John Francis Roman

Former Public Servant, 6th Ward Councilman, Linden NJ; Political/Communications Professional

[John Francis Roman @JFR4LINDEN]

@wildstein @SenPresScutari @MikieSherrill Caught my uncle John eating a chip sheeet.

[John Francis Roman @JFR4LINDEN]

@terrencemcd BABA requirements ?

[John Francis Roman @JFR4LINDEN]

April 20th is my parents anniversary and I was excited to buy #BruceSpringsteen tickets for my mom. 43 years my mom worked at Newark Airport. She worked hard and she did everything right… and now she can’t even enjoy her favorite concert because of the greed. #Ticketmaster

[John Francis Roman @JFR4LINDEN]

@stoolpresidente 3-4 year cycle still playing out as it always has.

[John Francis Roman @JFR4LINDEN]

All these fireworks for the #StrangerThings Finale my goodness.

[John Francis Roman @JFR4LINDEN]

@joeymdfox Both no longer exist.

[John Francis Roman @JFR4LINDEN]

I just want this on the record but #AnnaCamp should be at the top of the list for an Emmy this year.

[John Francis Roman @JFR4LINDEN]

@MattFriedmanNJ Mm holdings llc shouldn’t be too hard to track down once you fish through the 4-5 shell holding companies

[Jack @GayLaVie]

If I send you this it means I want to get drinks and share secrets

[John Francis Roman @JFR4LINDEN]

@joeymdfox Hey uh if we’re gonna go do this and more power to ya if you did but can we just fight for healthcare for everyone? The fight for 80% coverage for the elderly and poor is great, but hey, if you don’t have the other 20% it’s okay we will just take your cash and house system is old

[John Francis Roman @JFR4LINDEN]

@terrencemcd Sorry for your loss.

[John Francis Roman @JFR4LINDEN]

@DeAndreHopkins so we taking the over on this one right here.

[John Francis Roman @JFR4LINDEN]

@terrencemcd Well they won’t be scrolling TikTok for much longer 🤷🏻‍♂️

[John Francis Roman @JFR4LINDEN]

Breaking News - live photos of Santa's arrival in New Jersey.

[John Francis Roman @JFR4LINDEN]

@RandPaul Making the richest man in the history of the world the speaker of our legislature. Brilliant…

[John Francis Roman @JFR4LINDEN]

Meanwhile the WH is like that’s just a plane.

[Nick Meidanis @NickMeidanis]

NEW: Naval Weapons Station Earle in Colts Neck confirms multiple unidentified drones entering its airspace.

"The base remains prepared to respond to any potential risks, leveraging robust security measures and advanced detection capabilities."

[John Francis Roman @JFR4LINDEN]

At this very moment, an unidentified craft is hovering (literally hovering) over our oil refinery in Linden, which is heavily restricted airspace, 3 miles from one of the nation’s busiest airport. Respectfully, The WH is either lying or incompetent, and we in NJ know it.

[New York Post @nypost]

White House security official dismisses NJ drone sightings — here’s what he claims they really are https://t.co/6YSTvgJuLv

[Alex Immerman @aleximm]

Waymo's market share is now equal to Lyft within SF. Incredible.

Network effects is one of the best sources of defensibility. But it's proven to be not that important in ridesharing.

You need a minimum network size, but once you have that, there are diminishing returns. In each geo, Uber and Lyft need enough drivers to have reasonable wait times. Once wait times hit that acceptable threshold, the incremental driver doesn't improve the rider experience (eg if my Uber ride is coming in 2-4 minutes, I don't really care about the wait times getting faster).

When Waymo launched in August 2023, Uber and Lyft were at 66% and 34% share in SF.

15 months later in November 2024, Waymo is at 22% - the same as Lyft - with Uber at 55%.

Both Uber and Lyft lost low double digit % pts of market share, but it's more painful for Lyft. Lyft gave up ~1/3 of their share. Uber lost ~1/6.

