Senator Weinberg Advocating for a New Port Authority Bus Terminal -- updated

New Jersey State Senator Loretta Weinberg has set her sights on replacing the aging and outdated Port Authority Bus Terminal.  As we reported previously, the aging midtown terminal is plagued with delays, overcrowding and in need of major expansion.  Senator Weinberg has become active in this regard by conducting transit forums to hear rider complaints and attending Port Authority meetings.  We applaud Senator Weinberg in taking the lead in advocating for a new terminal but it will likely take years before any improvements will be seen. 

Senator Weinberg is taking written testimony regarding commuting problems into New York until July 7, and will be presenting at the NJT Board Meeting on July 9th.  You can e-mail your comments to her at:  SenWeinberg@njleg.org .

Delayed on NJ Transit

Social media these days is picking up much of the slack when it comes to reporting delays and over-crowding on NJ Transit's bus and rail service.  Who is better than frustrated riders who are stuck waiting for a bus or train to instantly report to fellow commuters about the delays?  One such Facebook and Twitter group called Delayed on NJ Transit  provides a convenient forum for NJ commuters to vent and to report delays so fellow riders can plan alternate routes.  The Twitter feed currently has over 1200 followers. 

The group also is conducting its own survey where NJ Transit commuters can give candid feedback regarding their commutes.

We commend this group on its efforts and recommend everyone to check these sites out - especially before the next commute.

Five Routes Picked For Bergen Bus Rapid Transit

As we reported previously, Bergen County is studying the possibility of creating a Bus Rapid Transit system.  Officials have decided on five potential routes:

• Paterson to the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal
• Montvale Park and Ride to the Port Authority Bus Terminal
• Garden State Plaza to the Port Authority Bus Terminal, via River Road
• Bergen Community College to the Secaucus Junction train station
• Englewood Hospital to the Secaucus Junction train station

A map of these proposed routes can be found here.

Although we applaud the idea for innovative new transit services, the Paterson to the GWB route is duplicative of the current NJT 171 as well as numerous jitneys servicing the corridor.  The Montvale route is duplicative of the Rockland Coaches Route 45 bus.  We don't see how these routes will provide a "Rapid" commute to New York without substantial improvements to the Port Authority Bus Terminal and express bus lanes to the GWB. 

The one interesting route is the proposed Garden State Plaza to the Port Authority via River Road.  This route would avoid the overcrowded XBL at the Lincoln Tunnel and could be a viable travel alternative if River Road can somehow be configured to truly create bus rapid transit.