October 2026,

In 2014, Montclair in partnership with private foundations launched an “Aging in Place” program with the goal of transforming Montclair from a good place to live into a great place to grow older. One of their major accomplishments was the launch of a shuttle service in February 2017 to provide rides for seniors and people with disabilities.

The shuttle program was popular and annual ridership increased over the years from 4,300 in 2017-2018 to 7,895 in 2018-2019 before dropping down to 6,351 in 2019-2020 due to COVID-19. Unfortunately, growing concerns about social distancing brought the shuttle program to a grinding halt.

The township decided to replace the shuttle with rides provided by Uber and Lyft. In December 2021, the EZ Ryde4Life program that provides rides using Uber and Lyft was launched as a stop-gap program.

Rider participation in the new program has grown exponentially from 300 riders in 2020 to more than 1,200 riders in June 2026. What began as an emergency response to COVID has evolved into a core transportation program in Montclair providing more than 44,000 trips annually compared to the peak ridership of 19,300 trips provided by the shuttle program and at a slightly lower cost per ride.

The growth in the popularity of the program highlighted a number of advantages that residents appreciated:

• Reservations not needed: Shuttles required 24-hour advance notification to plan the pick-ups and the route. Uber and Lyft eliminated the need to plan for doing so.
• Personal rides: Unlike the shuttle service that was designed to transport multiple riders requiring riders to share the service resulting in additional travel time and restricted routes, Uber & Lyft provided personal rides and shorter travel times.
• Lower Cost: The cost per passenger trip was marginally lower and dropped from $17.61 to less than $16.35.

Township-approved participants receive 20 free rides per month within Montclair. Service operates Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturdays, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Riders simply call EZ Ride when they need transportation. Trips to medical appointments outside Montclair require Township approval and must be within Essex County or the City of Clifton.

“Our partnership with Essex County and EZ Ride has made a meaningful difference in our residents’ lives. Residents who once struggled to leave home now have a reliable way to reach medical appointments, participate in community activities, and stay connected. This service gives them greater independence and improves their quality of life. The continued growth in participation and ridership demonstrates the value of this investment in our community.” – said Judy Hurley, Director of Senior Services in Montclair.

Montclair’s experience demonstrates the benefits of leveraging all available transportation services including Lyft and Uber and making them an important component of the transportation network in the community. Interested in bringing EZ Ryde4Life to your community? Contact Kinga Skora at (201) 939-4242, extension 131 or email [email protected] to learn more.