Livingston Express Shuttle Will Change Schedule As ‘Summer Of Hell’ Ends

LIVINGSTON, NJ — As the Amtrak train track repairs at New York Penn Station wind down and the surprisingly mild “Summer of Hell” winds to a close, the schedule changes at NJ Transit are trickling down to Livingston.

Livingston town officials have announced that effective Tuesday, Sept. 5, the Livingston Express Shuttle will resume its normal schedule between the Livingston Mall and South Orange Train Station.

Don’t forget to visit the Patch Livingston Facebook page here.

The shuttle schedule change will coincide with NJ Transit’s resumption of Midtown Direct service to New York Penn Station.

• See related article: Full NYPS Rail Service To Resume As 'Summer Of Hell' Ends

“The shuttle remains the community’s most economical and flexible solution to travel to and from NYC during rush hour,” Livingston officials said. “It is approximately a one-hour trip to NYC from the time a person steps onto the shuttle.”

“The shuttle service came out of the town’s 20/20 Task Force and is helping residents get to and from their jobs,” shuttle manager Alan Karpas said. “The shuttle offers six different pick-ups in the morning and nine pick-ups in the afternoon. In addition to being flexible on time, the shuttle is cheaper than the bus or driving to Harrison and taking the PATH. ”

The shuttle costs $2 to ride each way (or $70/month) and is cheaper than parking in South Orange ($5/day), where daily commuter parking is at a premium and there is a five-plus year wait for monthly parking permits. NJ Transit’s monthly pass from South Orange costs $210, for a total of $280. Community Coach bus tickets for a month cost $345.40 and OurBus costs $295 per month. Commuting costs from the PATH Station in Harrison average $259 plus gas and mileage. Unlike the West Orange Arena, the South Orange train station, or the Harrison Path Station, parking at the mall is free.

The shuttle’s schedule is posted on www.livingstonexpressshuttle.org. The shuttle operates between 6 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. and then from 4:00 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. It is tied to the Midtown Direct train schedule. The shuttle picks-up passengers in the section of the Livingston Mall parking lot, behind Macy’s, that is closest to the corner of Walnut Street and Eisenhower Parkway.

END OF THE SUMMER OF HELL

Last week, NJ Transit officials have announced that the agency will restore full rail service at New York Penn Station starting on Tuesday, Sept. 5.

Now that phase one of Amtrak’s track renewal project at New York Penn Station (NYPS) is complete, all Morris & Essex Lines (M&E) Midtown Direct trains will resume service to and from PSNY and will no longer be diverted to Hoboken, NJ Transit announced Thursday afternoon.

North Jersey Coast Line trains will resume operating into Hoboken Terminal, NJ Transit stated.

“With the anticipated resumption of full service at NYPS, NJ Transit’s alternate travel options, discounted fares and cross-honoring will conclude,” the agency stated.

Morning peak-period express buses from Morristown, Madison, Summit, Maplewood, South Orange and Newark Broad Street to the Port Authority Bus Terminal will no longer operate. Cross-honoring with private bus carriers, PATH and NY Waterway will end on Saturday, Sept. 2 at 3 a.m.

Send local news tips, photos and press releases to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Photo: Eric Kiefer

Patch is partnering with WNYC to get your voice heard. Sign up for the We The Commuters project here.