# NJ Transit Bus Operations

NJ Transit Bus Operations is the bus division of NJ Transit, providing local and commuter bus service throughout New Jersey and adjacent areas of New York State (Manhattan in New York City, Rockland County, and Orange County) and Pennsylvania (Philadelphia and the Lehigh Valley). It operates its own lines as well as contracts others to private carriers. In 2024, the bus system had a ridership of 143,957,400.

## History

Prior to 1948, most public transportation in New Jersey was provided by the Public Service Corporation of New Jersey, a utility company that also operated the Public Service Railway division. In 1948, the Public Service Corporation was divided into two entities: the Public Service Electric and Gas Company, which inherited the utility operations, and the Public Service Coordinated Transportation Company (PSCT), which inherited the transit operations. PSCT provided service throughout New Jersey, originally using trolleys and then transitioning to trolley buses, and buses. During the 1970s, the New Jersey Department of Transportation began funding the routes of Public Service, now renamed Transport of New Jersey (TNJ), contracting with TNJ and other companies to operate local bus service throughout New Jersey.
NJ Transit came into being as the result of the New Jersey Public Transportation Act of 1979 to "acquire, operate, and contract for transportation services in the public interest". NJ Transit Bus Operations came into being the following year, when it acquired Transport of New Jersey from PSE&G. Other purchases and buyouts in the 1980s expanded the bus division of NJ Transit, including the assumption of service for Somerset Bus Company in 1982 and the acquisition of the Atlantic City Transportation Company in 1987. In 1992 NJ Transit Mercer, Inc., which was the successor to the former "Mercer Metro" operation in the Trenton and Princeton areas, was folded into NJ Transit Bus Operations. In 2010, PABCO Transit (Passaic-Athenia Bus) taken over under the subsidiary NJ Transit Morris, Inc.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic in New Jersey numerous private carriers went out of business and NJ Transit took over many of their routes, including those of Olympia Trails subsidiaries (ONE Bus, Red & Tan in Hudson County), A&C Bus Corporation, DeCamp Bus Lines, and Transdev.

## Routes

Routes are numbered by where they operate in the state of New Jersey, however, there are a few exceptions to the general rule due to subsequent changes to some routes operating in Central and North Jersey. Fare and route can also be further elucidated on some of the individual route schedules or the trip planner.
* 1-99: Intrastate service originating from Newark, Jersey City, Hoboken, or Elizabeth.
* 100-199: Routes from central and northern New Jersey to New York City.
* 200-299: No routes with these numbers; a few existed in the 1980s but were soon renumbered.
* 300-399: Special-event and park services, school tripper services, park-and-ride services, long-distance suburban routes from Philadelphia, New York-Atlantic City express. Beginning in 2010, numbers in this series are also assigned to North Jersey intrastate routes formerly suffixed with an X.
* 400-449: Short-distance suburban routes in southwestern New Jersey and to Philadelphia.
* 450-499: Local routes within Camden, Gloucester, and Salem counties.
* 500-549: Local routes within Atlantic and Cape May counties.
* 550-599: Long-distance routes from Atlantic City serving points in southern New Jersey and Philadelphia.
* 600-699: Local routes within Mercer County.
* 700-799: Local routes within Passaic and Bergen counties not running to Newark.
* 800-880: Local routes within Middlesex, Monmouth, and Morris counties not running to Newark.
* Wheels Suburban Transportation Services (890 and up).
In most cases, routes retain the same numbers they had under the Public Service/Transport of New Jersey umbrella.

## Fleet

As of 2024 NJ Transit had over 2800 buses, including 147 compressed natural gas (CNG) byuses and 12 hybrid electric buses, as well as community shuttles.

## Divisions and facilities

NJ Transit Bus Operations is divided into the Northern, Central, and Southern Divisions, and contract operations.

