In June, the People for Bikes Foundation awarded EZ Ride a Better Bike Share mini-grant to conduct E-Scooter Safety Classes in Newark. Since then, the program has hosted 11 classes with 99 participants at Harriet Tubman Square, Lincoln Park, Military Park, the Newark Schools Stadium, near Barringer High School, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Riverfront Park, the Temple of Hip Hop, and Weequahic Park. The initiative aims to increase safety and equity across Newark by offering e-scooter safety training in 10 Equity Deployment Zones spanning the city’s five wards.

While focused on education, these classes are designed to allow participants to experience their first e-scooter ride in a safe environment. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, with participants taking group photos and encouraging their friends and family to join future sessions. Due to the program’s success, NJ TRANSIT will partner with EZ Ride to offer similar e-scooter classes in Linden next spring.

What the Classes Offer

Participants receive comprehensive instruction on e-scooter safety, covering essential topics such as proper use of safety gear, operating e-scooters, crossing intersections safely, signaling turns, maintenance, and performing safety maneuvers.

Each class includes practical instruction, hands-on practice, a free helmet and reflective safety vest, safety information, and discounted ride offers. The goal is to improve the safety of e-scooter riders and reduce crashes. Additionally, participants learn how to register and use micro-mobility apps, with alternative options provided for those without smartphone access.

While the program is geared toward adults due to vendor policies, youth are also encouraged to participate if they bring their own e-scooter.

Partners and Future Plans

EZ Ride extends its gratitude to People for Bikes and our partners, including: The City of Newark, Veoride Inc., Bird Rides Inc., Weequahic Park Association, Newark’s Office of Violence Prevention & Trauma Recovery, Eric Muñoz Trauma Center at University Hospital, New Jersey Institute of Technology and Newark City Parks.

For more information, please email [email protected] or call 201-939-4242 ext. 3.

 

In early September, Verona Township partnered with EZ Ride to apply for Electric Vehicle Adaption Leadership (EVAL) certification for both the Township Hall and Community Center. We are pleased to announce that both sites have achieved the highest level—Platinum EVAL certification—for their installation of accessible and affordable EV charging stations for township employees and residents. Achieving Platinum status is a significant accomplishment that reflects the Township’s commitment to carbon reduction and sustainability, supported by municipal and council leadership. The Township and its Green Team have actively worked to educate employees and residents about electric vehicles (EVs) and the benefits of clean transportation options. Their HR policies further promote green commuting, public transit use, and micromobility.

Charging Station Details:

The municipal station was installed in 2019, while the Community Center’s station followed in 2020. Both are conveniently located in downtown Verona, close to the Township Library, government services, local schools, shopping areas, restaurants, a gym, and within walking distance of the West Essex Trail.

Kevin O’Sullivan, P.E., Deputy Township Manager of Verona, stated: “The Township of Verona has been actively pursuing various sustainable initiatives in coordination with our Green Team. We are proud of our accomplishments, including the EV charging station initiatives. We look forward to showcasing our achievements through the certification process and leading the EV movement.”

To learn how your community can become EVAL-certified—a national USDOE recognition program—and access resources to foster an EV-friendly environment, please contact us at [email protected] or call 201-939-4242, ext. 6.

Pictured: Verona Councilman Jack McEvoy with his Ford Lightning at the Verona Community Center.

 

At EZ Ride, we strive to meet the changing needs of our partners and riders. One of our standout partnerships is with Clinilabs, a leading healthcare organization, where we provide transportation through our EZ Ryde4Life program.

Clinilabs relies on EZ Ryde4Life to ensure that their clients have access to safe, dependable rides to and from their appointments. With clients often traveling long distances, the average ride can cost over $130, with some reaching as high as $350. Each month, EZ Ride arranges over 100 rides for Clinilabs, primarily using our Flex-Ride feature.