This is just when comparing all rides with pickups and dropoffs inside Waymo’s SF operating boundary (ie excludes any ride to / from the airport).

Anecdotally, Waymo's wait times are longer than Uber and Lyft because they don't have enough cars on the road. But they are close enough to that acceptable threshold, that their superior product (clean, nice cars, quiet drivers, etc) tips the riders in their direction.

It's possible when Waymo puts more cars on the road and reduces wait times to be in line with Uber and Lyft, their share could climb even faster.

[Dawn Fantasia @DawnFantasia_NJ]

I just left the New Jersey State Police HQ following the briefing of New Jersey State Legislators relating to the unexplained drone sightings in New Jersey.
Might I add - @GovMurphy
was not present. My notes are organized following my take below on the situation.

1. We know nothing. PERIOD. To state that there is no known or credible threat is incredibly misleading, and I informed all officials of that sentiment.
2. State authorities, including the NJSP, are shackled with what they are able to do. Any interception or takedown of any UAS is under the strict jurisdiction of the federal government.
3. At this point, I believe military intervention is the only path forward. There will be no answers in the absence of proactivity.
4. The US Coast Guard seems to be the most likely to intervene based upon our briefing, but even that component was shrouded in mystery.

Here is my summary of the briefing :

Overview of the Issue:
First Sightings: Reported on 11/18, with sightings occurring every night since then, from dusk until 11 PM (6–7 hours).
Frequency: Reports range from 4 to 180 sightings per night.

Description:
Large drones (up to 6 ft in diameter).
Operate in a coordinated manner.
Lights are turned off, making them difficult to detect.
Appear to avoid detection by traditional methods (e.g., helicopters, radio frequencies).
Not identified as hobbyist drones or related to DHS.

Investigation and Response
1. Agencies Involved:
FBI: Designated as the lead agency for investigations.
New Jersey State Police (NJSP): Coordinates with the FBI on follow-ups.
Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (OHSP): Provides training and situational awareness.
U.S. Coast Guard: Involved in determining steps under their jurisdiction (details not disclosed).

2. Federal Involvement:
FAA: Made night flights legal in 2023, but require operators to maintain line of sight, which is not being observed in these cases.
Lack of Federal Legislation: Existing bills on drone regulation remain stalled in Congress.

3. Detection Challenges:
NJSP deployed helicopters over Raritan Bay but could not detect drones, even with infrared cameras.
Current radio frequencies do not pick up drone signals.
Col. Callahan expressed concerns about potential danger, leading to a halt in helicopter deployments.

4. Training and Preparedness:
In-person Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Training starts in Monmouth County in January and will expand statewide.
A UAS Dashboard is being developed for tracking and managing drone sightings.

Key Concerns
Unknown Origins: Authorities do not know where these drones take off or land.
Capabilities: Drones maintain flight for extended periods (6–7 hours) and over distances of 15 miles, raising questions about their technology and intent.

Airspace Regulation:
Most sightings are in unrestricted airspace, but their behavior is unusual and potentially nefarious.
Unlike manned aircraft, these drones appear to operate without lights and evade detection.

Public Safety:
Possible threats remain unconfirmed, but the lack of detection capability is a significant concern.
See Something, Say Something campaigns encourage the public to report sightings to local law enforcement and the FBI.

Statements from Officials:
Laurie Doran (Director of OHSP):
There is no known or credible threat at this time. (I DISAGREE)
Urges continued reporting to law enforcement.

Colonel Pat Callahan (NJSP):
Suspended helicopter flights to investigate drones over safety concerns.
Emphasized the rapid pace of technological development in drones.

Brent Cotton (DHS Counterterrorism): Highlighted challenges in threat prevention and the need for improved technology and protocols.

Next Steps
1. Enhanced Surveillance: Use of infrared cameras and additional Coast Guard resources.
2. Legislation and Policy: Advocate for advancing federal drone legislation stalled in Congress.
3. Public Engagement: Encourage reporting via the See Something, Say Something initiative.