Coronavirus Service Cuts - April 3 Update

A few more private bus carriers are completely suspending operations due to the Coronavirus.  NJT Bus continues to run, with decreased service.  They are also cross honoring with NJT rail, which is also running a decreased schedule.

Lakeland bus suspended operations effective April 2.  Details here.

Shortline bus will be suspending operations starting April 4.  Details here.

Suburban Transit, Rockland Coaches and Community Coach will also be suspending operations effective April 4. Details here.

Other carriers that have already suspended service include DeCamp and TransBridge lines.



Stay safe everyone.

Some Carriers Temporarily Reducing Service Due To Coronavirus

With social distancing the new normal and many people working remotely, ridership on New Jersey's bus routes has dropped dramatically.  There are reports that NJ Transit ridership has decreased by 40% and the agency may implement a reduced schedule once ridership drops 50%.

Some private carriers have already temporarily curtailed service.  Riders should check with their carriers for information.  We have some updates here:

Academy has implemented reduced "Schedule B" service on several of its routes.  These schedules can be found here.

Community Coach has greatly reduced service on its 77 line with just 3 nyc-bound trips and 4 trips now operating out of New York.  Schedule found here.

Rockland Coaches is now operating on a Saturday Schedule, with some additional express service available.  Details here.

Suburban Transit is also operating with an adjusted weekday schedule, more info available here.

Short Line has also cut back service, more info available here.

Decamp is also cutting service.  Details available on its Twitter feed and website.

Lakeland says they will be making service adjustments and has cut a few runs.  More info here.

If you are now working remotely, and have an unused monthly ticket, you may be able to get a refund from your carrier.

Stay safe everyone!

NJ Bus Commuters Fix It List For Governor Murphy

Although NJ Transit Rail Riders have been getting the most press about the crumbling rail infrastructure in NJ, bus riders have their share of complaints as well.  Larry Higgs has an excellent article describing many of them, including broken down buses, delays at the Port Authority Bus Terminal and in the Exclusive Bus Lane and Lincoln Tunnel.  Hopefully NJ Transit and the Port Authority are reading and listening to these complaints along with those of rail passengers.  The article can be found here.

Port Authority Bus Terminal Gate Reshuffling - Part 2

For the second time in less than a year, certain buses at the Port Authority will be re-assigned to different gates.  Last September, several private bus lines including Coach USA, Decamp and Lakeland had their departure gates changed with the hope of improving on-time performance at the over-crowded and out-dated terminal.  The last re-shuffle lead to a slight improvement of on-time performance, but the terminal is still in dire need of being replaced with a modern and larger terminal.  This time, certain NJT lines are being re-assigned on September 3, 2016 as follows:


Bus Route 122
​
6 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

• Old gate: 315
• New gate: 313

Bus Route 127

10:01 p.m. to 1 a.m.

• Old gate: 230
• New gate: 312

Bus Route 139E

3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

• Old gate: 316
• New gate: 315

Bus Route 144

3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

• Old gate: 313
• New gate: 77

Bus Route 155

3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

• Old gate: 213
• New gate: 74

Bus Route 157

3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

• Old gate: 210
• New gate: 76

Bus Route 163P

3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

• Old gate: 224
• New gate: 78

Bus Route 165T

6 a.m. to 3:29 p.m.

• Old gate: 213 / 310
• New gate: 310

Bus Route 168T

6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

• Old gate: 213
• New gate (6 a.m. to 3:29 p.m., 7:31 p.m. to 10 p.m.): 312
• New gate (3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.): 75

Bus Route 194E&T

6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

• Old gate: 233
• New gate: 231

Bus Route 320

6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

• Old gate: 231
• New gate: 213

Bus Route 324

6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

• Old gate: 233
• New gate: 231

NJ Gas Tax May Rise 23 Cents Per Gallon -- update

Drivers filling up in New Jersey could have been paying an additional 23 cents per gallon starting Friday July 1st in a plan approved by the Assembly and Governor Christie.  The tax increase would have been the first in 26 years and used to replenish the state's depleted transportation fund as well as reducing NJ's sales tax to 6% by 2018 as well as other tax cuts.  The plan was not approved by the State Senate and Governor Christie ordered a shut down of all State road work. More on the story from the New York Times can be found here.