What sets Flex-Rides apart? It offers the flexibility to schedule transportation outside of regular business hours, making it an essential service for clients who need rides on weekends or late into the evening. It also accommodates clients with changing schedules, allowing them to adjust their ride times without hassle.

The process is simple: after their appointment, clients receive a text message when they are ready to leave. Once they activate the message, a driver is dispatched to their location, providing a seamless and stress-free experience.

“Partnering with EZ Ride and using their EZ Ryde4Life program has been a game-changer for our clients. Reliable transportation is critical to ensuring they can access our facility, and EZ Ride’s flexible scheduling has allowed us to meet those needs, even outside of typical business hours. The convenience and efficiency they provide have made a real difference in the quality of service we can offer” said Amber Farwig, Manager, Patient Recruitment and Outreach at Clinilabs.

The EZ Ryde4Life program also offers detailed trip reports that enable organizations like Clinilabs to monitor and manage transportation usage.

At EZ Ride, we take pride in making sure transportation is never a barrier to care. Our collaboration with Clinilabs is just one example of how we’re delivering fast, flexible, and reliable rides across the state.

For more information on how EZ Ryde4Life can meet your transportation needs, call us at 201-939-4242 select option 9 then dial ext. 131.

 

Are you ready to transform your daily commute, reduce your carbon footprint, and contribute to a more connected community? EZ Ride has just released a comprehensive 54-page Mobility Guide for Bergen County, and it could change the way you think about getting around!

Why You Need This Guide?

Whether you’re a daily commuter seeking to optimize your daily travel, an older adult looking for accessible transportation options, a social worker or healthcare professional assisting clients with transportation needs, a business leader considering location decisions based on transportation access, or a visitor to Bergen County, this comprehensive guide is your key to unlocking a world of smart transportation choices.

What’s Inside?

NJ TRANSIT: Your Gateway to Effortless Travel

Accessibility Without Limits

Rediscover Your Neighborhood

The Future of Mobility

Join the Movement

By choosing smarter transportation options, you’re not just saving time and money – you’re actively reducing traffic congestion and lowering our communities carbon footprint.

Visit our website today to explore a complete range of guides and transit maps tailored to meet the unique needs of different county’s statewide. Start your journey toward smarter, greener and more efficient travel now!

 

Commissioner – Union County

Commissioner Rebecca L. Williams was elected to her first full three-year term in November 2019 and was re-elected to a second full term in 2022. In 2022, she also served her first term as Chair of the Union County Board of County Commissioners.

This year, Commissioner Williams will be serving as Chair of the Board’s Parks and Programming Committee, and as a member of the Fiscal and Public Works and Facilities Committees, respectively.

In addition, she will serve as liaison to the following advisory boards: Union County LGBTQ Ad Hoc Committee, Cornerstone Board of Managers, Motion Picture & TV Advisory Board, Union County Vocational-Technical School Board of Estimates, Green Brook Flood Control Commission, and Meadowlink/EZ Ride.

Known for an emphasis on constituent outreach, fiscal issues, support for arts and culture initiatives, and quality of life matters, Commissioner Williams advocates for county-local shared services that save tax dollars while improving efficiency. She has also been in the forefront of LGBTQ advocacy, working with the Union County Office of LGBTQ Affairs to address housing, senior services, education, health, public safety, community engagement, and other areas of concern.

Williams prides herself on her openness and accessibility to all constituents. She remains a grassroots public servant, reaching out and following up with constituents to ensure their concerns are resolved.

A frequent speaker on women’s and LGBTQ+ empowerment, Commissioner Williams has served on panels at The League of Municipalities, The Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers’s Eagleton Institute, The National Council of Negro Women, and Garden State Equality among many other organizations. Prior to her election to the Commissioner Board, Williams served two terms on the Plainfield City Council in support of a progressive agenda and economic development, contributing to Plainfield’s revitalization.

Commissioner Williams is a full-time faculty member of the Humanities Division at Essex County College in Newark, where she teaches American Literature, African American Literature, Effective Speech, English Composition, and Women’s Literature.

