Rutgers Campus Buses

Rutgers Campus Buses are a zero-fare bus service used by students at the New Brunswick and Newark campuses. It is the second-largest bus service in New Jersey, after NJ Transit. Service is provided by First Transit all year round, including weekends and holidays. Shuttle service is also provided for students (such as the "Knight Mover" when the New Brunswick campus transit system is not in service).

Rutgers Campus Buses
A REXB Bus at the Red Oak Lane Stop
ParentRutgers University
Service areaNew Brunswick, Newark, Piscataway, and Camden
Routes20 (weekdays); 2 (weekends); 1 (All Campuses)
Stops79
Destinations6
Fleet104 (Spring 2020)
Daily ridership70,000 (daily); 6 million (annually)
Fuel typebiodiesel
OperatorFirst Transit
DirectorJack Molenaar
WebsiteCampus Buses

History

Rutgers began to install new bus shelters in the summer of 2010. The new shelters incorporate red roofs to cast a red tone on the sidewalk, showcasing university colors.

Director Jack Molenaar announced that the L route would be discontinued due to budget cuts, effective 28 August 2010. Molenaar called the bus a "relic" and said it was "slowest and most underutilized" of the bus routes.[1] There was significant opposition to the move, especially from graduate students and Highland Park residents who had already made housing arrangements expecting the bus to be there. After 600 people signed an online petition calling for its reinstitution,[2][3] a temporary LXc route was created for the 2010-11 school year, stopping at Cedar Lane every 30 minutes.[4] A second bus was later added to shorten wait times to 15 minutes. In addition, the three weekend buses (A, EE, L) were reorganized into two all campus loop buses (1 and 2).

After the contract with previous operator Academy Bus expired on June 30, 2011, First Transit took over campus shuttle service.[5] The main reason cited for the switch is cost. First Transit will refurbish existing buses and supply new ones for a total of 50 buses that use 20% biodiesel and feature automatic stop announcements, whereas now drivers may or may not announce stops.[6][7]

Academy has filed a lawsuit against the University over the loss of the contract.[8][9] Despite the loss of shuttle operations, the company continues to provide the chartered bus operations used for tours and other events.

Rutgers expanded their bus service to the Newark campus beginning September 1, 2014.[10] The new Rutgers-logo fleet of buses utilize the NextBus system and real-time status is available via the official Rutgers app.

Routes

New Brunswick Campus

There are 9 routes on weekdays and 2 routes on weekends and holidays.

Weekday Transit Lines

LX, EE, H, B start service from 6 AM until the evening (Service on the F,A,REXB, and REXL, begin at 7:00 AM; no A or F after 9:00 PM; commuter service on the C, begin at 7:30 AM):

  • A - College Avenue / Busch (Clockwise on Busch)
  • B - Busch / Livingston (One bus designated as B/He serves the Health Center on Livingston)
  • C - Busch Commuter Loop
  • EE - College Avenue / Douglass–Cook via George Street
  • F - College Avenue / Douglass–Cook via Route 18 (Some buses sign route as "Cook Douglass Express")
  • H - Busch / College Avenue (Counter Clockwise on Busch)
  • LX - College Avenue / Livingston Express
  • REXB - (Acronym for Rutgers Express to Busch) Douglass / Busch
  • REXL - (Acronym for Rutgers Express to Livingston) Douglass / Livingston

Weeknight Transit Lines

After 9 PM, the REXB and REXL routes operate via Downtown New Brunswick (George Street & New Street) until 11 PM, when service ends. After 9 PM, the following routes operate until 2:50 AM:

  • B - Busch / Livingston
  • EE - College Avenue / Douglass–Cook via George Street
  • H - Busch / College Avenue (Counter Clockwise on Busch)
  • LX - College Avenue / Livingston Express

Weekend and Breaks
  • Weekend 1 - College Ave / Busch / Livingston / Douglass / Cook
  • Weekend 2 - College Avenue / Douglass / Cook / Livingston / Busch

The weekend bus runs from Thursday to Friday overnight and every weekend during the Fall and Spring semesters. During the Summer and Spring/Winter Breaks, this route becomes the primary weekday route, and uses the names of the specific break in the headline of the bus. For example, during Summer Semester the buses will read "Summer 1 or 2." For winter break, the bus will read "Winter 1 or 2," etc. The routes, however, do not change. They still follow the "Weekend 1 or 2" schedule.

Special Break Service

  • All Campus - College Avenue / Busch / Livingston / College Ave / Cook / Douglass

All campus service runs on weekends during the Summer and over Spring/Winter Break. It also serves as the primary bus route during holidays (Thanksgiving, Holiday Recess, Memorial Day, Fourth of July).

Newark Campus

There are 4 routes on weekdays and 1 night service running seven nights a week.

Weekday Transit Lines
  • Campus Connect - Boyden Hall / NJIT / ICPH / Medical School / ECC / Washington Park / Broad St
  • Penn Station - Penn Station / Medical School / University Hospital / ICPH / Blumenthal Hall
  • Kearny - NJIT / Boyden Hall / Kearny
  • Penn Station Express - Penn Station / Medical School / University Hospital (7-10am and 3-7pm only)

Special Night Service
  • Penn Station Midnight Express - Penn Station / Boyden Hall

The Midnight Express operates seven days a week from midnight to 4am between Boyden Hall and Penn Station.

