NJ Transit Bus Operations

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NJ Transit Bus Operations
NJTBus.svg
New Jersey Transit NABI 416 transit.jpg
NJ Transit bus operates along Prospect Street in western Trenton.
Parent NJ Transit
Founded1980 (purchase of Transport of New Jersey)
Headquarters Newark, New Jersey
Service area New Jersey (statewide)
Service typeLocal and commuter bus transit, Newark Light Rail
Routes267 (See list below)
Stations26 bus terminals,
19,500 bus stops,
17 light rail stations [1]
Fleet3,052 buses, 696 leased to private operators
21 light rail vehicles [1]
Annual ridership131,253,500 (2023) [2]
OperatorSee operator list below
Chief executive Kevin Corbett
Website njtransit.com

NJ Transit Bus Operations is the bus division of NJ Transit, providing local and commuter bus service throughout New Jersey and adjacent areas of New York State (Manhattan in New York City, Rockland County, and Orange County) and Pennsylvania (Philadelphia and the Lehigh Valley). It operates its own lines as well as contracts others to private carriers. In 2023, the bus system had a ridership of 131,253,500.

Contents

History

Prior to 1948, most public transportation in New Jersey was provided by the Public Service Corporation of New Jersey, a utility company that also operated the Public Service Railway division. In 1948, the Public Service Corporation was divided into two entities: the Public Service Electric and Gas Company, which inherited the utility operations, and the Public Service Coordinated Transportation Company (PSCT), which inherited the transit operations. PSCT provided service throughout New Jersey, originally using trolleys and then transitioning to trolley buses, and buses. During the 1970s, the New Jersey Department of Transportation began funding the routes of Public Service, now renamed Transport of New Jersey (TNJ), contracting with TNJ and other companies to operate local bus service throughout New Jersey. [3]

NJ Transit came into being as the result of the New Jersey Public Transportation Act of 1979 to "acquire, operate, and contract for transportation services in the public interest". NJ Transit Bus Operations came into being the following year, when it acquired Transport of New Jersey from PSE&G. [4] Other purchases and buyouts in the 1980s expanded the bus division of NJ Transit, including the assumption of service for Somerset Bus Company in 1982 and the acquisition of the Atlantic City Transportation Company in 1987. [5] In 1992 NJ Transit Mercer, Inc., which was the successor to the former "Mercer Metro" operation in the Trenton and Princeton areas, was folded into NJ Transit Bus Operations. [6] In 2010, PABCO Transit (Passaic-Athenia Bus) taken over under the subsidiary NJ Transit Morris, Inc.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic in New Jersey numerous private carriers went out of business and NJ Transit took over many of their routes, including those of ONE Bus, Red & Tan in Hudson County, A&C Bus Corporation, DeCamp Bus Lines, and Transdev. [7] [8]

Routes

Routes are numbered by where they operate in the state of New Jersey, however, there are a few exceptions to the general rule due to subsequent changes to some routes operating in Central and North Jersey. Fare and route can also be further elucidated on some of the individual route schedules [9] or the trip planner. [10]

In most cases, routes retain the same numbers they had under the Public Service/Transport of New Jersey umbrella.

Fleet

As of 2024 NJ Transit had over 2800 buses, including 147 compressed natural gas (CNG) byuses and 12 hybrid electric buses, as well as community shuttles. [11]

Divisions and facilities

NJ Transit Bus Operations is divided into the Northern, Central, and Southern Divisions, and contract operations. [12]

Northern Division

The Northern Division consists of six garages.

GarageLocationRoutesNotes
Fairview419 Anderson Avenue,
Fairview 		128 (split with Meadowlands, Howell), 153, 154, 156 (split with Meadowlands), 158 (split with Meadowlands), 159 (split with Meadowlands), 181 (split with Meadowlands, Oradell), 321 (split with Howell, Meadowlands), 351 (split with Meadowlands, Community Coach)
Market Street16 Market Street,
Paterson 		72, 74, 171, 175, 178, 182, 186, 703, 704, 712, 770
Meadowlands2600 Penhorn Avenue,
North Bergen 		10 (with Greenville, Kearny Point), 22, 23, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 88, 89, 119 (with Greenville, Kearny Point), 121, 122 (split with Wayne), 123, 124, 125, 126 (split with Greenville, Hilton, Howell, Ironbound), 127, 128 (split with Fairview, Howell), 129, 139 (split with Howell, Ironbound, Academy), 156 (split with Fairview, Market Street), 159 (split with Fairview, Market Street), 166 (split with Oradell), 167 (split with Oradell), 177 (split with Oradell), 181 (split with Fairview, Oradell), 188, 190 (split with Wayne), 319 (split with Egg Harbor, Howell), 320, 321, 329, 351 (split with Fairview, Community Coach), 353 (split with Ironbound, Oradell, Community Coach), 355 (split with Ironbound)
  • Newly built garage replaced the old Union City Garage in 1993.
OradellMarginal Rd,
Oradell 		144, 155 (split with Westwood), 157 (split with Westwood), 162, 163, 164 (split with Wayne), 165 (split with Westwood), 166 (split with Meadowlands), 167 (split with Meadowlands, Westwood), 168, 177 (split with Meadowlands, Westwood), 181 (split with Fairview, Meadowlands), 353 (split with Ironbound, Meadowlands, Community Coach), 364
  • Replaced the old Bergenfield and Hackensack Garages in 1962.
Westwood180 Old Hook Road, Westwood 155, 157, 165, 167, 168, 177 (all shared with Oradell and Meadowlands)•Former Coach USA Rockland Coaches garage

