Announcer: Funding for "NJ Biz Beat with Raven Santana" provided by NJMEP, a partner to New Jersey's manufacturing industry, focused on productivity, performance, and strategic development.

More on NJMEP.org.

♪ This is "New Jersey business beat with raven Santana."

Raven: Hello, I'm raven Santana.

Thanks for joining me.

New Jersey is working to modernize its transportation infrastructure both on the road and rails.

You can't talk transportation in New Jersey without talking about New Jersey transit.

One of the largers rail and bus systems in the country.

It serves 133 million riders each year and serves them through 11 commuter rail lines, three light rail lines and more than 250 bus routes.

Rider safety is key and we just learned they're investing in real security through artificial intelligence.

The agency with work will work with Rutgers to develop A.I.

powered systems to help reduce accidents at crossings.

I-sat down with Laura goal.

Grade at New Jersey transit to learn more about new project.

Laura, A.I.

technology is driving innovation and revolutionizing so many industries.

Tell us about how this $1.6 million grant from the U.S. department of transportation and why you decided to use A.I.

to improve safety systems along the Hudson-Bergen light remain rail.

Laura: Sure.

The goal is to enhance the safety system and the main reason that we decided to do through an A.I.

powered system is because A.I.

can use and read a lot of data at the same time and keep learning and improving at each currency and it can understand and correlate, underline conditions that maybe a human being would not be able to or it would take a longer time so using A.I.

we can be more efficient, more resourceful and we can have results quicker so basic live what this program is about is learning from initially on the first stage is from five red crossings on the light rail and then one car and then it's going to learn the behaviors and safety events and how can we proactively change maybe something on the infrastructure or something on the operation or even some educational measurement to prevent any safety event and then we can enhance safety for our system but this project also aims to bring knowledge, not for only New Jersey transit but it could be applied for other railings, light rails nationwide.

Raven: How did the partnership with Rutgers come about for this project?

Laura: New Jersey transit and Rutgers have several projects going on from different areas.

Rutgers already has worked with this technology and they already have done some similar projects but with a different focus and brought some good Russell results in terms of using A.I.

technology for New Jersey transit systems.

With that we're exploring and expanding other goals for this project with Rutgers.

They're prepared to help us with the perp tease, their following and also the professors and research students there.

Raven: Awesome.

Explain the role of Rutgers in this project and project different stages.

You were awarded the grant just a few weeks ago.

Have you started working on this project yet?

Asim: Rutgers is able to five bright folks and students and graduate students and propose who have the expertise in commuter science, artificial intelligence and are able to bring that knowledge to New Jersey transit and others throughout the United States.

We're going to be dealing with experts to help develop and deploy the technology.

As of right now, the project hasn't begun.

Still in the process of getting awarded, all the finances getting laid out.

Raven: How many people work on something like this?

Asim: That's a good question.

We have several price with expertise in railroad and computer science.

We also have a number of graduate students who have expertise in computer science, artificial intelligence, I think from already about 10 of those and we have a athlete of undergraduate students who work in our lab part time to help us do things along the lines of Data development, system deployment and a slew of other things.

Plus, they get composed request working with New Jersey transit and also exposed to artificial intelligence.

Raven: Laura, could this technology be expanded beyond light Hudson-Bergen light rail?

Laura: Definitely.

And not only the technology but the findings of the technology.

Right now we're focusing on light rail but nothing to stop us from applying to other things, maybe even bus.

So we're hoping this has a successful output so we can definitely expand this technology for other modes too.

Raven: Why do you want people to know why this should be expanded.

Asim: Artificial intelligence could enable us to be magnitudes safer and more efficient in a number of ways.

From a Rutgers perspective, we want to ensure that not only the technology gets developed but that piano emhave competent tease in how to use this technology.

So we're making sure the students that work with us on this have the skills and also we can also raise New Jersey transit's experience to help make us mag any Tuesday safer and more efficient.

Raven: It's a win-win for everyone.

Thank you so much for joining me.

Funding for New Jersey transit and closing its budget gap has been a tall task for Vargas after Vargas.

Governor Murphy famous famously has said he'll fix it even if it kills him.

To do that he'll propose a 2.5% tax on the largest companies.

But that won't be enough so a fare hike has been announced all to close a growing budget gap.

I sat down with Jackie co-Juan from the tri-state transportation campaign.

Jackie,tary-state transportation campaign and others tried unsuccessfully to stop or at least postpone New Jersey trance it from raising it fares.

Why do you want to wait until after budget negotiations and the are you structuring process is completed?

Jackie: we felt that this was putting the cart before the horse and essentially New Jersey transit would be putting a burden onto riders that potentially didn't need to be.

We know that governor Murphy has proposed a corporate transportation knee that would raise about $800 million.

So we felt there was no reason to put such a huge fare hike on the backs of riders without knowing if that tax would even go through yet so we felt that this fare hike was definitely too early and that we should wait until the budget was finalized to see how much more riders should be paying, if anything.

Raven: They say even after making $96 million in internal cuts, it had no choice but to increase fares.