Superintendent – Garfield Public Schools

Dr. Richard Tomko has had numerous administrative responsibilities during his 23-year career in educational administration. He has been a building administrator at the middle and secondary levels and is responsible for district-wide curriculum, assessment, innovative program initiatives, technology, and professional development while in central office positions. Prior to his arrival in the Belleville N.J. Public Schools District, Dr. Tomko held the positions of Director of Athletics; Assistant Principal; Principal; Assistant Superintendent; and Superintendent of Schools in several public school districts in multiple counties. He also began to research the achievement gaps between learners and the transition of students from 8th to 9th grade, making changes to programs and personnel to help students be successful in their classes.

Since his appointment to Superintendent of Schools in the Belleville N.J. Public Schools District in 2015, the Board and administration have successfully authored and implemented an action plan to remediate fiscal concerns and eliminate a $4.2 Million deficit, ending that school year with a financially sound projection and budget that addressed the needs of all students.  A district-wide 1:1 Chromebook initiative soon after ensued while new elementary, middle, and high school textbook series and e-texts were also adopted.  A new administrative realignment for greater support and oversight was implemented, and Board policies were updated to enhance grade point average equity and district procedures. The current district curriculum team and high school administration have worked to create the Leadership Academy; Academy of Criminal Justice; and the Ralph Vellon Academy of Engineering and Medical Sciences while partnering with Clara Maas Medical Center to reflect Academy STEM standards and surpass the expectations of the science core.

In early 2018, Dr. Tomko spearheaded a campaign to promote and gained community support in passing a $48 Million construction referendum by a large margin. In working with the state, Dr. Tomko secured 50% funding for the taxpayers of the community through construction aid. A second project ($4 Million) to rebuild the athletic complex at Clearman Field was also designed and approved to help improve athletic facilities for all students and members of the township. Content curriculums are continuously updated to enhance academic rigor, advanced exit skills have been infused to challenge students at every school level, and a district-wide effort to ensure equity in access was started to ensure learners from diverse backgrounds and with different needs are receiving specialized programs tailored to the demands of every learner.

In 2019 just 4 short years under Dr. Tomko’s leadership in the district, the Belleville Public Schools District was recognized as a District of Distinction (DA) for its RISE and Shine program and a “High Performing District” by the New Jersey Department of Education for raising the percentages of the Quality Single Assurance Continuum (QSAC) by 53% in the Instruction and Program category and 54% in Fiscal Management.

Dr. Tomko continues to work with his Board in monthly committees to lead the district mission and ensure that the district’s vision, where all students can learn, is being supported by all aspects of the school district. In 2021, the district expanded its life skills program by adding two houses to assist special populations with programs necessary for transition beyond graduation. The district actively competed to receive approximately $10 Million in preschool expansion aid which, along with the creation of the Hornblower Early Childhood Center (HECC) on Ralph Street, has led to the preschool “universe” in the township reaching 90% where it was less than 10% before Dr. Tomko arrived in 2015.

The 2022-2023 school year will include the opening of the Belleville Middle School South Annex with parking structure and the new 25,000 sq. foot indoor training facility. Stakeholders will also recognize the superintendent and Board’s commitment to sustainable energy with the construction of solar and wind projects around the district campuses, the mobilization of electric school buses, and a teaching greenhouse that will host a horticultural center. Academically, the district continues to focus on the learning regression from COVID-19 with the expansion of the Summer Bridge Program and increased tutoring sessions for students at all grade levels. The school year will also see the start of the JR ROTC program; the high school Anatomage Laboratory; and the extension of learning opportunities to include the Law Enforcement, Fire Science, and Public Safety Academy and the Culinary Science Academy.

