(Updated on March 5th, 2020)
Top 10 Apps for Jersey City Living
Jersey City is one of the fastest-growing areas in New Jersey and is the most culturally diverse city in the U.S. as of 2019. With that said, many people are moving to Jersey City and need help navigating and finding their way around. After living here for a few months I’ve found a few apps for your phone that help with navigation, transportation, parking, and finding things to do in the area. So to save you some time, here are the best Apps for getting around and living in Jersey City.
Getting Around Jersey City
This handy app should be downloaded to anyones phone who is living in the Jersey Area who commutes to New York City. This app was recommended to me by a friend who has lived in Jersey City for three years, and she swears up and down by this app, and after using it myself, I can see why. Citymapper is a localized version of GoogleMaps but without the constant readjusting and recalculating due to lost signal in a crowded area. What makes this app so different and superior in this area is that once you lock in your current location and destination, it gives you a multitude of options to get there, arrival time, price to get there, calories burned walking, and up-to-date schedules of buses and trains. This nearly accurate information has saved me time on commutes and made me aware of delays that could impact my schedule for the day. I highly recommend this app on your phone as it’s free and gives you all the information needed to make your commute easy.
Piggybacking off the first item, the NJ Transit app is a necessity for anyone who relies on any of New Jersey’s public transportation for work or to get around. In this app, you have access to bus schedules and routes, arrival times to your specific stop, and the ability to pay your fare before the bus arrives. For people like me, who don’t like carrying cash, this is a saving grace as no bus I have been on has ever made change. All you have to do is link an account to your email and your card of choice, once that’s done pay for the ticket(s) you need and show the driver, and you’re on your way to your destination.
As most of you know there are public transportation deserts in Jersey City inhibiting people from easily travelling from ward to ward. In order to expand accessibility Mayor Fulop teamed up with Via so residents can hail a shuttle directly from their phone. The user will be prompted to a virtual bus stop where they will be picked up along with any other riders. Not only is it cost friendly being $1 a ride (it will be $2 starting 3/21) but it eliminates lengthy detours, or inconvenient fixed routes and schedules, effectively getting you to your destination and keeping cars off the road.
For those who want a green option or prefer to be healthy on their commute Citi Bike is the app for you. This bike-sharing app, sponsored by CitiBank, has stations located all over the city where you rent a bike for a 30-minute time frame and return it to the nearest station afterward. You have the option of paying in four packages: Single Ride- $3, Day Pass – $12, 3 Day Pass – $24, or an Annual Membership at $169.
For my last transportation app on this list, I would recommend the app Waze. Waze is an alternative GPS app that packs a lot of information in one space, to save those who are adamant about driving their car around Jersey City. This app collects data as you drive and updates other users with the latest information it’s gathering from your phone and the same with others. So, if the app notices one user has been sitting in the same spot for longer than usual, it will determine that there is a delay in the area and reroute other users to a different route.
When you do finally find parking you will rarely find a spot that’s free and will end up having to pay a meter. Around Jersey City, you’ll find little kiosks that allow you to pay for parking up to the maximum allowed time. Though these machines do take card and cash they also have an app that allows you to pay on your phone. It’s a convenient way to quickly pay for parking without having to fumble around with a machine. Just park, pay and go.
Jersey City Neighborhood Apps
WOTS (Word on the Street) is an app for local Jersey City citizens that want to report an issue that requires attention but doesn’t meet the use of the 911 emergency line. Wots Jersey City allows the user to give information to officials and the proper authorities about accidents, noise complaints, disputes, and even crimes in progress. Any user can enter information about the issue at hand and take photos then share the location of the incident. These notifications are submitted anonymously, so you don’t have to fear any repercussions.
Jersey City Connect (also known as SeeClickFix) in tandem with WOTS is a great way to keep the neighborhoods clean and safe by letting officials know of your problems. This app created by the city is to report issues about potholes, electricity, debris, and other issues affecting your quality of life.
To be more specific, I mean the subreddit r/jerseycity. This section of Reddit is filled with Jersey City residents that are actively trying to learn more about its history, improve the area, and inform others about how great Jersey City is as a home. I’ve personally used this to get information before moving here and found out about great areas to go and eat, places to take my dog, information about neighborhood issues, and even niche topics like the best comic book places in town. The community is very active and will usually reply to questions within 24 hours.
For those that love street art, graffiti, and mural’s this app will help you find them all around Jersey City. Though not known for it, Jersey City is filled with incredible art on almost every major street. With this app, you can find mural’s and share them on social media, letting people know how beautiful Jersey City is and why it’s starting to boom. This is an Android app, but you can still find these amazing pieces that give character to the city on the jcmap.com mural tour.
These are the most useful apps I’ve found while living in Jersey City. Share this with someone who may need it and go out and explore Jersey City!