•Bought by NJT in 2022, to relieve congestion in Oradell

• Service began for this garage on September 3, 2022

Wayne55 West Belt Parkway,
Wayne 		101, 105, 122 (split with Meadowlands), 145, 148, 151, 160, 161, 164 (split with Oradell) 190 (split with Meadowlands), 191, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196, 197, 198, 199, 324
  • Newly built garage that replaced the old Madison Ave garage in Paterson and the Warwick Garage in Warwick, New York in 1998.

Central Division

The Central Division consists of eight garages and one light rail operations facility.

GarageLocationRoutesNotes
Big Tree1 Washington Avenue,
Nutley 		1 (split with Hilton, Orange, Ironbound),13 (split with Hilton), 27 (split with Hilton, Orange), 30, 40, 44, 76, 78, 99, 378
  • New garage opened in 1989
  • Built on the same site after the old Big Tree Garage was demolished.
Greenville53 Old Bergen Road
Jersey City 		6, 10 (with Meadowlands, Kearny Point), 80, 81, 87, 119 (with Kearny Point, Meadowlands), 120, 126 (split with Hilton, Howell, Meadowlands, Ironbound)
  • New garage opened in 1998
  • Built on the same site after the old Greenville Garage was demolished.
  • Originally part of the Northern division until late 2023.
Hilton1450 Springfield Avenue
Maplewood 		1 (split with Big Tree, Ironbound, Orange), 13 (split with Big Tree), 24 (Split with Ironbound, Orange), 25, 26, 27 (split with Big Tree, Orange), 31, 37, 39, 52, 70, 90, 107, 108, 126 (split with Greenville, Howell, Ironbound, Meadowlands), 250 (go25), 361, 375
  • New garage opened in 1989, built on the same site after old Maplewood Garage was demolished. Upgraded and electrification planned for 2025. [13] [14] [15]
Howell1251 U.S. 9, Howell Township
Howell 		63, 64, 67, 68, 126 (split with Greenville, Hilton, Ironbound, Meadowlands), 128 (split with Meadowlands, Fairview), 130 (split with Academy), 131, 132, 133, 135, 136 (split with Academy), 137, 138, 139 (split with Academy, Ironbound, Meadowlands), 307, 319 (split with Egg Harbor, Meadowlands)
  • Newly built garage that replaced the old garages in Lakewood and Old Bridge in 1985.
Ironbound/Kearny Point601 Doremus Ave,
Newark & 677 Wilson Ave,
Newark 		1 (Split with Big Tree, Hilton, Orange), 2, 8, 9, 10 (Split with Greenville, Meadowlands), 24 (Split with Hilton, Orange), 48, 56, 57, 58, 59, 62, 65, 66, 102, 109, 111, 112, 113 (Split with Howell), 114, 115, 116 (split with Howell), 117, 119 (Split with Greenville, Meadowlands), 126 (Split with Greenville, Hilton, Howell, Meadowlands), 139 (split with Howell, Academy), 353 (Split with Meadowlands, Oradell, Community Coach), 355 (Split with Meadowlands), 356, 986
  • Newly built garage and main shop complex replacing the old garages in Newark at Ferry Street Shops and Lake Street Shops, and the old Elizabeth garage in 1997.
  • Located next to Kearny Point Garage.
  • Kearny Point, opened on August 17, 2024. Formerly an abandoned factory, it was made into a garage for NJT when CoachUSA's ONE Bus stopped operations in 2024.
  • Located next to Ironbound Garage
Morris
(NJ Transit Morris, Inc.)		34 Richboynton Road
Dover 		871, 872, 873, 874, 875, 878, 880
Newark Light Rail Grove Street station
Bloomfield 		Newark Light Rail Newark Penn Station
  • Originally used for storage and maintenance until the Grove Street extension in June 2002, where a new shop and yard complex were opened.
Orange420 Thomas Boulevard,
Orange 		1 (split with Ironbound, Hilton, Big Tree) 5, 11, 21, 24 (split with Ironbound, Hilton), 27 (split with Big Tree, Hilton), 28, 29, 31, 34, 41, 71, 73, 79, 92, 94, 96, 97, 258 (go28), 372
  • New garage opened in 1988
  • Built on the same site after the old Orange Garage was demolished, replaced Roseville and Lake St. Garages

Southern Division

The Southern Division consists of five garages.

