NJ Transit taking on 20 North Jersey bus routes abruptly dropped by Coach USA

After Coach USA abruptly announced it would drop 20 bus routes amid bankruptcy filings last month, NJ Transit says it will step in to provide service to thousands of riders that would otherwise have been left stranded on Aug. 16.

The move by NJ Transit will help mitigate impacts to customers in Bergen, Passaic and Hudson counties after the Paramus-based bus company prematurely terminated contracts with NJ Transit last month, leaving the nation’s largest public transport system in a difficult position as it struggles with its own logistical problems.

NJ Transit confirmed Thursday in a customer advisory that it and a private carrier will pick up the abandoned routes beginning Aug. 17. Academy Bus Lines will take the affected routes in Bergen and Passaic counties with no changes to routes, schedules or fares, NJ Transit said. Academy Express was previously awarded a contract to operate the Passaic routes on Sept. 1, but will step in 15 days early and the Bergen routes are being run on an “emergency basis,” NJ Transit said. NJ Transit will pick up the Hudson County routes by “using existing resources while minimizing the impact to existing bus routes to the greatest extent possible,” officials said.

Bus stops and even the look of the buses won’t change nor will the manner in which tickets are purchased, NJ Transit said.

Academy Bus will pick up the following routes:

• Bergen County: 751, 752, 753, 755, 756, 762, 772, 780
• Passaic County: 702, 705, 707, 709, 722, 744, 746, 748, 758

NJ Transit will run these affected routes:

The plan required “monumental effort” from NJ Transit’s bus service planning staff in a short period of time, officials said, noting that Coach USA had given written notice of their plans to abandon three of their five contracts effective at the close of business on Aug. 16.

A NJ Transit spokesman told NorthJersey.com last month the state-owned transport service was already struggling with staffing its bus routes due to the “ongoing and fierce competition for recruiting (commercially licensed) drivers from a limited pool of qualified candidates.”

It’s not the first time NJ Transit has stepped in to take over routes for struggling private bus carriers. NJ Transit recently added or modified 11 routes in Essex and Hudson counties that were previously serviced by DeCamp, the oldest private bus company in the state, Coach USA and A&C, all private companies that have faced significant financial distress post-COVID. The addition led to NJ Transit adding $30 million in expenses to its operating budget last year.

NJ Transit’s move to pick up the abandoned routes was lauded by Bergen County Executive Tim Tedesco, who thanked the company for their “proactive response and their dedication to ensuring a continuity of service” in a statement on Friday.

“When faced with the sudden termination of these routes by Coach USA, NJ Transit acted with urgency and responsibility to safeguard our community’s needs,” Tedesco said. “Their commitment to maintaining service continuity underscores the critical role that public transit plays in the lives of our residents and in the overall economic health of Bergen County.”

Hudson County Executive Craig Guy said in a statement Friday he was “delighted” NJ Transit would be picking up the county’s routes, but raised concerns over the financial impact it would have on the company.

“I would be remiss if I did not call upon our legislative delegation and our Governor to ensure that transit remains properly funded in the future and accessible to our communities,” he said. “Fully funding NJ Transit is good for our commuters and for our communities.”

How NJ Transit, which projects a nearly $1 billion annual budget shortfall by 2026, will be impacted financially is still unknown.

“While presenting significant challenges to NJ Transit resources, we are once again stepping up after yet another private carrier abandons service with little notice,” said Kevin S. Corbett, NJ Transit’s president and CEO. “We are ensuring that the thousands of customers who depend on these routes for their mobility retain these vital bus services.”

For more information on the timetables for the 20 bus routes, visit the NJ Transit website.

Email: lcomstock@njherald.com; Twitter: @LoriComstockNJH or on Facebook.