NJT - NY Waterway Hudson Go Pass

New Jersey Transit and NY Waterway Ferry have introduced the Hudson Go Pass for commuters using NJT buses 156R, 158, 159R and the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail System.  The pass is good for unlimited rides on these NJT services as well as connecting NY Waterway Ferries from Port Imperial terminal in Weehawken.  The monthly passes cost $280 for ferry trips to midtown and $400 for the downtown ferry service.  We are glad to see the partnership between NJT and NY Waterway to help alleviate overcrowding at the Port Authority Bus Terminal.  However, NY Waterway ferries to New Jersey are still much more expensive than corresponding NJT bus service. More people would be encouraged to switch exclusively to the ferry service if the cost was lowered, which could be accomplished with state-subsidies.  This could be an immediate and simple way to help alleviate the clogged trans-hudson bridges and tunnels as well as the Port Authority Bus Terminal.

Port Authority Finally Begins Planning New Bus Terminal

The Port Authority has finally begun planning for a new mid-town bus terminal to replace its over-crowded and crumbling bus terminal.  They have implemented a design competition and hope to select the winning design by next September.  Officials estimate the cost of the new terminal to be approximately $10 billion. We see this as a step in the right direction, but it is a painfully slow process and will not alleviate any of the current problems with the terminal. Please click here for more on this story.

NJBUS Pic of the Week

Rockland Coaches Route 14K at GWBBS in 2014

NJBUS Pic of the Week

Trans-Bridge Lines entering Lincoln Tunnel August 2015

Port Authority to Realign Some Bus Gates at Terminal This Fall

The Port Authority will be realigning certain NJT gates and Coach USA gates starting this September at the Port Authority Bus Terminal.  Gates affected will be on the third and fourth floors of the terminal. This is part of the effort to reduce delays and improve movement of buses into and out of the terminal.  It will be years until major renovations or a new terminal will be built so hopefully these changes will help alleviate some of the overcrowding and congestion that has been plaguing the terminal for years.  For more on the story, click here.

NJT Officially Raises Fares 9% and Cuts Service

Despite hundreds of complaints from irate transit riders at nine public hearings, and thousands more across social media, the NJ Transit Board has officially approved the 9% fare increase and service cuts it first proposed back in April.  Besides the fare increase, NJT will cut the last two trains of the evening on the Pascack Valley Line and Montclair-Boonton line.  They are also cutting service on several bus lines as we first described here.  Full details on the fare hikes and service cuts can be found on the NJT website.  Meanwhile, Governor Christie and the State Legislature have done nothing to provide additional funding for NJT which led to the fare hikes.  Meanwhile, the state's gas tax hasn't been increased since 1988.  This will only lead more people to ditch NJT and drive - creating even more traffic congestion throughout the state and at the bridges and tunnels.

NJ Live Bus

Want to see exactly where your bus currently is in real time?  How about where every NJT bus is currently located on the map?  Check out NJ Live Bus.  This cool website is not only informative in showing you exactly where the bus is, it is fun to watch the buses drive around the map!

NJBus Briefs May 2, 2015

David Wildstein Pleads Guilty in GWB BridgeGate Scandal and Two Others Indicted.  The New York Times reports that David Wildstein, a former Port Authority official and a high school friend of Governor Christie, pleaded guilty at the United States District Court in Newark to conspiracy to commit fraud and conspiracy against civil rights in the GWB BridgeGate Scandal when toll lanes were closed in Fort Lee because the mayor didn't endorse Christie.  Two other former Port Authority officials, Bill Baroni and Bridget Anne Kelly, were charged conspiracy to commit fraud among other counts.  Click here for the full story.

No standees allowed on new CNG buses.  NJT's new MCI compressed natural gas buses can't handle the weight of standing room only passengers and won't pick up standees once the buses are full.  The buses, based out of the Howell garage, seat 57 passengers and run on the Route 9 routes including the 139.  Click here for the full story.

NJT Pays Fair Lawn Couple for Bus By-Pass.  A couple from Fair Lawn received a check from NJ Transit for $170 when they complained about the 164 bus passing them by causing them to miss the theater in New York.  Apparently the bus wasn't a full CNG bus.  Click here for the full story.

