South Orange Debuts Free 'Loop' Bus for Senior Adults This Summer

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Senior adults in South Orange have a new way to get around the village — for free.

The South Orange Parking Authority, in partnership with South Orange Village and its Senior Citizen Advisory Committee, launched the Loop, a pilot "Hop On, Hop Off" shuttle service for senior adults, beginning today, Tuesday, June 9.

The free service runs Tuesdays only through August, following a fixed route with designated stops and scheduled pickup times between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. The full route takes approximately one hour, giving riders the flexibility to visit friends, shop locally, attend appointments, dine downtown, and access community destinations throughout the day.

As part of the pilot, the Village's existing Dial-a-Ride service will transition to the Loop on Tuesdays during the three-month trial period. Dial-a-Ride will continue to operate as usual Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

"We carefully reviewed ridership patterns before selecting Tuesdays for this pilot program to help minimize impacts to residents who regularly rely on Dial a Ride services," said Mark Hartwyk, executive director of the South Orange Parking Authority. "This pilot gives us an opportunity to explore a more flexible transportation option for senior adults while assessing future community needs."

Councilwoman Summer Jones said the program was a direct response to requests from the senior community. "We consistently hear from seniors that transportation is directly connected to independence, social engagement, and overall well being," Jones said. "We are excited to launch this service and learn from resident feedback as we continue evaluating transportation needs in South Orange."

Mayor Sheena Collum framed the pilot as part of a broader effort to expand mobility options across the village. "Residents have expressed interest in additional local shuttle services, and this pilot is an important step in evaluating how those transportation options could serve South Orange more broadly," Collum said.

Route information and maps are available at southorange.org/1061/Seniors. For more information, contact SOPA's senior service line at (973) 821-5866.

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