### Northern Division

The Northern Division consists of six garages.
| Garage | Location | Routes | Notes |
| Fairview | 419 Anderson Avenue, Fairview | 128 (split with Meadowlands, Howell), 153, 154, 156 (split with Meadowlands), 158 (split with Meadowlands), 159 (split with Meadowlands), 181 (split with Meadowlands, Oradell), 321 (split with Howell, Meadowlands), 351 (split with Meadowlands, Community Coach) | |
| Market Street | 16 Market Street, Paterson | 72, 74, 171, 175, 178, 182, 186, 703, 704, 712, 770 | |
| Meadowlands | 2600 Penhorn Avenue, North Bergen | 10 (with Greenville, Kearny Point), 22, 23, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 88, 89, 119 (with Greenville, Kearny Point), 121, 122 (split with Wayne), 123, 124, 125, 126 (split with Greenville, Hilton, Howell, Ironbound), 127, 128 (split with Fairview, Howell), 129, 139 (split with Howell, Ironbound, Academy), 156 (split with Fairview, Market Street), 159 (split with Fairview, Market Street), 166 (split with Oradell), 167 (split with Oradell), 177 (split with Oradell), 181 (split with Fairview, Oradell), 188, 190 (split with Wayne), 319 (split with Egg Harbor, Howell), 320, 321, 329, 351 (split with Fairview, Community Coach), 353 (split with Ironbound, Oradell, Community Coach), 355 (split with Ironbound) | Newly built garage replaced the old Union City Garage in 1993. |
| Oradell | Marginal Rd, Oradell | 144, 155 (split with Westwood), 157 (split with Westwood), 162, 163, 164 (split with Wayne), 165 (split with Westwood), 166 (split with Meadowlands), 167 (split with Meadowlands, Westwood), 168, 177 (split with Meadowlands, Westwood), 181 (split with Fairview, Meadowlands), 353 (split with Ironbound, Meadowlands, Community Coach), 364 | Replaced the old Bergenfield and Hackensack Garages in 1962. |
| Westwood | 180 Old Hook Road, Westwood | 155, 157, 165, 167, 168, 177 (all shared with Oradell and Meadowlands) | •Former Coach USA Rockland Coaches garage •Bought by NJT in 2022, to relieve congestion in Oradell • Service began for this garage on September 3, 2022 |
| Wayne | 55 West Belt Parkway, Wayne | 101, 105, 122 (split with Meadowlands), 145, 148, 151, 160, 161, 164 (split with Oradell) 190 (split with Meadowlands), 191, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196, 197, 198, 199, 324 | Newly built garage that replaced the old Madison Ave garage in Paterson and the Warwick Garage in Warwick, New York in 1998. |

### Central Division

The Central Division consists of eight garages and one light rail operations facility.
| Garage | Location | Routes | Notes |
| Big Tree | 1 Washington Avenue, Nutley | 1 (split with Hilton, Orange, Ironbound),13 (split with Hilton), 27 (split with Hilton, Orange), 30, 40, 44, 76, 78, 99, 378 | New garage opened in 1989 Built on the same site after the old Big Tree Garage was demolished. |
| Greenville | 53 Old Bergen Road Jersey City | 6, 10 (with Meadowlands, Kearny Point), 80, 81, 87, 119 (with Kearny Point, Meadowlands), 120, 126 (split with Hilton, Howell, Meadowlands, Ironbound) | New garage opened in 1998 Built on the same site after the old Greenville Garage was demolished. Originally part of the Northern division until late 2023. |
| Hilton | 1450 Springfield Avenue Maplewood | 1 (split with Big Tree, Ironbound, Orange), 13 (split with Big Tree), 24 (Split with Ironbound, Orange), 25, 26, 27 (split with Big Tree, Orange), 31, 37, 39, 52, 70, 90, 107, 108, 126 (split with Greenville, Howell, Ironbound, Meadowlands), 250 (go25), 361, 375 | New garage opened in 1989, built on the same site after old Maplewood Garage was demolished. Upgraded and electrification planned for 2025. |
| Howell | 1251 U.S. 9, Howell Township Howell | 63, 64, 67, 68, 126 (split with Greenville, Hilton, Ironbound, Meadowlands), 128 (split with Meadowlands, Fairview), 130 (split with Academy), 131, 132, 133, 135, 136 (split with Academy), 137, 138, 139 (split with Academy, Ironbound, Meadowlands), 307, 319 (split with Egg Harbor, Meadowlands) | Newly built garage that replaced the old garages in Lakewood and Old Bridge in 1985. |
| Ironbound/Kearny Point | 601 Doremus Ave, Newark & 677 Wilson Ave, Newark | 1 (Split with Big Tree, Hilton, Orange), 2, 8, 9, 10 (Split with Greenville, Meadowlands), 24 (Split with Hilton, Orange), 48, 56, 57, 58, 59, 62, 65, 66, 102, 109, 111, 112, 113 (Split with Howell), 114, 115, 116 (split with Howell), 117, 119 (Split with Greenville, Meadowlands), 126 (Split with Greenville, Hilton, Howell, Meadowlands), 139 (split with Howell, Academy), 353 (Split with Meadowlands, Oradell, Community Coach), 355 (Split with Meadowlands), 356, 986 | Newly built garage and main shop complex replacing the old garages in Newark at Ferry Street Shops and Lake Street Shops, and the old Elizabeth garage in 1997. Located next to Kearny Point Garage. Kearny Point, opened on August 17, 2024. Formerly an abandoned factory, it was made into a garage for NJT when CoachUSA's ONE Bus stopped operations in 2024. Located next to Ironbound Garage |
| Morris (NJ Transit Morris, Inc.) | 34 Richboynton Road Dover | 871, 872, 873, 874, 875, 878, 880 | |
| Newark Light Rail | Grove Street station Bloomfield | Newark Light Rail Newark Penn Station | Originally used for storage and maintenance until the Grove Street extension in June 2002, where a new shop and yard complex were opened. |
| Orange | 420 Thomas Boulevard, Orange | 1 (split with Ironbound, Hilton, Big Tree) 5, 11, 21, 24 (split with Ironbound, Hilton), 27 (split with Big Tree, Hilton), 28, 29, 31, 34, 41, 71, 73, 79, 92, 94, 96, 97, 258 (go28), 372 | New garage opened in 1988 Built on the same site after the old Orange Garage was demolished, replaced Roseville and Lake St. Garages |

