More NJ Transit Buses Coming To Essex, Hudson, Bergen

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Tired of standing-room-only rides back from work? NJ Transit just got $17.27 million in federal bucks to buy a fleet of new buses, which will hopefully ease the pain for thousands of frustrated commuters in Essex, Hudson and Bergen counties, officials announced Friday.

NJ Transit will use the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) funding to purchase up to 25 new, 60-foot articulated buses that will help cope with growing ridership in North Jersey.

The new buses will find homes at three depots that already have the equipment needed to maintain the larger vehicles: the Hilton Bus Garage in Maplewood, the Big Tree Bus Garage in Nutley and the Fairview Bus Garage.

The new fleet will join an incoming roster of 183 new cruiser buses and 85 new articulated buses already scheduled to arrive next year. According to NJ Transit, the new vehicles, combined with the hiring of 650 new bus operators since 2018, will result in nearly 2,000 more passenger trips each weekday.

In particular, the new vehicles may help to deal with rush hour crunches in Essex, Hudson and Bergen counties, officials said.

• See related article: Port Authority Wants To Beef Up Bus Capacity At Lincoln Tunnel

U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez and U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill praised the funding in a joint statement.

“Many of the bus lines that service Bergen, Essex and Hudson Counties are already overcapacity, often at standing-room-only for riders. According to a NJ Transit study, on a single day in May 2018, more than 34 percent of the total NJ Transit bus trips on the routes from these communities into the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan were at full- or overcapacity, denying thousands of passengers a seat during their commute.”

Menendez said the new fleet will have a “real impact” for commuters in North Jersey.

“With larger buses, fewer riders will be stuck out in the cold, waiting for a bus or watching full ones pass them by,” Menendez said. “They’ll also be more likely to get a seat than endure their entire commute standing up.”

“Newer, better buses mean fewer breakdowns and delays for workers, students, and parents trying to get home to their families at the end of a long day,” Menendez continued. “And fewer delays and smoother rides mean an even greater incentive for New Jerseyans to leave their cars at home and rely on mass transit.”

According to Sherrill, the new buses will be a boon for more than half a million New Jersey residents who ride NJ Transit buses each week.

“This announcement represents a critical federal investment in our transit system, and will improve the quality of life for residents in my community,” said Sherrill, who represents the state’s 11th Congressional district (Essex, Morris, Passaic and Sussex counties).

NJ Transit President and CEO Kevin Corbett said that out of more than 300 nationwide applications for the funds, NJ Transit was one of only seven applicants to receive the highest award.

The grant is being funded through the USDOT’s Bus and Bus Facilities Discretionary program, one of the transit programs that fall under the jurisdiction of the Housing, Transportation and Community Development subcommittee.

Other New Jersey elected officials applauded the federal funding.

U.S. Senator Cory Booker – “New Jersey’s transit systems serve as vital arteries for our entire region that are critical for keeping commuters and our economy moving. Strategic federal investments in our state’s bus system will put time back in the hands of residents while creating jobs and strengthening our neighborhoods. I am committed to continuing to secure the funding New Jersey needs to modernize our transit system across the state and improve service for our commuters.”

U.S. Rep. Albio Sires (District 8) – “One of my most important responsibilities as a member of Congress is to ensure that our communities have the resources they need to maintain or upgrade their infrastructure. This $17.27 million grant award will go a long way towards helping NJ Transit finance the expansion of North Jersey’s important public transportation network.”

U.S. Rep. Donald Payne Jr. (District 10) – “I am delighted to hear about the $17 million grant awarded to the New Jersey Transit System for improved commuter bus service in Bergen, Essex and Hudson Counties. This grant will help upgrade buses, add more bus routes and hire more bus drivers. As a member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, I am always looking for ways to make it easier for my constituents and all Americans to get to work and around their neighborhoods. Public transportation is a right that we need to support in every way possible.”

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