GarageLocationRoutesNotes
Egg Harbor1431 Doughty Road,
Egg Harbor 		313 (split with Washington Twp), 315 (split with Washington Twp), 316/510 (split with Newton Av, Washington Twp), 319 (split with Howell, Meadowlands), 501, 502, 504, 505, 507, 508, 509, 552, 553, 559
  • Newly built garage replaced the old Atlantic City, Inlet, and Wildwood Garages in 1998.
Hamilton Township
(NJ Transit Mercer, Inc.)		600 Sloan Avenue,
Hamilton 		600, 601, 603, 605, 606, 607, 608, 609, 610, 611, 612, 613, 619, 624
  • Newly built garage next to the NJT's Hamilton Train Station replaces the old Mercer Metro Garage on East State Street in Trenton in 1998.
Neptune Garage
(NJ Transit Mercer, Inc.)		830 Old Corlies Avenue,
Neptune City 		830, 831, 832, 834, 836, 837, 838
  • Garage and Routes originally Transdev until October 1, 2023. Transferred to New Jersey Transit after. [16]
Newton Avenue350 Newton Avenue,
Camden 		316/510 (split with Egg Harbor, Washington Twp), 317, 404, 405, 407, 409, 413, 414, 417, 418, 419, 450, 451, 452, 453, 455, 457
  • Newly built and expanded garage opened in 1994 replacing the old Camden garage on same site, as well as the Maple Shade and Riverside garages.
Washington Township6000 Black Horse Pike,
Turnersville 		313 (split with Egg Harbor), 315 (split with Egg Harbor), 316/510 (split with Egg Harbor, Newtown Av), 400, 401, 402, 403, 406, 408, 410, 412, 459, 463, 551, 554
  • Replaced the old Turnersville Garage on same site in 1990.

Contract operations

These companies operate service under contract to New Jersey Transit. Service is provided using New Jersey Transit-branded buses.

OperatorLocationRoutes
Community Coach 160 Route 17 North,
Paramus 		351, 353
Academy Bus Lines 600 S River St, Hackensack 702, 705, 707, 709, 722, 744, 746, 748, 751, 752, 753, 755, 756, 758, 762, 772, 780
Salem County Transit88 Industrial Park Road
Pennsville 		468
Suburban Trails 750 Somerset Street,
New Brunswick 		801, 802, 803, 804, 805, 810, 811, 813, 814, 815, 817, 818, 819, 822
Trans-Bridge Lines 2012 Industrial Drive,
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 		890, 891

See also

References

  1. 1 2 New Jersey Transit Facts at a Glance Archived September 6, 2015, at the Wayback Machine , Fiscal Year 2009
  2. ↑ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  3. ↑ "Public Service – History". davemackey.com. Archived from the original on June 16, 2013. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  4. ↑ Martin Waldron (September 18, 1980). "Jersey Acquires 2 Key Bus Lines For $32 Million; Byrne Describes Takeover as 'Truly Public Transit' Possible Rail Takeover 'Getting Rid of a Headache' Jersey Acquires Two Key Bus Lines". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved February 13, 2017.
  5. ↑ Bird, David (June 3, 1982). "End of the Line Drawing Near for Jersey's Somerset Bus Co". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved October 21, 2018.
  6. ↑ "History & Structure" Archived September 2, 2007, at the Wayback Machine , New Jersey Transit
  7. ↑ https://eu.northjersey.com/story/news/transportation/2023/09/28/struggling-nj-private-bus-lines-are-dropping-commuter-service-nj-transit-decamp-coach-ac/70930621007/
  8. ↑ https://eu.northjersey.com/story/news/transportation/2023/09/29/new-bus-schedules-newark-jersey-city-routes-nj-transit/71004902007/
  9. ↑ List of New Jersey Transit schedules Archived May 9, 2017, at the Wayback Machine
  10. ↑ NJ Transit trip planner
  11. ↑ New Jersey Transit Facts at a Glance (July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024) (PDF) (Report). New Jersey Transit. November 2024. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  12. ↑ New Jersey Transit garage locations Archived March 27, 2018, at the Wayback Machine
  13. ↑ "New Jersey Transit, Battery Electric Bus Garage Modernization | Burns Engineering" . Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  14. ↑ "NJ TRANSIT ADVANCES BUS GARAGE MODERNIZATION PROGRAM". NJ TRANSIT. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  15. ↑ "NJ Transit awards contract for design and modernization of Hilton Garage". Mass Transit. March 15, 2022. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  16. ↑ "NJT Board Meeting September 2023" (PDF). New Jersey Transit. September 14, 2023.
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