transit For Part Of Your Trip?
• Transportation Planning Services Can Help
• Consider A "Green" Vehicle

• Think About Biking
• Can You Take Your Bike On Mass Transit?
• Try Mass Transit - The Bus Or Train
• Take Advantage of Special Services For Seniors Or The Disabled
• Will Alternatives To Travel Work For You?
• How About Walking?

Transportation choices like ridesharing, public transit, and telecommuting not only make getting to work easier, but they have many other benefits too.

• More Time - Time to read, relax or do work.  When you aren't doing the driving, you change commuting time into YOUR time.  If you decide to bike or walk you save time by combining your exercise routine with commuting.
   

• More Balance - Those who rideshare and telecommute tend to find more balance between work and family responsibilities because they follow more regular schedules.
   

• More Money - A person who usually drives alone can cut their driving costs in half (or more) by choosing alternative transportation.  Savings on gasoline, car maintenance, tolls and even car insurance are significantly reduced when your share a ride or eliminate your commute all together.
   

• More Productive - There are enough things in life which cause stress.  Don't let your commute be one of them.  When you chose an alternative to driving alone you begin work more relaxed and ready for a productive day.
   

• More Environmentally Friendly - About one third (34%) of our air pollution comes from automobiles.  Commute options work to minimize pollution and preserve our open space.  The end result is a greener New Jersey for everyone!

We want to thank TransOptions, Meadowlink and NJ Transit for their information and support in providing this information to Passaic County residents.

Passaic County Office of Natural Resource Programs
1310 Route 23 North
Wayne, New Jersey   07470
Phone: 973-305-5738
Fax: 973-305-5737

In Cooperation with the 
Passaic County Board of Chosen Freeholders

Updated: 3/24/01

Whether you plan to drive, use mass transit, bike or walk to travel in Passaic County, there are a lot of options to choose from.  These alternatives may save you time, money, the stress of fighting traffic. Changing your commuting habits will also give you a chance to help improve our environment.

We can each help to improve our air quality and other polluting effects of standard single passenger vehicles.

Just think,  
if everyone left their automobile home one-day a week, traffic would be reduced by 10%!  

With this in mind, along with the fact that approximately 20 pounds of carbon dioxide is emitted for every gallon of gasoline that is burned, it's understandable that our air quality is being compromised and global warming is increasing.

The amount of global warming and the extent of its impact on whether we succeed in cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions is up to us.

By developing alternatives to our current transportation and energy systems, we can breathe cleaner air and limit the risks of global climate changes.

We can start to turn the tide on climate change.

Carpooling means two or more people sharing a ride to the same company or several companies located near each other. You can save money by sharing commuting costs and enjoy the companionship of a travel partner. Often an informal arrangement, car-poolers choose the times, days, and ways to travel together.

Carpooling Tips:

• Decide who will drive and when - try taking turns driving.

• Choose a convenient place to meet.

• Discuss personal matters ahead of time including smoking, eating, drinking and radio stations.

• Call your insurance company to be sure you will have coverage.

• See if your company has special carpool parking areas and other programs for commuters.

PARK AND RIDE LOTS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS:

• Clifton - The Allwood Rd. Park and Ride (2 lots) is located on Allwood Rd. and Garden State Parkway, off Exit 153. Served by NJ TRANSIT #191/192, 72 and Community Transit.
   

• Pompton Lakes - The Pompton Plaza Lot, located on Wanaque and Lakeside Avenues. Served by NJ TRANSIT #191, 193, 194 197 and P86.
   

• Ringwood - The Ringwood Commons Lot, located on Route 511 and Skyline Drive. Served by NJ TRANSIT #196 and 197.
   

• Wayne - The Willowbrook Lot, located on Wayne (Route 23 and Route 46). Served by NJ TRANSIT # 191 - 193, 194, 195 and 197.
   

• West Milford - The West Milford Lot is located on the Greenwood Lake Turnpike and Lincoln Ave. Served by NJ TRANSIT #196 and #197.

TransOptions Commuter Services, Inc.

TransOptions (formerly MCRIDES) is a non-profit organization that has been providing and promoting commute options since 1986.  Reduced traffic congestion, improved air-quality, and increased transportation options for New Jersey residents are our goals.

New Jersey's transportation issues are diverse.  There are not "one size fits all" solutions.  TransOptions knows this and strives to achieve its goals by working with individual commuters, area corporations, municipalities, and public transit providers like NJ TRANSIT and the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Service areas in Passaic County include:

• Bloomingdale

• Little Falls

• Pompton Lakes

• Ringwood

• Totowa

• Wanaque

• Wayne

• West Milford

• West Paterson.