Possible NJT 9% Fare Increase

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that NJT may announce a 9% fare increase as early as this week.  The increase would be the first in five years but comes at a time when delays and infrastructure issues for both rail and bus commuters are at an all time high.   No official word as of yet regarding the fare increase or whether there will be any service cuts. 

Another Long Commute Home For Port Authority Bus Terminal Commuters.

A bus fatally hit a man inside the Port Authority Bus Terminal leading to massive delays inside and outside of the terminal.  The second and fourth floors were completely shut down due to overcrowding.  Buses were delayed well over an hour and traffic on 495 in to the Lincoln Tunnel was backed up for miles. 

Buses sat outside the terminal as well as on the approaches to the Lincoln Tunnel.  NJT rail was cross-honoring tickets, but NJT made little other contingency plans.  Trains were delayed out of Penn Station because of problems with the Portal Bridge.

Buses could have been diverted to Secaucus Junction and/or the GWB terminal to help alleviate congestion until the investigation and scene was cleared.  No such contingencies were put into place.  This lead to another very long commute home. 

More on the story here and here.

Our condolences go out to the family of the man who was killed inside the terminal.

Chasing New Jersey Chases the NJT 167

Chasing NJ seen on WWOR-TV Channel 9 weeknights at 10PM reported on Senator Loretta Weinberg's continued crusade to improve conditions for NJ Commuters at the Port Authority Bus Terminal.  Reporter Hank Flynn took a ride on the 167 from Glenpointe in Teaneck to the midtown terminal and back.  To no surprise, the first bus was a no show.  Click here to read the story and watch the video.  We continue to applaud Senator Weinberg for her advocacy for NJ commuters as well as Chasing NJ's coverage of the story.

Bergen County Bus Rapid Transit Meeting - Nov. 13

There will be a meeting for the proposed Bergen County Bus Rapid Transit System on November 14, 2014 at the Hackensack Campus of Bergen Community College.  Information about the meeting is available here.  As we previously reported, Bergen County is studying the possibility of creating a Bus Rapid Transit system.  A proposed route map is available here. 

George Washington Bridge Bus Station Renovations Update

Major renovations continue at the George Washington Bridge Bus Station.  Only one platform is in use for all departures.  Rockland Coaches' 9A  and Saddle River Tours/Ameribus Routes 11C and 20/84 depart from the front of the terminal at "Zone A."  The jitneys depart from the middle zones and NJT routes depart from the rear zones.  Please see our previous post for additional information regarding the construction.


  


Passengers must climb the temporary staircase for all departing buses and jitneys.

Temporary Waiting Room on Ft. Washington Ave.

Rockland Coaches 9A waiting for departure to New City at the front of terminal by "Zone A." 

Ameribus/Saddle River Tours Route 11C to Spring Valley loading from Zone A.

NJT buses depart from the rear of the platform.

George Washington Bridge Bus Station Renovations

Construction at the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal continues as part of its $183 million renovation.  On Monday August 25, the concourse level and the lower departure levels were closed leaving only the upper level available for bus arrivals and departures.  Passengers must use steep temporary stair cases to enter and leave the station.  A trailer has been set up on Fort Washington Avenue where passengers can use rest rooms, wait for their bus and buy tickets.  Passengers will also have to exit the terminal and walk outside to catch the A train at 177th and Ft. Washington Ave.

This phase of the construction is expected to last approximately one year.  More information about the renovations, and some renderings of what the terminal will look like are available here.

Bus service and ridership to the terminal has diminished over the past few years.  Hopefully the revived terminal will attract new riders as an alternative to the decrepit and overcrowded Port Authority Bus Terminal in midtown.  We continue to advocate for increased bus service over the GWB to the terminal.   Innovative new express routes, service to midtown via the east side and express bus lanes at the bridge are all potential solutions at little additional investment to the infrastructure to help alleviate overcrowding at the Port Authority Bus Terminal.   

NJT Reports Buses are "Late" 32% of the Time

The Record is reporting on new data just released by NJ Transit that its buses have an on-time performance rate of just 68%.  NJT is using a new computerized system for tracking buses.  The report defines being "on time" as arriving at a scheduled stop between 1 minute before the scheduled arrival time and up to 6 minutes late.  More interesting is that the report states that 86% buses at the Port Authority Bus Terminal departed on time in June.  We find that statistic quite hard to believe.