N.J. Admin. Code § 10:90-5.4

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 19, October 7, 2024

Section 10:90-5.4 - Transportation services

(a) The county or municipal agency, as appropriate, shall make all reasonable efforts to secure transportation services for WFNJ recipients who are working, looking for work, engaged in a work activity or taking WFNJ/TANF children to child care in conjunction with work or a work activity, only when all other avenues of assistance with this expense have been explored and it has been established that there are no other available sources of support.

1. Employed WFNJ recipients shall receive transportation services, as appropriate, until receipt of the first full paycheck. The county or municipal agency shall, upon request and with the approval of the DFD, continue the provision of transportation services beyond this point if, in the agency's estimation, based on factors such as, but not limited to, mode of transportation and frequency of travel, the income received from employment is insufficient to permit the recipient to fully pay his or her own reasonable costs of transportation.

2. The county or municipal agency, as appropriate, shall make transportation services available in one or more of the following ways:

i. Provision of public transit fare via tickets or passes for available public transit bus, light rail, or rail services to recipients in work or work activities. Fare shall be provided prospectively or retrospectively, at the discretion of the county/municipal agency, to best facilitate the recipient's use of public transportation.

(1) Where available, the WorkPass Program, enables the CWA to purchase and issue monthly bus, light rail, and rail passes/one-way tickets, as well as, provide transit information to WFNJ/TANF participants.

ii. An allowance of up to $ 6.00 per day shall be offered to recipients in work or a work activity as a way of subsidizing a recipient's transportation expenses. An amount in excess of $ 6.00 per day may be provided, subject to the approval of the DFD which shall consider, in addition to those factors referenced in 10:90-5.4(a)1, unforeseen expenses and multiple work activities, when arriving at its decision.

iii. Subject to written authorization from the DFD, county or municipal agencies shall partner with community transportation agencies to make all reasonable efforts to secure available transportation services through means other than those listed above, such as, but not limited to, transportation brokers, third party contracts to provide van pool service, feeder service or livery service, and so forth.

(b) Through the Extended WorkPass Program (EWP), the appropriate CWA shall make available post WFNJ/TANF transportation services to those eligible individuals whose cases have been terminated due to earned income or other circumstances within the last 24 months.

1. The individual must be employed at least 20 hours per week, at or above the minimum wage.

2. The individual must be deemed appropriate for transportation services, that is, be in need of a bus, light rail, or rail pass in order to continue employment.

3. The bus, light rail, or rail pass is provided to the client at no cost for up to six months subject to the availability of funds.

4. Cases that have closed within 24 months, if now employed, may apply for the EWP and, if eligible, receive up to six months of public transportation through the EWP during the remaining months of the 24-month post TANF benefit period.

N.J. Admin. Code § 10:90-5.4

Amended by R.1998 d.42, effective 1/20/1998.
See: 29 New Jersey Register 3971(b), 30 New Jersey Register 389(a).
In (a)1, added language regarding the continuance of transportation services; and in (a)2ii, added N.J.A.C. reference and language regarding unforeseen expenses.
Amended by R.2003 d.226, effective 6/16/2003.
See: 34 New Jersey Register 2713(a), 35 New Jersey Register 2670(a).
Rewrote the section.