TransOptions Services for Employers include:

• Mass Transit advise for on the best routes to work;

• Carpooling help to find carpool partners within or even outside of your company (TransOptions can also help you form a vanpool and offer financial incentives for those who ride);

• Connections for commuters to easily use mass transit options to get;

• Guaranteed Ride Home guarantees a ride home in case of illness or an emergency;

• Consulting Services for Telecommuting, Flextime, and Compressed Work Weeks and Parking;

• Shuttle Management help  to set-up and mange this type of service and On-site Assistance where employees can obtain information.

Additionally, their TRAF-FAX provides information on road closures, accidents, incidents, construction, and ozone updates are available via fax or e-mail.

 
TransOptions Commuter Services, Inc.
2 Ridgedale Ave., Suite 200
Cedar Knolls, NJ 07927

Phone: (973) 267 -7600
Fax: (973) 267-6209
e-mail: info@TransOptions.org
Web site: www.TransOptions.org

Meadowlink

Information on transportation options, financial incentives for transportation alternatives, special programs for corporations and transportation fairs are offered through Meadowlink. 

Their web site offers information on special traffic problem areas, weather advisories and transit information.  Commuters can use the Meadowlink Road Map area of their web site to find the best route for trips or take advantage of the Ride Match section to help with finding carpooling alternatives.

Meadowlink
201 Route 17 North
Rutherford, NJ 07070

Phone: (201)939-4242
Fax: (201)939-2630
e-mail: meadowlink@worldnet.att.net
Web site: www.meadowlink.org

THE NEW HYBRID CARS ARE BECOMING MORE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE.

What is a hybrid vehicle?

Dictionaries define "hybrid" as "a living thing produced from parents of different breeds." Then, what is a "hybrid vehicle"? A hybrid vehicle (HV) has a driving system in which two different power sources, e.g., a petrol engine and an electric motor, are combined to obtain conditions required to run the vehicle. There are different systems depending on power sources and their combinations. There are several types of  HV systems that have been developed up.

What is an electric car?

An electric car uses just batteries for power and can be a great option as a vehicle for those who make short trips and can set up an outside plug for recharging the car batteries at night.

New styles and brands of hybrid and electric cars are coming on the market every day. Some of the first were exhibited in 1993.   They are starting to be advertised widely in the media and there is information available through Consumer Reports or government agencies on their reliability and driving capacities.
 

If you bike for fun on weekends, why not consider biking to work? You can enjoy the wind in your face and the exercise that biking provides. Many companies now have bike parking areas, as well as shower and changing rooms.

Tips for Biking to Work:

• To make your biking commute successful, make sure to plan your trip in advance.

• Make sure your bike is in good working order and that you have a helmet.

• Wear comfortable clothing.

• Make sure you know the biking rules for the road.

• Plan your travel route in advance.

• Store your bike securely and in a protected area if possible.
   

Call NJ TRANSIT Customer Service - 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday - Friday at (800) 772-3606 for more information or access their web site at www.njtransit.com/bikeperm.htm 

NJ TRANSIT - Bike Aboard Program

NJ TRANSIT's Bike Aboard Program is designed to enable cyclists to bring their standard frame bicycles on-board trains during weekday off-peak hours and on weekends. This program is in effect on the North Jersey Coast, Raritan Valley, Main/Bergen County, Port Jervis, Morris & Essex, Atlantic City and Northeast Corridor lines (except between Princeton and Princeton Junction). Bicycles are not allowed on the Boonton and Pascack Valley lines and collapsible bicycles are permitted on all of NJ TRANSIT's rail lines at all times.

At this time cyclists, who must be at least 16 years old, are allowed to bring bicycles on trains between 9:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. and between 7:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., Monday through Friday and all day on all trains on Saturdays and Sundays.

Tie-downs are recommended and bicycles should be secured in accessible areas.  Up to two standard frame bicycles can be accommodated in accessible areas on-board trains.  Accessible cars are designated with an international symbol of accessibility, on the outside of the car.

Bike lockers or racks  are available at more and more train stations such as: Clifton which has 5 bike racks, Hawthorne has 4 racks and Passaic had 7 bike racks.
 

NJ TRANSIT BUS SERVICES

Call NJ TRANSIT Customer Service - 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday - Friday (800) 772-3606 for details on bus routes and time schedules or access their web site at www.njtransit.com/busched.htm 

OTHER BUS SERVICE CARRIERS

• Community Bus Lines, Inc. (973) 473-5000
   

• Lakeland Bus Lines, Inc. (201) 366-0600
   

• Lakeland Bus Lines offers 'Local Bus Service' on Routes #46 and #80 on most non-rush hour (off-peak) schedules. This will offer many new commuting possibilities for those that want to reach any destination from Sparta or Newton down to Wayne.

