Cape May County Freeholders Gerald Thornton, E. Marie Hayes, and the Cape May County Freeholder Board have made Fare-Free Transportation services in Cape May County a priority.
Fare-Free provides an invaluable service, available at no charge to all eligible Cape May County seniors, disabled and low-income residents, as well as veterans. The program employs 30 vehicles, making more than 500 trips per day. Many residents rely on this important service to get to doctor appointments, stores, and other places.
The Fare-Free program provides transportation services county-wide and to neighboring counties; and veterans are offered transportation outside of the area.
“Our Fare-Free Transportation program offers two buses that drive to Camden and Philadelphia every Tuesday and Thursday, and to the VA hospital in Wilmington, Delaware every Tuesday. These additional routes ensure our veterans can obtain the care they need outside of the county,” said Freeholder E. Marie Hayes, who oversees Cape May County Fare-Free Transportation. She works directly with Director Dan Mulraney and his employees, whom E.Marie Hayes fondly refers to as “ambassadors of the county.”
Fare-Free Now Pilot Program
A new pilot program, Fare-Free Now, is an “Uber-like” service spearheaded by Gerald Thornton and E. Marie Hayes, that would allow residents to schedule same-day transportation through a free custom phone app.
The Fare-Free Now six-month pilot program is scheduled to launch in Ocean City in early 2020. Eligible residents will be able to download the free app from the App Store and begin scheduling same-day pick-ups simply by using the app on their phones. Ocean City was chosen as the ideal area to test the program, given the area’s population, geography and need for these services. If the pilot proves successful, Fare-Free Now could be available county-wide by the middle of next year.
“We are always looking for ways to improve services. The new Fare-Free Now program would be life-changing for the many residents of our county who depend on Fare-Free Transportation for their transportation needs,” Freeholder Gerald Thornton said.
Updating Fare-Free Facilities
Cape May County has received a $1.2 million-dollar Federal Transportation Authority (FTA) grant to construct new Fare-Free office buildings that will improve and consolidate operations into one larger location. The county will be providing a $1.5 million-dollar match to the FTA grant.
New buildings for Public Works and Environmental Health, which are currently housed in aging World War II-era structures along with Fare-Free Transportation, will be constructed, along with a new salt barn and brining station, in partnership with the Atlantic County Improvement Authority (ACIA). The project will also relocate the current DMV Drivers Testing Area to this new Cape May County Airport Government Services area. This multi-phase, multi-year project has a projected completion date of 2024.
Under the watchful eyes of Freeholders Gerald Thornton and E. Marie Hayes, Fare-Free Transportation will continue to provide a vital service to the citizens of Cape May County for many years to come.
Vote for Freeholders Gerald Thornton and E. Marie Hayes Nov. 5, for proven leadership.
Ordered and Paid for by Thornton and Hayes for Freeholder, 15 Caroline Lane, Ocean City, NJ 08226.
Avalon – Maybe deport them instead of destroying what was once a great city! This is ridiculous. New York City launched a pilot program to help migrants transition out of city shelters by providing them with…
