NJ Transit released new bus routes and schedules to address the voids that will be left next month when bus service ends on seven routes no longer served by private operators in Newark and Jersey City.
“NJ TRANSIT understands how important this bus service is to all those who depend on it, particularly for those who rely on it as their sole source of mobility,” said NJ TRANSIT President and CEO Kevin Corbett.
The new bus schedules will go into effect next month and full schedule information will be posted online soon, the agency said in a press release announcing the "emergency stabilization" plan. NJ Transit will retain the same route and schedule for six lines. The seventh line will be a modified version, the release said.
Riders, advocates and local representatives have called into NJ Transit board meetings recently, urging the agency to take over the routes that people use to get to schools, medical centers, shopping and larger transit hubs.
“Last week, I spoke with United States Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg directly to request additional support for state and local governments that are navigating private bus company closures and transit deserts. I will continue to work within Congress and with the Biden Administration on these critical solutions," said U.S. Rep. Robert Menendez, whose district includes Hudson County.
This summer, the owners of the 96-year-old Jersey City-based company A&C Bus Co. informed straphangers it would be closing its doors because it could no longer afford to operate the buses on four routes that largely served the West Side of Jersey City. Paramus-based Coach, the parent company of O.N.E., also announced it was terminating three lines that connected Newark residents with Elizabeth and the Oranges.
TransDev, another private bus company, announced it was ending its contract with NJ Transit to service seven routes in Monmouth County. Corbett told reporters earlier this month that the agency will also provide "emergency" service for those routes and is in talks with TransDev about hiring drivers and leasing their facility.
Ridership downturns during the COVID pandemic was the final straw for several private bus operators in the state, as they faced increasing costs and little or no financial aid from NJ Transit, the state and the federal government.
NJ Transit spokesman Jim Smith said the early estimates of the annual costs of the two routes are around $17.7 million in Newark and $9.2 million in Jersey City. While the addition of these routes and modifications are not considered temporary, Smith said they "will require further resources on an annual basis."
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Service on the Newark routes will begin Oct. 8 and in Jersey City Oct. 28. Here is an overview of the route details currently available. When the full schedules are finalized, they will be available online at njtransit.com/a-cbus and njtransit.com/coachone.
Newark
New NJ Transit #24 line
- Serves the Central Avenue Corridor in Orange, East Orange, and Newark, and the Frelinghuysen Avenue/Newark Avenue Corridor in Newark and Elizabeth. Also serves East Jersey Street and Elizabeth Avenue, Elizabeth as well as Jersey Gardens. Provides service to Downtown Newark, Orange, and Elizabeth, and connections to NJT rail at Elizabeth, Orange, and Brick Church.
- Weekday 5:00 a.m. to 2:14 a.m. with service every 20 minutes, a.m. and p.m. peak, and mid-day and every 30 minutes evenings and late night.
- Saturday 5:00 a.m. to 1:35 a.m. with service every 20 minutes mid-day, every 30 minutes early a.m., evening and late night.
- Sunday 5:15 a.m. to 1:21 a.m. with service every 30 minutes, all day.
New NJ Transit #31 Line
- Serves the South Orange Avenue Corridor from downtown South Orange, at the rail station, to Springfield Avenue in Newark, and continues to Penn Station, via Market Street, providing multi-modal connections.
- Weekday 5:00 a.m. to 1:53 a.m. with hourly service from South Orange and every 20 minutes a.m. and p.m. peak from South Orange Avenue/Dover Street Loop , and every 30 minutes off-peak, evenings and late night.
- Saturday 5:00 a.m. to 1:22 a.m. with hourly service from South Orange and every 30 minutes from Dover Street Loop.
- Sunday: 5:00 a.m. to 1:31 a.m. with service every 45 minutes in the mid-day from South Orange, and every 60 minutes early morning, evening and late night. All service operates South Orange – Newark Penn on Sunday.
New NJ Transit #44 Line
- Connects Newark Penn Station with downtown Orange at the Orange Rail Station for multi-modal connectivity. Provides service to the Veteran’s Hospital in East Orange. Serves Tremont Avenue, Rhode Island Avenue, Freeman Avenue, and Central Avenue in Orange, East Orange, and Newark.
- Weekday 5:00 a.m. to 12:28 a.m. with hourly service all day.
- Saturday 6:00 AM to 12:27 a.m. with hourly service all day.
- Sunday: 6:30 a.m. to 12:52 a.m. with service every 80 minutes all day.
Jersey City
New NJ Transit #8 Line replace A&C #33 Line - Bergen Avenue
- Serves Bergen Avenue from Journal Square to JFK Boulevard at Van Nostrand Avenue, Old Bergen Road from JFK Boulevard at McAdoo Avenue to Neptune Avenue, and Garfield Avenue from Neptune Avenue to the Bayonne City Line at 54th Street. Connects to PATH at Journal Square.
- Weekday 5:15 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. with service every 15 minutes during the AM and PM peak and in the mid-day.
- Saturday 5:15 a.m. to 8:42 p.m. with service every 30 minutes all day.
- Sunday 5:15 a.m. to 8:41 p.m. with service every 30 minutes all day.
New NJ Transit #9 Line replaces A&C #31 Line - Montgomery Street - West Side Avenue
- Connects the Montgomery Street corridor from West Side Avenue to Jersey Avenue, and the West Side Avenue Corridor from Danforth Avenue to Montgomery Street with the Hudson Bergen Light Rail (West Side Avenue Station), and PATH at Grove Street with Newport Mall and downtown Jersey City. Serves Society Hill as well. Provides only crosstown bus connection between Journal Square and Communipaw Avenue.
- Weekday 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. with service every 60 minutes all day.
- Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. with service every 60 minutes all day
- Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 7:50 p.m. with service every 60 minutes all day.
New NJ Transit #14 Line replaces A&C #32 Line - Duncan - Mallory - NJ 440
- Connects Journal Square with Society Hill via Sip Avenue, Duncan Avenue, portions of West Side Avenue, and Mallory Avenue. Provides only service across NJ 440 to Hudson Mall and Stadium Plaza shopping center. Connects with HBLR at West Side Avenue Station and PATH at Journal Square.
- Weekday 7:10 a.m. to 8:33 p.m. with service every 40-45 minutes all day.
- Saturday 7:15 a.m. to 8:28 p.m. with service every 40 minutes all day.
- Sunday 7:15 a.m. to 8:27 p.m. with service every 40 minutes all day.
Current NJ Transit #80 Line replaces A&C #30 Line - Greenville - Journal Square - Exchange Place
- Increased NJ TRANSIT #80 line service along West Side Avenue from Danforth Avenue to Sip Avenue, and along Sip Avenue from West Side Avenue to Journal Square. Provides connections to HBLR at West Side Avenue Station and PATH at JSQ.
- Service beginning and ending at Society Hill will operate as the #80S line. #80S service span and frequency:
- Weekday 5:39 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. with service every 15 – 20 minutes AM and PM peak and every 30 minutes mid-day.
- Saturday 5:42 a.m. to 8:29 p.m. with service every 30 – 40 minutes all day.
- Sunday 6:15 a.m. to 8:19 p.m. with service every 60 minutes all day.