New Jersey transit says this will also prevent service cuts.

How do you think this could have been avoided?

Jackie: This has been raised to us, one, that New Jersey transit could either raise fares or two, they would have to cut service.

But there is a third option, raising new revenue in the form of the corporate business fee -- in the form of the corporate transportation fee, really, that would put money back into New Jersey France it and keep fares low.

New Jersey trance it hasn't been funded appropriately.

Most transit agencies across the country fund through dedicated taxes.

New Jersey does not do that with its statewide transportation system so we thought this was afternoon unfair comparison and that New Jersey had the opportunity to raise funds through this new fee.

In order to keep fares low.

Raven: We know ridership is still below pre--pandemic levels and we know many commuterrers don't have a choice but how do you think the hike will impact ridership?

Jack jadi: it will definitely impact ridership negatively.

We know that there are riders already struggling to pay the fare that no longer will be able to.

There are riders that depend on transit every day.

They don't want a car because that's what they use to get to work, to get to school and that's who this is punishing the most, those riders already struggling to ride and get by and live affordably in Mc.

Raven: Critics say the fare hip could lead to more people driving.

What about the environmental impacts of the fair hike?

>> They're huge.

We know that keeping fares low keep riders on transit and that riders on transit keep cars off the road.

We don't Knowshon Moreno yet what the impact will be but we do know this 15% fare hike will hurt low-until families the most.

It hurts seniors and students and people that are just working and already struggling to keep paying the fare each day.

These are going to be the people that are harmed the most and in hi additional environmental impact is going to not help New Jersey reach itself own climate goals.

We need to do everything we can to keep emissions down and that includes funding mass transit and transportation.

We know that mass transit is one of the leading contributors to climate change across the country, in large part to cars on the road.

Raven: Let's talk about funding for New Jersey trance it.

Governor Murphy says a fee is only a temporary measure.

Whatted you like to see the governor and the state legislature do?

>> We want to see the governor treat New Jersey and public transit as a whole like a public good, like the fire department or schools.

We need to treat transit like the public good that it is.

Because it gets people where they need to go, reduces emissions and helps New Jersey's economy.

States across the country have dedicated that taxes that fund their transit systems.

It's because transit is the lifeblood of many communities.

It's what connects people to communities, jocks, school, to better opportunities so New Jersey needs to treat New Jersey transit like the public good that it is.

Raven: What's going to happen if we don't properly fund New Jersey transit?

>> New Jersey transit is facing an almost $1 billion deficit next week year.

What's at stake is the health and live Li hood of the entire transit system in New Jersey.

New Jersey has had to take from itself capital plan to pay for its operating budget.

Which means it can't pay to modernize the system, improve service, making the rider experience that much better.

So if New Jersey doesn't all the the money forward to invest, it's going to hurt our economy, our environment and the lives of riders every day.

Raven: Another mainly component of New Jersey's transportation future is our adoption of electric vehicles.

The Murphy administration has a goal of putting 330,000 E.V.

's on garden State roads by the end of next year.

We're closing in on that goal.

Ending 2023 with a record 154,000 E.V.

registrations.

But a new poll shows residents aren't fully only board with the switch.

Half of those polled say they strongly oppose the effort V. mandate and more than half say they're not likely or very likely to buy an effort V. 29% say it's the cost.

12% worry about charging the cars and 10% stay knowledge doesn't have the infrastructure in place and now the governor is proposing an upfront fee for buying an effort V. I sat down with our guest about why his group is worried about a lack of incentive to buy E. Vermont's.

The state legislature recently passed a gas fee hike and fee on the E.V.'s.

Let's talk about that impact on car dealerships and consumers?

Jim: Congratulations, New Jersey.

You now have the largest up-front cost to get into an effort V. anywhere in the country and this increase has highlighted the fact that our fiscal policies here in the state are on a collision course with our environmental goals.

We've set the goal of having New Jersey be a E.V.

adopter and to rapidly increase E.V.

seats and we've even gone to the extent of state incentives that would put cash on the hood for people to buy them but now the legislature is taking back some of those incentives and is the governors -- governor's fy25 budget plans, plans on getting rid of the New Jersey sales tax exemption on E.V.'s.

I sit here scratching my head trying to figure out how to reconcile the state's environmental and economic policies at this point.

Reign: The exemption for buying vehicles is being phased out.

What will that do for E.V.

sales in the state?

Jim: It won't help.

For 100+ years car dealers and makers have understood that cash on the hood incentives is the way to motivate consumers to buy new cars.

That 6.25% sales tax exemption that E.V.

pumpsers have enjoyed for the last several years has been one of the major cash on the hood incentives that keelers have had to work with to persuade consumers that effort V. was a good choice.

Raven: A new Rutgers-eagleton poll showed that half of those they surveyed won't buy an effort V. car.

Is that surprising?

Jim: Not really.