Dr. Tomko obtained his principal license and School Administrator certificate after earning his Master’s Degree in Educational Administration (M.A.E.), and he has attained the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) with a concentration in Educational Leadership, Management, and Policy from Seton Hall University. Dr. Tomko has also earned a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) from The Johns Hopkins University; and a Master of Jurisprudence (M.J.) Degree in Children’s Law and Policy from Loyola University of Chicago School of Law; a Certificate in Advanced Educational Leadership (CAEL) from Harvard University; a Graduate Certificate in Community and Economic Development from Pennsylvania State University; a Graduate Certificate in The Brain, Teaching, and Learning from The Johns Hopkins University; and an Executive Certificate in Transformational Non-Profit Leadership from the University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business.  He is presently enrolled in the Master of Science program in Applied Analytics (M.S.) at Columbia University. Dr. Tomko currently serves as an adjunct professor in the Educational Leadership/School Counseling graduate programs at Manhattan College, Montclair State University, and Centenary University. He was appointed by the Governor to serve as a Commissioner on the School Ethics Commission, sits as a member on the Sparta Environmental Commission, and has also served as a Trustee on the New Jersey Educational Services Commission (NJESC).

Dr. Tomko continues to research the “expectations gap” and lack of articulation between secondary schools and institutions of higher education with the hope of improving student readiness for post-secondary instruction.  Past formal research endeavors and publications have included student achievement gaps on statewide assessments; student safety; early childhood literacy; guidance and counseling influence on student application to post-secondary education; bullying; student perceptions of remedial English; and student readiness for college.  Dr. Tomko is a 2012 cohort graduate of the National SUPES Academy and participated in the Harvard Graduate School of Education Leadership Institute for Superintendents: Systematic Reform in School Districts and Schools.  Dr. Tomko is a change agent for creativity and problem-solving and works with his administrative teams to decrease achievement gaps between demographic subgroups of learners.  He has a proven record of effecting change in his current and past districts by involving families, stakeholders, and community groups in restoring student engagement leading to overall student success.

Dr. Tomko was named Essex County Superintendent of the Year in 2020 for exhibiting leadership in learning, communication, professionalism, and active community involvement with an understanding of regional, national, and international issues.  He has been honored with receiving the New Jersey State Governor’s Jefferson Award and recognized by the United States Department of Defense through his receipt of the Patriot Award in 2018 and the Above and Beyond Award in 2019.  Dr. Tomko is married, has four children, and dedicates his spare time to volunteering as a coach for local recreation sports teams and other non-profit organizations.

Principal Planner – NJDOT

William Riviere is a principal planner for the New Jersey Department of Transportation and the Safe Routes to School Coordinator for the NJDOT’s Bureau of Safety, Bicycle and Pedestrian Programs. As the lead administrator for NJDOT’s Local Technical Assistance Program for bicycle and pedestrian projects, Mr. Riviere provides guidance and expertise in creating streets as corridors for all modes of transportation for all ages and abilities.

 

As the New Jersey Safe Routes to School Coordinator, Mr. Riviere oversees the technical assistance program working closely with the Safe Routes Resource Center at Rutgers and all eight New Jersey Transportation Management Associations.

General Manager & Chief of Staff – Port Authority of NY & NJ

Terriann Moore-Abrams, Esq. is the General Manager of the Planning and Regional Development Department at The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.  Terriann manages and has oversight of the agency’s Transit Tech Lab portfolio.  She recently developed the policies and procedures for the agency’s Third-Party Use of PA/PATH facilities program, and successfully transferred program to the PA’s Branding Department.

Terriann previously served as an Assistant Director in the COO’s office, which oversees the agency’s five Line Departments.  There, she managed the business planning process for all lines of business (Aviation, Tunnels Bridges & Terminals, Port Authority Trans Hudson Commuter Rail, Port, and World Trade Center; and was responsible for developing operational and administrative policies.

 

Terriann holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and a Juris Doctorate.

