Westwood Area Will Have New Option For Getting Into Manhattan

WESTWOOD, NJ – Commuters in northern Bergen County now have a new option for getting in and out of New York City.

Hip, an app-based bus service, started offering weekday routes to Port Authority Bus Terminal from Montvale, Woodcliff Lake and Washington Township last month and plans to launch service from Hillsdale, Westwood, Emerson and Oradell on March 16.

On its website, Hip, a two-year-old company, said it aims to give riders "a more reliable, convenient and comfortable way to get to work and back every day."

According to Hip, commuters can book their ride from the app, track buses in real time and reserve seating. The 39-seat buses also come equipped with wireless internet, USB ports and outlets to charge phones and computers.

Click here for information about bus stops and tickets.

In a Facebook post announcing the new offering, Westwood Mayor Ray Arroyo said Hip will offer “a reliable, comfortable and modern alternative” for Manhattan-bound commuters and said the company has reported a 92% rider retention rate in nearby towns it services, which "indicates an overwhelmingly satisfied customer base."

Arroyo added that is "due in large part to their adherence to a strict scheduling while offering luxury comfort and modern utilities."

"There are no more than 10 stops along routes and buses are monitored remotely to adjust for delays and detours - all of which is communicated directly to passengers via text messages, thus amplifying the adherence to a strict schedule and rider transparency. There is one bus on standby for every 10 on the road should any need to be pulled out of service and individual buses are replaced every 3 years. The company is designed to grow as demand increases, projecting a rise from 42 current daily trips to 200+ daily by the end of the year," he also said.

In January, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey ended an agreement with Saddle River Tours to operate bus service to and from the George Washington Bridge station.

The agency cited "prolonged financial delinquencies, non-responsive communication and recent abandonment of service to commuters over the past two years" as why the operating agreement is ending with the Carlstadt-based carrier.

See More: Port Authority Eliminates Two GWB Bus Routes From Bergen County

Service advisories posted by the Port Authority over the last two years show routine cancellations of company's buses from the George Washington Bridge station.

Besides service issues, the Port Authority said Saddle River Tours failed to pay $57,000 in rent to operate in and out of the station. Coleman said he believes the Port Authority will "take whatever recourse possible" to try and recoup that money.

The 11C line ran from Spring Valley, NY to the GWB terminal and included stops in Montvale, Hillsdale, Oradell, New Milford, Englewood and Fort Lee. Route 20/84 started in Tappan, NY and served Northern Valley communities in Bergen County. The two routes combined served 200 customers each weekday, the agency said.

Those commuters now have the option of taking buses from Rockland Coach, which serves similar towns but offers service to Midtown Manhattan Port Authority Bus Terminal instead of the George Washington Bridge station.

The area is also serviced by NJ Transit's Pascack Valley line.