Like many of you, I’m shocked to learn this morning that DeCamp is cancelling commuter service to New York City effective April 7th. Although ridership has not returned to pre-pandemic levels, I know that many of you still rely on these lines in some way, to simply get to work. Like many of you, Ben and I chose our home in Montclair based on our transit options (at the time I worked in NYC). So we understand what this means for your routines and lives.
While this issue has an acute and harmful impact on Montclair, it is also bigger than Montclair. Therefore I’m in the process of reaching out to our State and Federal officials to ask for a whole of government approach. This includes U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Senators Booker and Menendez; Congress Members Sherrill and Payne; Governor Murphy; State Senator Nia Gill, State Assembly Members Timberlake and Giblin and prospective future reps of Montclair (currently serving): State Senator Richard Codey and Assembly Member John McKeon.
While many of us have settled into different routines, I do not believe the philosophical debate on ways of working and ways of commuting for those of us in major metropolitan regions is settled. We don’t know what is going to happen with congestion pricing in NYC and many employers in NYC continue to adapt in-office requirements for workers. I believe these broader ways of living and working in the NYC region need time to settle before entire options are taken away from us. Therefore I am asking, on behalf of all of you, that our higher level officials step up and procure the resources necessary to help keep DeCamp afloat for more time.
I will include updates on this issue in my regular newsletter and on my social media channels (links below). I expect and assume the media will also keep us all abreast of developments.
Just know that I’m going to do everything I can to carry your voice on this.
-Peter
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