 

Chief of Transportation – New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority

Dr. Nadereh (Nady) Moini currently is the chief of transportation at the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority (NJSEA). Prior to that, she was a research assistant professor in the College of Urban Planning and Public Affair (CUPPA) of University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) and senior transportation system engineer at Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) in Rutgers University, the State university of New Jersey.

She has diverse scholar and field experiences in planning, design, and assessment of transportation systems and application of the state-of-the-art technologies. She has been conducting and managing several transportation studies and projects in transit rail safety and security, pedestrian/cyclists safety and mobility, freight movements, ITS design and planning, port planning and management, traffic simulation, rail transit, highway and transit safety during the past ten years working at transportation centers in academia and more than five years working in industry. She has performed and directed projects in the development of models to mitigate truck congestion in the vicinity of marine container terminals and to reduce air pollution by utilizing mobile on-street parking guidance systems. Her experience includes the design and analytical modeling of transportation systems and transit services through mathematical/statistical analyses and data mining. She has complered many research projects in the area of image processing, macroscopic/microscopic/ mesoscopic simulation of traffic network, system operations and maintenance supports, and project management. She has more than 20 joumal publications and conferences proceeding. She is the Transportation Research Board (TRB) committee member of Automated Transit systems advocating and performing research in the automated transit.

Nadereh holds a Ph.D. degree in Civil & Environment Engineering from Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, M.S. in Civil Engineering from the City University of New York, New York, and B.S. in Computer Engineering (hardware) from Beheshti University, Tehran-Iran. She holds a Professional Engineer (PE) license.

Of Counsel – Genova Burns, LLC

Bill J. Heller, Esq., joins Genova Burns as Of Counsel after a years brief sabbatical following his tenure as the Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the New York Football Giants.

Bill brings with him a wealth of legal expertise cultivated over a distinguished career that spans both private practice and in-house counsel roles. In addition to his other areas of experience and concentration, Bill will transition into the role of a mediator, facilitating alternative dispute resolution for litigating parties. His commitment to efficient and effective resolution aligns with the firm’s dedication to providing strategic legal solutions.

As the former Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the New York Football Giants, Bill was responsible for and oversaw all legal affairs of the team. Bill’s contributions were pivotal in shaping the legal landscape for one of the NFL’s original and storied franchises. His responsibilities encompassed focus on sports law issues and on diverse areas ranging from licensing and sponsor agreements to labor and employment issues and privacy. His in-house tenure also extended to assisting in legal matters related to the operation of MetLife Stadium.

Prior to his impactful role with the Giants, Bill dedicated thirty-two years to private practice, where he specialized in substantial litigation and transactional engagements. His proficiency in negotiating and licensing intellectual property, including high technology agreements and privacy issues, distinguished him as a leading figure in these fields.

Bill’s litigation experience is marked by a focus on complex employment discrimination, commercial, technology, and intellectual property cases. Notable among his achievements are successful representations in trade secrets disputes and counseling for defense contractors, and software copyright infringement, and trademark infringement.

Throughout his career, Bill has garnered recognition as one of the leading lawyers in both New Jersey and the nation. His leadership extended beyond legal practice, holding high-level management positions within his previous law firms and contributing to the overall strategic direction of their businesses.

Bill’s commitment to social responsibility is evident through his extensive volunteer and charitable activities. He is the founding President of the Wyckoff (NJ) Education Foundation, has served on the Board of the former Gilda’s House, and consistently provides legal expertise to various organizations and individuals on a pro bono basis.

Admitted to the bar in 1978, Bill is a member of the New Jersey bar and various federal courts, including the United States Supreme Court. A graduate of Rutgers University with an A.B. degree in Economics, he earned High Distinction in Economics, Magna Cum Laude, and Phi Beta Kappa honors.

Bill’s legacy is not only marked by legal prowess but also by his commitment to excellence, leadership, and the principled pursuit of justice.

Specializations

Mediation & Alternative Dispute Resolution , Intellectual Property

Industry

Professional Services

Education

Bar Admission