Newark Councilman Hands Out Free Bus Tickets For ‘Emergency Routes’

NEWARK, NJ — A Newark council member took to the streets earlier this week to hand out free bus tickets – and updated schedules – in an effort to raise awareness about NJ Transit’s emergency routes for jilted Coach USA riders.

Coach USA recently announced that it is pulling the plug on three of its New Jersey routes – the 24, 31 and 44. The changes took effect on Sunday.

The routes run through Orange, Newark and Elizabeth (ONE), as well as South Orange and East Orange. Stops include a Veterans Affairs hospital, Newark Penn Station, the Orange Train Station, University Hospital, South Orange center, the Jersey Gardens mall and the Elizabeth seaport, as well as stops near Rutgers, New Jersey Institute of Technology and Essex County College.

• See Related: Coach Drops 3 North Jersey Bus Routes, Leaving Riders Fuming
• See Related: Public Outcry Continues In Essex County As Coach Ends 3 Bus Routes

Meanwhile, NJ Transit has created an “emergency plan” for Coach USA riders, which includes new routes in the area previously serviced by the 24, 31 and 44 routes. The emergency routes launched this week. Learn more here.

• See Related: NJ Transit Has 'Emergency Bus Plan' For Stranded Coach, A&C Riders

To help publicize NJ Transit’s emergency routes, Councilman Patrick Council took to the streets of the South Ward on Monday, handing out free bus tickets, coffee, juice and pastries to commuters.

He also distributed NJ Transit bus schedules for the three new lines that have picked up the slack in the wake of Coach’s departure:

New NJ TRANSIT #24 Line

• Serves the Central Avenue Corridor in Orange, East Orange, and Newark, and the Frelinghuysen Avenue/Newark Avenue Corridor in Newark and Elizabeth. Also serves East Jersey Street and Elizabeth Avenue, Elizabeth as well as Jersey Gardens. Provides service to Downtown Newark, Orange, and Elizabeth, and connections to NJT rail at Elizabeth, Orange, and Brick Church.
• Weekday 5:00 AM – 2:14 AM with service every 20 minutes, AM and PM peak, and Mid-day and every 30 minutes evenings and late night.
• Saturday 5:00 AM – 1:35 AM with service every 20 minutes mid-day, every 30 minutes early AM, evening and late night.
• Sunday 5:15 AM – 1:21 AM with service every 30 minutes, all day.

New NJ TRANSIT #31 Line

• Serves the South Orange Avenue Corridor from downtown South Orange, at the rail station, to Springfield Avenue in Newark, and continues to Penn Station, via Market Street, providing multi-modal connections.
• Weekday 5:00 AM – 1:53 AM with hourly service from South Orange and every 20 minutes AM and PM peak from South Orange Avenue/Dover Street Loop , and every 30 minutes off-peak, evenings and late night.
• Saturday 5:00 AM – 1:22 AM with hourly service from South Orange and every 30 minutes from Dover Street Loop.
• Sunday: 5:00 AM – 1:31 AM with service every 45 minutes in the mid-day from South Orange, and every 60 minutes early morning, evening and late night. All service operates South Orange – Newark Penn on Sunday.

New NJ TRANSIT #44 Line

• Connects Newark Penn Station with downtown Orange at the Orange Rail Station for multi-modal connectivity. Provides service to the Veteran’s Hospital in East Orange. Serves Tremont Avenue, Rhode Island Avenue, Freeman Avenue, and Central Avenue in Orange, East Orange, and Newark.
• Weekday 5:00 AM – 12:28 AM with hourly service all day.
• Saturday 6:00 AM – 12:27 AM with hourly service all day.
• Sunday: 6:30 AM – 12:52 AM with service every 80 minutes all day.

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