The Glen Ridge jitney didn’t show up this morning in the south end of town. And that, riders say, is fairly indicative of how things have been going since the March 13 arrest of jitney driver Roy Campbell, 62, on charges of “offensive touching” of a jitney passenger. But while the erosion of jitney service rankles, the main reaction is one of shock and disbelief that a warm and competent public servant has been charged with harassment and removed from his driver’s seat.
“It’s really hard for me to imagine,” says Deb Waldman. “Never in my experience has he ever crossed a line or come close to crossing a line. We all have nothing but great things to say about him.”
Another rider described Campbell as big-hearted. “He’s super sweet,” she said. “He will stop for every lollygagger.” She added, “I can’t think of any way there’s any reality to this.”
Timothy Smith, the lawyer who’s taken on Campbell’s case, says he’s already received about a dozen character references from jitney riders. He too is dumbfounded by the accusation, which he attributes to discrimination. Campbell, 62, is black.

Continue Reading