We speak to thousands of customers every week about their choices and what they aspire to as a new vehicle and I can say this -- most consumers who show up at a dealership, or many who do are very interested in the E.V.

but when they look at the price of the electric vehicle, which is typically $8,000 to -- 13,000 more than a comparable internal con Boog vehicle and start thinking about their lifestyle and needs, they very often drive away from the dealership of a plug-in hybrid.

The segment of sales that's really growing is is the plug-in hybrid sales.

This is not a big surprise to us.

Consumers look around from price to range anxiety.

They're not quite ready for E.V.

's and let Mel be clear, the auto retailers that we represent here in the state of New Jersey offer 40 models with a plug today.

They want to accept what consumers want too buy but I think it's pretty clear that without massive state incentives and those incentives are going away now rather than being improved.

Without massive state insentives and without a significant investment by site hosts and public utilities in publicly available infrastructure to charge and refuel these vehicles, we're kind of stalled in the slow lane right now on E.V.

adoption.

Raven: the polls showed another huge concern -- people are anxious about the lack of infrastructure.

What's your thoughts on that?

Jim: Many consumers would find that buying an effort V. today is a great choice for them.

If you drive less than 100, 150 miles a day and you can charge at home, it's a great choice for those consumers.

But if you live in an inner city or public facility, a plug-in hybrid is a better choice for most consumers and the governor's embrace of the California air resource's plan rather than the Biden plan deny the governor's embrace of the California plan has meant that for most manufacturers are, shipping plug-in hybrids into the state is not going to be a choice.

They're not going to be available in the numbers consumers might be willing to adopt.

Raven: Thank you for joining me.

Despite strong opposition to adopting E.V.

's, the state is moving forward.

Congressman recently adopted $800,000 in federal funds to build recharging stations throughout the state county.

The money comes from a grant of U.S. housing urban development.

It will also be used to update existing charging stations in the currently.

The top business headlines of the week.

The New Jersey assembly approves a bill to help school districts find cuts and more funding to close budget gaps.

It would allow districts facing cuts to raise property taxes over the ones set in 2010.

More work needs to be done to attar the school funding formula.

Democrats say without in bill many face severe confuse of cuts but Republicans say this bill doesn't address a larger issue, for districts.

>> Each one of our school districts know the fact that they don't want to raise taxes.

They just want to be able to educate our children and we're here today to be able to support our educators so that our children, our seventh-graders up there, continue to be able to flourish.

>> The proposed short-term solution, referred to as a Band-Aid in both cases results in drastically higher property taxes.

We are not addressing or correcting the root problem.

>> How can the state department of education release a list that cults school funding like the ways that assemblyman lampen talks about.

How supposed to just send it to the property taxpayers?

Raven: Immigrants contribute millions to the state's economy and those contributions grow the longer they live in our state.

New Jersey is home to more than two million immigrants.

New Jersey earns close to $20 million in state and local tax revenue for every 1,000 immigrants and after five years, that increases to nearly $3 million in tax revenue.

They say work needs to be done for immigrants so they can contribute even more to the economy.

A regionalization plan that called for the seaside heights district to be absorbed by the Thomas river school district, which would in turn close the only school after five years.

The measure was overwhelming voted on but seaside heights owners rejected the plan and that was all that was need today defeat the proposal.

Toms river officials a merger would have extra funding from the district and the state.

New Jersey will get a piece of the pie when New York City implements its controversial congestion pricing plan.

The M.T.A.

announced its latest proposal includes an allocation of funds for New Jersey to offsid potential pollution.

New Jersey has argued for months both in and out of courts that congestion priesting unfair liquor harms New Jersey and its drivers without the state benefiting from the Atlanta at all.

The governor and others have arced this will increase traffic in New Jersey and lead to negative environmental impacts.

The charge would charge drivers $15 to go into New York City, starts in Juran.

A deal that focuses on the riverside industrial park superfund site is an plot on the river thatch home to all sorts of chemical manufacturing throughout the 20th energy.

The new requirement requires P.P.G.

energy, the company responsible to spend nearly $50 million cleaning up the assignment.

A mime stone for New Jersey's cannabis market.

This week one New Jersey company became the first to develop a legal cannabis-infused brownie and put it on store shelves.

The feet butter and Jelly flavored brownies were made by butta cake, a black business owned in New Jersey.

If owner started selling peach flavored oral strips last year but quickly movedded to baked goods.

They're hoping to take their brownies into national destruction.

>> For some reason they never allowed Edables, specifically not brownies.

This is a big feat.

We've been going back and forth and pleading our case and for our brownie to be the first to launch in Mcis an incredible accomplishment.

Two girls from New Jersey and with the help of our colleagues, we got all of these brownies packaged up and sent to the stores.

Raven: remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel for new episodes and clips.

I'm raven Santana.

Next week we take a closer look at New Jersey's construction industry, including how women and people of color are making their mark in the industry.

Thanks for watching and we'll see you next weekend.

Announcer: Funding for "NJ Biz Beat with Raven Santana" provided by NJMEP, a partner to New Jersey's manufacturing industry, focused on productivity, performance, and strategic development.

More on NJMEP.org.

♪