NJ Bus Companies Could Face New Rules If They Plan To Cut Routes

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — It hasn’t been a smooth ride for commuter bus passengers in New Jersey lately.

Over the past few years, four private bus companies have ended or discontinued bus routes in the Garden State: A&C, DeCamp, Coach USA and TransDev. Advocates say the news came as a shock to many riders, who were caught unaware and left in the lurch as they scrambled to find new ways to get to work or other important destinations.

That shouldn’t be the case, several state lawmakers say.

Earlier this week, the Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee advanced a proposed law that would force private bus operators to give customers and government officials a heads up when they plan to “substantially curtail” bus service in New Jersey. Read the full text here.

A companion bill, S-2607, recently passed a vote in the New Jersey Senate. See Related: Don’t Ambush Bus Riders With Abrupt Service Cuts, NJ Senator Says

If it crosses the finish line, A-3872 would require private bus companies to provide at least four months' written notice to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (NJMVC) and NJ Transit, as well as three months' written notice to the general public.

Under the bill, a bus service operator would also be required to hold at least one public meeting in the affected areas within 15 days after providing notice of the change. Prior to holding the meeting, the company would have to provide written notice to the NJMVC and NJ Transit, as well as any relevant state, county and local elected officials.

A company that violates the law would face fines up to $10,000 per offense.

The canceled routes impacted several regions of New Jersey, according to a joint statement from the bill’s sponsors:

“Until recently, A&C Bus Corp in Jersey City and Bayonne, DeCamp Bus in Essex County, Coach USA in Newark, the Oranges and Elizabeth, and TransDev in Monmouth County were among the providers. However, without warning to riders or NJ Transit, all four companies discontinued their bus routes in 2023 … To prevent the growth of transit deserts in dense public-transit-dependent parts of the state, NJ Transit announced it would take over the former routes of Coach USA and A&C Bus Corp while also expanding service and hours. NJ Transit began direct service on these routes in October 2023.”

“Newark, as many municipalities in New Jersey, is a commuter city – our residents depend on the reliability of our public transportation systems,” said Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor Marin (NJ-29).

“When services were unexpectedly disrupted last year, it led to displacement, frustration, and unanticipated costs,” Pintor Marin said. “By advancing this legislation, we’re aiming to keep private bus operators accountable to the people and the state they serve.”

Assemblyman Clinton Calabrese (NJ-36), who chairs the Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee, said it was “devastating” to hear about the service cuts happening across the state.

Assemblywoman Shanique Speight (NJ-29) agreed.

“Numerous Essex County residents rely on mass transit, particularly their bus routes, as their primary mode of transportation – to get to work, to see a doctor, to go to school, or to go to the store,” Speight said.

“In addition to causing unnecessary headaches for commuters, abruptly halting lines that New Jerseyans have come to depend has lasting financial and economic implications for these individuals,” she added. “We have a duty as legislators to make sure this does not happen again without warning.”

• See Related: NJ Transit Has 'Emergency Bus Plan' For Stranded Coach, A&C Riders
• See Related: Public Outcry Continues In Essex County As Coach Ends 3 Bus Routes
• See Related: End Of An Era For DeCamp Bus: NJ Company Stopping NYC Routes

PETITION: ‘A TRANSIT DESERT’

Commuters in Essex County continue to sound off about the need for more bus and train routes in the meanwhile, voicing their frustrations in an online petition that hundreds of people have signed.

According to the Change.org petition – which is titled “Restore Weekend Bus and Train Service in Essex County, NJ”:

“On April 7, 2023, the last DeCamp buses ran between Port Authority and towns in Essex County. With this change, we are now left without convenient transportation to New York City on the weekends. In addition, the Montclair-Boonton line of NJ Transit only runs 1 train set every 2 hours that terminates at Bay Street. As a result, thousands of local residents who lived convenient to mass transit for either work or play now find themselves in a transit desert.

“Since DeCamp is no longer supplying commuter service, NJ Transit needs to step up and serve the citizens of Essex County. We are simply asking for NJ Transit to utilize existing infrastructure and restore what the community once had.

“This is the appropriate time to act because the residents of Essex County have few local options for mass transit with circumstances soon to change. Congestion pricing is slated to start in New York City in June 2024, adding $15 to every private car trip. In addition, Amtrak plans to utilize the Montclair-Boonton line for daily train service to the Poconos and Scranton, leading to additional upgrades on the line and an opportunity to take advantage of this once in a generation change.

“We, the citizens of Essex County, call on our local governments, the State of New Jersey, NJ Transit, and the federal government to provide funding for the following”:

• Regularly-scheduled, 7-day bus service to Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City that mirrors the former DeCamp 33, 44, and 66 bus routes
• Hourly weekend train service on the Montclair-Boonton line running to at least Montclair State University

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.