NJ Transit Bus Operations

NJ Transit Bus Operations is the bus division of NJ Transit, providing bus service throughout New Jersey along with service along with the Newark Light Rail service. Many of the agency's bus routes travel over state lines to New York City or Philadelphia. In 2023, the bus system had a ridership of 131,253,500.

NJ Transit Bus Operations (formerly Transport of New Jersey)

NJ Transit bus operates along Prospect Street in western Trenton.
Parent	NJ Transit
Founded	1980 (purchase of Transport of New Jersey)
Headquarters	Newark, New Jersey
Service area	New Jersey (statewide)
Service type	Local and commuter bus transit, Newark Light Rail
Routes	267 (See list below)
Stations	26 bus terminals, 19,500 bus stops, 17 light rail stations[1]
Fleet	3,052 buses, 696 leased to private operators 21 light rail vehicles[1]
Annual ridership	131,253,500 (2023)[2]
Operator	See operator list below
Chief executive	Kevin Corbett
Website	njtransit.com

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, Morris County operations were taken over under the subsidiary NJ Transit Morris, Inc.

NJ Transit Bus Operations owns, leases, or subleases over 3,000 buses,^[1] and many more have been purchased for community shuttles.

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^[7] or the trip planner.^[8]

• 1-99: Intrastate service originating from Newark, Jersey City, Hoboken, or Elizabeth.
• 100-199: Routes from central and northern New Jersey to New York City.
• 200-299: No routes with these numbers; a few existed in the 1980s but were soon renumbered.
• 300-399: Special-event and park services, school tripper services, park-and-ride services, long-distance suburban routes from Philadelphia, New York-Atlantic City express. Beginning in 2010, numbers in this series are also assigned to North Jersey intrastate routes formerly suffixed with an X.
• 400-449: Short-distance suburban routes in southwestern New Jersey and to Philadelphia.
• 450-499: Local routes within Camden, Gloucester, and Salem counties.
• 500-549: Local routes within Atlantic and Cape May counties.
• 550-599: Long-distance routes from Atlantic City serving points in southern New Jersey and Philadelphia.
• 600-699: Local routes within Mercer County.
• 700-799: Local routes within Passaic and Bergen counties not running to Newark.
• 800-880: Local routes within Middlesex, Monmouth, and Morris counties not running to Newark.
• Wheels Suburban Transportation Services (890 and up).

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

Fleet

Main article: NJ Transit bus fleet

Divisions, facilities, and operators

NJ Transit Bus Operations is divided into the Northern, Central, and Southern Divisions, and contract operations.^[9] Below is a list of all facilities and the buses housed in them.^[10]

Northern Division

The Northern Division consists of six garages.

Garage	Location	Routes	Notes
Fairview	419 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 Street	16 Market Street, Paterson	72, 74, 171, 175, 178, 182, 186, 703, 704, 712, 770
Meadowlands	2600 Penhorn Avenue, North Bergen	10 (with Greenville, Kearny Point), 22 (with Greenville), 23 (with Greenville), 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 Market St, 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.
Oradell	Marginal 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.
Westwood	180 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
Wayne	55 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.

Garage	Location	Routes	Notes
Big Tree	1 Washington Avenue, Nutley	1 (split with Hilton, Orange, Ironbound, Greenville),13 (split with Hilton), 27 (split with Hilton, Orange), 30, 40, 44, 76, 78, 99, 378	New garage opened in 1989 Built on same site after the old Big Tree Garage was demolished.
Greenville	53 Old Bergen Road Jersey City	1 (split with Hilton, Ironbound, Orange, Big Tree), 6, 10 (with Meadowlands, Kearny Point), 22 (with Meadowlands), 23 (with Meadowlands), 80, 81, 87, 119 (with Kearny Point, Meadowlands), 120, 126 (split with Hilton, Howell, Meadowlands, Ironbound)	New garage opened in 1998 Built on same site after the old Greenville Garage was demolished. Originally part of the Northern division until late 2023.
Hilton	1450 Springfield Avenue Maplewood	1 (split with Big Tree, Ironbound, Orange, Greenville), 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 same site after old Maplewood Garage was demolished.
Howell	1251 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	601 Doremus Ave, Newark	1 (split with Big Tree, Hilton, Orange, Greenville), 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, 126 (split with Greenville, Hilton, Howell, Meadowlands), 139 (split with Howell, Academy), 353 (split with Meadowlands, Oradell, Community Coach), 355 (split with Meadowlands), 356	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	677 Wilson Ave, Newark	2, 8, 9, 10 (shared with Greenville, Meadowlands), 14, 119 (Shared with Greenville, Meadowlands), 986	New Garage, which 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. It is 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.
Orange	420 Thomas Boulevard, Orange	1 (split with Ironbound, Hilton, Big Tree, Greenville) 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 same site after old Orange Garage was demolished, replaced Roseville and Lake St. Garages

Southern Division

The Southern Division consists of five garages.

Garage	Location	Routes	Notes
Egg Harbor	1431 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.[11]
Newton Avenue	350 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 Township	6000 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.

Operator	Location	Routes
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 Transit	88 Industrial Park Road Pennsville	468
Suburban Trails	750 Somerset Street, New Brunswick	100, 200, 300, 400, 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

• NJ Transit Rail Operations

References

1. New Jersey Transit Facts at a Glance Archived 2015-09-06 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 2013-06-16. Retrieved 2015-09-25.
4. Martin Waldron (1980-09-18). "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 2017-02-13.
5. Bird, David (1982-06-03). "End of the Line Drawing Near for Jersey's Somerset Bus Co". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2018-10-21.
6. "History & Structure" Archived 2007-09-02 at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey Transit
7. List of New Jersey Transit schedules Archived 2017-05-09 at the Wayback Machine
8. NJ Transit trip planner
9. New Jersey Transit garage locations Archived 2018-03-27 at the Wayback Machine
10. "NJ Transit Bus Fan Page – Garages". davemackey.com. Archived from the original on 2013-10-09. Retrieved 2015-09-25.
11. "NJT Board Meeting September 2023" (PDF). New Jersey Transit. 2023-09-14.

External links

• New Jersey Transit official website
• Unofficial New Jersey Transit fan page
• Unofficial New Jersey Transit bus map