NJ TRANSIT TRAIN SERVICES

Call NJ TRANSIT Customer Service - 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday - Friday (800) 772-3606.  Try their website at www.njtransit.com/mainrail.htm

SPECIAL RATES

NJ TRANSIT provides special rates for senior citizens 62 years of age or older and people with disabilities just by showing a valid Medicare card or a Reduced Fare ID Card to the bus operator or train conductor and paying the appropriate fare. Senior citizens 62 to 64 years of age can ride for less during off-peak hours.

Apply for a Reduced Fare ID Card by contacting the NJ TRANSIT Reduced Fare Office or calling NJ TRANSIT Customer Service - 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday - Friday (800) 772-3606. Try their website at: www.njtransit.com/accesvcs.htm.

ACCESS LINK

NJ TRANSIT also provides ACCESS LINK , making transportation more accessible for the disabled. Currently, the NJ TRANSIT bus fleet is approximately 50% accessible.

For more detailed information about Access Link and to apply for the program call (800) 955-ADA1 (2321) or (800) 955-6765 for Text Telephone (TTY) calls.

PASSAIC COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL PARATRANSIT OPTIONS

County-based ParaTransit services for Senior Citizens and people with disabilities are available FREE of charge to all those that are eligible.  Call the following numbers for specific transportation information and service guidelines.

Passaic County ParaTransit

• Excluding Paterson, Clifton, and West Milford
  (973) 305-5758

Other ParaTransit Programs

• City of Paterson (973) 881-0058

• City of Clifton (973) 470-2235

• West Milford (973) 728-2863

• City of Passaic (973) 365-5754
   

Not all commuting involves making a trip. You can reduce the number of trips you make to work if your company offers non-traditional work arrangements such as Telecommuting, Compressed Work Weeks or Flextime.  Check with your company to see what is available.

Telecommuting

Telecommuting is catching on in many companies. It allows employees in certain types of jobs, to perform some of their assigned tasks at home. Employees can use computers, faxes, phones, and e-mail to communicate with their office. Many telecommuters work at home two or three days a week.

Compressed Work Week

Compressed work weeks allows employees to work fewer days, but still work full-time hours. This reduces commute trips and allows employees extra time for family, school, and errands without compromising productivity.

Employers can compress the days and hours that people work in many different ways. This can include:

• 4/40 - Working forty hours over four days. Employees are off one extra day a week.
   

• 8/80 - Working eighty hours over a two week period. Employees have one extra day off every two weeks.
   

• 3/36 - Working 36 hours over three days. Employees have two extra days off every week.

Flextime

Flextime allows employees to alter their hours in order to accommodate commuting schedules or personal commitments. The flextime schedules usually do not change every day but are fixed. This can include a permanent shift in work hours or may be part of a rotating schedule in which your hours change on a weekly, biweekly, or monthly basis.

Flexible work hours can often be the key to coordinating work schedules with carpools, vanpools, or transit. Even the ability to flex your start and end time by a half hour can help expand your commute choices.
 

Besides day-to-day errands, you may be close enough to walk to work.

Benefits of walking:

• Walking is the most natural exercise of the human body.

• Walking is an inexpensive exercise.

• Walking may help you live longer.

• A consistent walking program will decrease the chances of having a heart attack by 50% and the chances of dying from one by 66%.

• Walking increases circulation and improves cardiovascular efficiency.

• Walking helps to reduce blood pressure.

• Walking strengthens the composition of bones, slowing down the effects of osteoporosis which is especially important for women and older adults.

• Walking is a great way to lose weight. A brisk 45 minute walk can burn 300 calories. This can result in a loss of 18 lbs. in one year.

• Walking before meals can help regulate your appetite.

• Walking tones and increases the endurance of your muscles.

• Walking is a good way to relieve tension and psychological stress.

* Benefits of Walking as noted by the University of Iowa Student Health Service

Tips for Walking to Work:

• Get a pair of comfortable walking sneakers. These should not be the shoes you are going to where all day long.

• Plan your route in advance. Look for sidewalks, cross walks, lighting etc.

• Wear comfortable, bright-colored clothing. Adhesive reflective patches make walkers visible to motorists at night.

• Bring or keep a change of clothing, toiletries and other essentials to freshen up.

• Adhere to safety rules. Cross at crosswalks, look both ways, and if there is no sidewalk, walk facing traffic.