The New NJT Mobile App - Your Ticket and More

NJ Transit unveiled the newest version of its Mobile App yesterday. Users can still purchase and display their NJT bus and rail tickets using the MyTix feature, but this version of the app does even more.  It  incorporates Mybus and DepartureVision that show in real time when your bus or train will arrive (or how late it will be). Users can also find bus and rail schedules and use Trip Planner to plan their route.  These features were previously only available on the NJT mobile website.

The Android version of the app is available for free download in the Google Play Store here.

The Ipad/Iphone version of the app is a free download at the iTunes store.  Click here for more info.

Port Authority Bus Terminal Gates Shuffling -- Effective September 8, 2015

Get ready for some commuter confusion at the Port Authority beginning in September.  As we previously reported, officials at the Port Authority Bus Terminal will be reassigning gates for many NJ Transit and private bus lines effective September 8, 2015.  Affected gates are on the third and fourth floors of the terminal.  Affected NJT lines include routes 107, 108, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 122, 124, 129, 139, 144, 151, 153, 155, 157, 160, 161, 163, 164, 165, 168, 190, 194, 195, 197, 198, 199, 321.  Some gate changes are only for late night departures depending on the line.  Full details regarding the new NJT gate assignments can be found here.

Lakeland Bus Lines that previously departed from gates 401-405 will now depart from Gates 206-207.  More info can be found here

DeCamp Bus Lines will be moving to the lower level of the South Wing using Gates 12-20.  An alert on their website currently breaks out the new route assignments.

Community Coach will be assigned to Gates 412-413 for its Route 77 line.

Rockland Coaches:

Route 45 will be reassigned to Gates 410-411.
Routes 46, 47 will be reassigned to Gate 411.
Routes 9 and 49 will still depart from Gate 208 until 10PM.  Later trips will depart from Gate 410.  Routes 11A, 14E, 20, 21T will still depart from Gate 220 until 10PM.  Later trips depart from Gate 411.

Shortline buses will be assigned to Gates 401-409.

The new gate assignments will supposedly allow buses to move more effectively within the building which could alleviate delays.  Only time will tell.  In the short run, we think there is going to be a lot of confused commuters and platform crowding as commuters try to find their buses on September 8th.  Hopefully officials will do a better job at communicating these changes to the public than they have in the past.

More details can be found on the Port Authority website.

NJT Proposed 9% Fare Hike and Service Cuts for Fall 2015

It looks like New Jersey bus and rail commuters will once again be paying more for less.  NJT is proposing a 9% fare increase and some rail and service cuts beginning in September 2015. 

The proposed bus cuts mostly involve bus routes serving South Jersey:

419 Camden – Pennsauken – Burlington:  Proposed Elimination of Service Between Riverside and Burlington City

463 Woodbury – Avandale Park-Ride: Proposed Elimination of the Last PM Trip in Each direction

307 Freehold – Great Adventure: Proposed Service Discontinuance

318 Philadelphia – Great Adventure: Proposed Service Discontinuance

655 Princeton – Plainsboro: Proposed Service Discontinuance

872 Morristown – Route 10 – Livingston:  Proposed Elimination of Service Between Mack-Cali (Parsippany) and Livingston Mall

 

Two late night trains out of Hoboken are also on the chopping block:  The 12:45AM Pascack Valley Line train and the 12:32AM Montclair Boonton Line train.

A series of public hearings are scheduled for next month including one on May 20 from 5:30-8:30PM in Hackensack at The Learning Center, 4th Floor, One Bergen County Plaza. 

For further information, including the new higher fares and the other hearing times can be found here.

December 11 Bus Rider Forum in Teaneck

Senator Loretta Weinberg and Assemblyman Gordon M. Johnson are hosting another Bus Rider Forum in Teaneck at the Richard Rodda Community Center on Thursday December 11 from 7:30-9:00 PM to address issues at the Port Authority Bus Terminal.  Representatives from the Port Authority and NJ Transit will also be there to answer questions.


Officials have recently changed the flow of buses at the terminal giving them 45 minutes to reach the terminal for the afternoon rush instead of 90 minutes to alleviate some of the congestion.  What do riders think?  Have conditions improved at the bus terminal?