### Southern Division

The Southern Division consists of five garages.
| Garage | Location | Routes | Notes |
| Egg Harbor | 1431 Doughty Road, Egg Harbor | 313 (split with Washington Twp), 315 (split with Washington Twp), 316/510 (split with Newton Av, Washington Twp), 319 (split with Howell, Meadowlands), 501, 502, 504, 505, 507, 508, 509, 552, 553, 559 | Newly built garage replaced the old Atlantic City, Inlet, and Wildwood Garages in 1998. |
| Hamilton Township (NJ Transit Mercer, Inc.) | 600 Sloan Avenue, Hamilton | 600, 601, 603, 605, 606, 607, 608, 609, 610, 611, 612, 613, 619, 624 | Newly built garage next to the NJT's Hamilton Train Station replaces the old Mercer Metro Garage on East State Street in Trenton in 1998. |
| Neptune Garage (NJ Transit Mercer, Inc.) | 830 Old Corlies Avenue, Neptune City | 830, 831, 832, 834, 836, 837, 838 | Garage and Routes originally Transdev until October 1, 2023. Transferred to New Jersey Transit after. |
| Newton Avenue | 350 Newton Avenue, Camden | 316/510 (split with Egg Harbor, Washington Twp), 317, 404, 405, 407, 409, 413, 414, 417, 418, 419, 450, 451, 452, 453, 455, 457 | Newly built and expanded garage opened in 1994 replacing the old Camden garage on same site, as well as the Maple Shade and Riverside garages. |
| Washington Township | 6000 Black Horse Pike, Turnersville | 313 (split with Egg Harbor), 315 (split with Egg Harbor), 316/510 (split with Egg Harbor, Newtown Av), 400, 401, 402, 403, 406, 408, 410, 412, 459, 463, 551, 554 | Replaced the old Turnersville Garage on same site in 1990. |

## Contract operations

These companies operate service under contract to New Jersey Transit. Service is provided using New Jersey Transit-branded buses.
| Operator | Location | Routes |
| Community Coach | 160 Route 17 North, Paramus | 351, 353 |
| Academy Bus Lines | 600 S River St, Hackensack | 702, 705, 707, 709, 722, 744, 746, 748, 751, 752, 753, 755, 756, 758, 762, 772, 780 |
| Salem County Transit | 88 Industrial Park Road Pennsville | 468 |
| Suburban Trails | 750 Somerset Street, New Brunswick | 801, 802, 803, 804, 805, 810, 811, 813, 814, 815, 817, 818, 819, 822 |
| Trans-Bridge Lines | 2012 Industrial Drive, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania | 890, 891 |