NJ Transit, DeCamp Bus Update: Emergency Route Schedules Released

NEW JERSEY — In less than a week, DeCamp Bus Lines will end commuter service from North Jersey to New York City. But for now, there’s an emergency plan that will help most of its riders find another way to get across the Hudson River, NJ Transit says.

On Tuesday, the agency released schedules, towns, times and other information for its “DeCamp Alternative” emergency routes. They are being rolled out in response to service cuts that will take effect on April 8.

DeCamp is the oldest privately owned and operated bus company in New Jersey (read more about its history here). The company is headquartered in Montclair, and has routes in West Caldwell, Roseland, West Orange, Clifton, Bloomfield, Newark, Belleville, Harrison, Kearny, North Arlington, Lyndhurst, Rutherford, Caldwell and Verona.

• Read More: End Of An Era For DeCamp Bus: NJ Company Stopping NYC Routes
• Read More: DeCamp Bus Is Stopping NYC Trips; Officials Look To NJ Transit

According to NJ Transit, it will be extending four existing bus routes starting on Monday, April 10: the 191, 192, 195 and 199. The expansion will accommodate about 85 percent of DeCamp’s current weekday customers.

Many of the remaining customers will be accommodated with existing bus, rail and light rail service, as well as local municipal bus shuttles in West Orange and Bloomfield, NJ Transit stated.

The agency has launched a webpage with information about the emergency routes, which can be seen here.

“It is important to note that this emergency service plan will only include weekday peak periods for the four modified bus routes and will not duplicate the current DeCamp routes in their entirety, though the variants will mirror many portions of the current routes,” NJ Transit stated.

Your best bet during weekends and off-peak weekdays? Check NJ Transit’s existing schedule and routes, the agency advised (see list below).

NJ Transit said it continues to keep an eye on ridership demand and could potentially make adjustments to the plan in June “if warranted and resources allow.”

Here’s what you need to know if you’re planning on taking a ride to work with NJ Transit.

SCHEDULES, ROUTES, FARES

The four NJ Transit bus routes that have been modified will be denoted with a “D” next to the route number. They will depart from Gate 208 in the Port Authority Bus Terminal.

View a map of the service area below, or see an interactive online version here.

Routes are as follows:

191D – Provides alternate service for DeCamp’s Route 66 customers in West Orange and Montclair.

• Morning Peak: First trip departs Mississippi Loop at 5:55 a.m.; Last trip departs Mississippi Loop at 8:25 a.m.
• Afternoon/Evening Peak to Mississippi Loop: First trip departs PABT at 4:15 p.m.; Last trip departs PABT at 7:45 p.m. Trips will depart from Door 2.

192D – Provides alternate service for DeCamp’s Route 33 customers in Bloomfield

• Morning Peak: First trip departs Broad & Liberty Street at 5:50 a.m.; Last trip departs Broad & Liberty Street at 8:50 a.m.
• Afternoon/Evening Peak to Broad & Liberty St.: First trip departs PABT at 4:15 p.m.; Last trip departs PABT at 8:00 p.m. Trips will depart from Door 1.

195D – Provides alternate service for DeCamp’s Route 33 customers in West Caldwell, Caldwell and Verona.

• Morning Peak: First trip departs Kirkpatrick Lane in West Caldwell at 5:25 a.m.; Last trip departs Kirkpatrick Lane in West Caldwell at 8:25 a.m.
• Afternoon/Evening Peak to Kirkpatrick Lane: First trip departs PABT at 4:30 p.m.; Last trip departs PABT at 7:30 p.m. Trips will depart from Door 3.

199D – Provides alternate service for DeCamp’s Route 44 customers in Newark, Belleville, North Arlington & Lyndhurst.

• Morning Peak: First trip departs Heller Parkway & Mt. Prospect Avenue at 5:38 a.m.; Last trip departs Heller Parkway & Mt. Prospect Avenue at 8:38 a.m.
• Afternoon/Evening Peak to Heller Parkway & Mt. Prospect Avenue: First trip departs PABT at 4:30 p.m.; Last trip departs PABT at 8:00 p.m. Trips will depart from Door 4.

LOCAL SHUTTLE BUSES

Commuters in Bloomfield and West Orange may also want to check out their local shuttle bus services, NJ Transit advised, offering the following information about each:

BLOOMFIELD – “The Bloomfield Shuttle Bus is designed to pick up resident commuters along a fixed route and transport them to the Bloomfield Station located on Lackawanna Place. The Bloomfield Station is a stop on NJ Transit’s Montclair-Boonton Line, which enables commuters a direct trip to many destinations such as Hoboken and New York.”

WEST ORANGE – “West Orange provides free jitney service to three different NJ Transit train stations. The NJ Transit Midtown-Direct train line is only minutes away, bringing riders straight to New York’s Penn Station. The town provides free jitney service to Orange, South Orange, and Brick Church stations.”

Officials in both towns have also pointed to the shuttle bus as a possible way to ease the commuting pain when DeCamp stops making New York City runs.

• See Related: Bloomfield Pulls Plug On Shuttle Bus Expansion Plan
• See Related: West Orange Jitney May Help Bridge Gap Left By DeCamp

PATH, OTHER NEARBY NJ TRANSIT SERVICES

In addition to the DeCamp Alternative emergency routes, there are also other nearby NJ Transit services that may help local commuters. They include:

Bus routes/Park and Rides

• Allwood Park and Ride
• Clifton Commons Park and Ride
• Willowbrook Park and Ride
• Wayne Transit Center
• NJT Bus Nos. 11, 28, 29 and go28 to Newark Light Rail and Broad St. Station
• NJT Bus Nos.13 and 27 to Broad St. Station
• NJT Bus Nos. 40 and 76 to Newark Penn Station and PATH
• NJT Bus Nos. 21, 71, 73 and 79 to Newark Penn Station and PATH
• NJT Bus No. 72 to Newark Penn Station and PATH
• NJT Bus No. 191 line via Montclair Heights/MSU
• NJT Bus No. 709 to Bloomfield Station

Rail

The Montclair-Boonton Line offers service at the following stations in this area:

• Wayne Route 23
• Little Falls
• Montclair State University
• Montclair Heights
• Mountain Ave.
• Upper Montclair
• Watchung Ave.
• Walnut Street
• Bay Street
• Glen Ridge
• Bloomfield
• Watsessing
• Newark Broad St.

The Main Line offers service at the following stations in this area:

• Paterson
• Clifton
• Passaic
• Delawanna
• Lyndhurst
• Kingsland
• Secaucus Junction

The Bergen County Line offers service at the following stations in this area:

• Radburn (Fair Lawn)
• Broadway (Fair Lawn)
• Plauderville
• Garfield
• Wesmont
• Rutherford
• Secaucus Junction

Light Rail

The Newark Light Rail offers service at the following stations in this area:

• Grove St.
• Silver Lake
• Branch Brook Park
• Davenport Ave.
• Bloomfield Ave.
• Park Ave.

In addition, PATH train service via the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is also available at Newark Penn Station and Harrison, which is accessible by using connecting rail service at Broad Street in Newark, and various connecting bus routes.

NJ Transit said that starting on April 4, it will station customer service ambassadors at the Port Authority Bus Terminal who can give DeCamp riders information about their options.

“It is critical that NJ Transit provide safe and reliable transportation options for those who depend on it every day,” New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner and NJ Transit Board Chair Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti said.

“I’m grateful to the staff at NJ Transit for their tireless efforts to assemble this emergency plan to ensure these customers have as many options as possible,” Gutierrez-Scaccetti said.

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