Equipment

Current (Spring 2020)

Bus# 6167-6176 (purchased from Canada) Only used in Route B


  • New Flyer D40LF 2007 (Former NCSU buses)

Bus# 1493,1495,1496,1500,1504,1510


Bus # 1001,1002,1004,1006,1007,1011,1012

Bus # 201(Former 1000), 202 (Former 1003), 203 (Former 1005), 204 (Former 1008), 205 (Former 1010)

1009 & 1013 still missing.


Bus # 4176-4213 (4206 was recalled due to engine cooling problem, replaced by 4053;4179 currently out of service waiting for maintenance)


Bus # 4053 (Former CSI bus)


Bus # 4127-4133


Bus# 4274-4281(Former NCSU buses, 4274& 4279 are now serving in Princeton University)


Bus# 701,708R,709 (From Texas State University, those old white buses do not have tracking equipment)


  • Ford F550 2011 MiniBus

Bus# 620,625 (In Newark Campus) Bus# 5379 no longer in service


  • Ford F550 2012 MiniBus (In Camden Campus)

Bus# 3016 (Former 635), 5584 (Former 622)


  • Ford F450 2019 MiniBus

Bus# 8385,8386,8388,8391,8401,8415(In Newark Campus)


  • GMC C5500 2006 MiniBus

Bus# 630,5586 (Former 631),632,633 (In Camden Campus)

Past

First Transit was awarded the transit contract by the University, and replaced Academy Bus in July 2011. Rutgers now has more 40-foot buses, and the existing New Flyers have been upgraded.[6] A series of other changes have also taken place:

  • All buses now have automated stop annunciation to conform with the Americans with Disabilities Act[11]
  • Additional weekend buses have been added, with three running at a time at the latest hours of night
  • Buses run on Biodiesel and produce near-zero NOx and PM emissions[12]

Alternative plans

Several times over the past decade, it has been suggested that the bus system be partially or fully replaced with bus rapid transit (BRT), monorail, or light rail.[13][14] Closing College Avenue to non-bus motor vehicle traffic was also proposed, but indefinitely canceled in February 2010, due to excessive costs.[15] Current plans are for incorporating the Rutgers bus system into the proposed New Brunswick Bus Rapid Transit, which would be centered on the New Brunswick Station near the intersection of Route 18 and Route 27.[16][17]

Shuttle Buses

New Brunswick
  • New BrunsQuick Shuttle 1
  • New BrunsQuick Shuttle 2

During the Fall & Spring Semesters: The “Shuttle 1” and "Shuttle 2" buses run on weekdays between College Ave, the New Brunswick Train Station, and select stops in New Brunswick. During Summer and Fall/Spring Breaks, only "Shuttle 1" is in operation.

Newark
  • Run run

The "Run run" route is an intracampus shuttle that runs seven days a week (except holidays), and performs a loop around the Newark campus. The bus stops at Boyden Hall, Golden Dome, CLJ (Rutgers Law), 15 Washington, Broad St. Station, and the Physical Plant. During the morning and evening there is an additional stop at Newark Penn Station.

Camden
  • Shuttle bus service

During the academic year, the Department of Parking and Transportation Services provides a shuttle bus that travels between the main parking lot (Lot 11) to Third Street in front of Campus Center. After 8 p.m., an additional bus runs from Fifth Street, under the law school bridge.

  • A - Inside
  • B
  • EE
  • H
  • LX
  • LX - Inside
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References
  1. Kypers, Neil P. (20 August 2010). "Campus bus route changes to increase service". The Daily Targum. Archived from the original on 28 August 2010. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  2. "Save the L Bus". Facebook. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  3. "Save the L Bus". Wordpress. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  4. Roache, Colleen (6 September 2010). "New LXc bus route frustrates students". The Daily Targum. Archived from the original on 10 September 2010. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  5. "Rutgers selects First Transit as bus operator". Metro Magazine. 15 November 2010. Retrieved 15 November 2010.
  6. Roache, Colleen (5 November 2010). "University to lower costs with new bus company". The Daily Targum. Archived from the original on November 9, 2010. Retrieved 6 November 2010.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
  7. Stokes, Timothy (2 November 2010). "First Transit Named Campus Bus Service Operator for Rutgers University". First Transit. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
  8. Academy Bus of Hoboken sues Rutgers University.
  9. Contractor sues Rutgers over loss of bus contract
  10. "Department of Transportation Services". Retrieved 6 September 2014. Starting Monday September 1st a new transit system will provide enhanced service while meeting the daily transportation needs of all students, faculty and staff of Rutgers University – Newark and RBHS, as well as NJIT, Essex County College (ECC) and University Hospital (UH).
  11. Rowe, Amy (14 September 2011). "Students express issues with new buses". The Daily Targum. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
  12. Molenaar, Jack. "Rutgers Department of Transportation Services 2011 Changes" (PDF). Rutgers Department of Transportation Services 2011 Changes. Rutgers Dept. of Transportation Services. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
  13. Godfrey, Greg J. M. (29 September 2001). "Say goodbye to the future". The Daily Targum. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
  14. Murphy, Austin (22 November 2002). "Light railway, busway no help". The Daily Targum. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
  15. Roache, Colleen (17 February 2010). "U. trims back plans for greening project". The Daily Targum. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
  16. "Greater New Brunswick Are Bus Rapid Transit" (PDF). NJTPA. May 2008. Retrieved 2012-04-04.
  17. "A New Face of TOD: Bus Rapid Transit". Voorhees Transportation Institute. January 2008. Archived from the original on 2012-05-02. Retrieved 2012-04-04.
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