CapTengu
@captengu.bsky.social
Transit nerd and Weeb. EN/FR OK. Taylor Ham, not "Pork Roll". Go play Touhou. Left-Libertarian/Georgist/De Leonist. Slava Ukraini!
Even running a schedule solely by extending existing diesel trains that start or terminate at Lake Hopatcong or further east, Andover would still have by far the most frequent and only off-peak transit service anywhere in Sussex, which currently has by far the least service of any county statewide.
December 7, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Even running a schedule solely by extending existing diesel trains that start or terminate at Lake Hopatcong or further east, Andover would still have by far the most frequent and only off-peak transit service anywhere in Sussex, which currently has by far the least service of any county statewide.
Admittedly the Andover station site is somewhat mediocre, but it's above par in the western part of the Skylands region given that there is a town within walking distance of the park-and-ride. A "better" location would require building the station high up on the Pequest Fill.
December 7, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Admittedly the Andover station site is somewhat mediocre, but it's above par in the western part of the Skylands region given that there is a town within walking distance of the park-and-ride. A "better" location would require building the station high up on the Pequest Fill.
NJT is effectively gagged by an early 2000's court settlement; despite owning all of Lakeland's routes, equipment, and bus garage outright as well as subsidizing them (effectively making them a contractor), Lakeland is able to set schedules and fares or even cut services entirely as it pleases.
December 7, 2025 at 5:19 PM
NJT is effectively gagged by an early 2000's court settlement; despite owning all of Lakeland's routes, equipment, and bus garage outright as well as subsidizing them (effectively making them a contractor), Lakeland is able to set schedules and fares or even cut services entirely as it pleases.
The reason for said expenditure is that this is the only legal way for NJT to improve service to Sussex County. Other than the single bus stop on the far end of the 194 in Stockholm nearly the whole county is covered by Lakeland's noncompete protections, with the exception of specific rail projects.
December 7, 2025 at 5:19 PM
The reason for said expenditure is that this is the only legal way for NJT to improve service to Sussex County. Other than the single bus stop on the far end of the 194 in Stockholm nearly the whole county is covered by Lakeland's noncompete protections, with the exception of specific rail projects.
NJT still owns the RVL ROW on the NJ side, including the severed part. In any case it still has trackage rights on NS between where the remaining RVL trackage meets the Lehigh Line and Philipsburg, making the Class I issue moot.
December 7, 2025 at 2:09 AM
NJT still owns the RVL ROW on the NJ side, including the severed part. In any case it still has trackage rights on NS between where the remaining RVL trackage meets the Lehigh Line and Philipsburg, making the Class I issue moot.
There once was a very direct route available between JSQ and Newport Mall that took just 15 minutes to do so (Red & Tan #5, a JSQ-Hoboken-Lincoln Harbor route that ran via Hamilton Park and the mall), but this bizarrely was a twice-daily (later once-daily) rush peak-only service.
December 6, 2025 at 1:51 AM
There once was a very direct route available between JSQ and Newport Mall that took just 15 minutes to do so (Red & Tan #5, a JSQ-Hoboken-Lincoln Harbor route that ran via Hamilton Park and the mall), but this bizarrely was a twice-daily (later once-daily) rush peak-only service.
I did a fresh reinstall of the app to check; unfortunately, routes 12 and 16 do not appear in the MyBus section of the app and thus cannot be tracked from it (screenshot below; they are trackable on all of NJT's MyBus website frontends, just not the app's). Thank you for escalating the other issues.
December 5, 2025 at 11:19 PM
I did a fresh reinstall of the app to check; unfortunately, routes 12 and 16 do not appear in the MyBus section of the app and thus cannot be tracked from it (screenshot below; they are trackable on all of NJT's MyBus website frontends, just not the app's). Thank you for escalating the other issues.
@customeradvocate.bsky.social Routes 12, 16, 890, 891, and 986 are missing from the app (the latter three do have printed schedules but no other options). 890 and 891 aren't even in the MyBus system at all and can't be tracked anywhere. Could you ask the app team to look into addressing this?
December 5, 2025 at 9:25 PM
@customeradvocate.bsky.social Routes 12, 16, 890, 891, and 986 are missing from the app (the latter three do have printed schedules but no other options). 890 and 891 aren't even in the MyBus system at all and can't be tracked anywhere. Could you ask the app team to look into addressing this?
The area was covered starting in 2011 by 6L "Lafayette Loop" service and a significant deviation on the 86, but given how inefficemt this was and the significant development going up in the area NJT revived the 16 earlier this year. Unlike the 6L, the 16 runs more frequently and on weekends.
December 5, 2025 at 5:50 PM
The area was covered starting in 2011 by 6L "Lafayette Loop" service and a significant deviation on the 86, but given how inefficemt this was and the significant development going up in the area NJT revived the 16 earlier this year. Unlike the 6L, the 16 runs more frequently and on weekends.
It's a coverage route covering areas that are otherwise a long or steep walk to other buses. This route actually formed organically, long predating NJT: The 16 was originally cut in 2008 when Red & Tan was killing off its sizeable Hudson County local bus network south of Journal Square.
December 5, 2025 at 5:50 PM
It's a coverage route covering areas that are otherwise a long or steep walk to other buses. This route actually formed organically, long predating NJT: The 16 was originally cut in 2008 when Red & Tan was killing off its sizeable Hudson County local bus network south of Journal Square.
Transitgrid's power plant was intended to supply signal and catenary power across the Meadowlands to the Hoboken area during main grid failures, because losing power supply there severely limited operations for a good time after Sandy. It was never intended to supply anything from Harrison west.
December 1, 2025 at 6:24 AM
Transitgrid's power plant was intended to supply signal and catenary power across the Meadowlands to the Hoboken area during main grid failures, because losing power supply there severely limited operations for a good time after Sandy. It was never intended to supply anything from Harrison west.
That would be an enormous amount of scope creep, requiring tens of miles of additional dedicated transmission lines for a power plant that is supposed to never be used except during a total grid failure.
December 1, 2025 at 6:15 AM
That would be an enormous amount of scope creep, requiring tens of miles of additional dedicated transmission lines for a power plant that is supposed to never be used except during a total grid failure.
South Jersey maintained near-full network coverage even during the Christie Cuts. From an operational standpoint it being part of NJT helps with equipment mileage swaps from North Jersey garages. SEPTA additionally does not order or operate motorcoaches, a backbone of longer SJ routes.
December 1, 2025 at 5:05 AM
South Jersey maintained near-full network coverage even during the Christie Cuts. From an operational standpoint it being part of NJT helps with equipment mileage swaps from North Jersey garages. SEPTA additionally does not order or operate motorcoaches, a backbone of longer SJ routes.
The last private urban bus route (Broadway IBOA in Bayonne) in the state actually ended service earlier tonight. In any case, the state MVC does not have legal authority to tell any bus company how or where to operate beyond fare regulations, and NJT has its South Jersey bus hub at WRTC.
December 1, 2025 at 3:22 AM
The last private urban bus route (Broadway IBOA in Bayonne) in the state actually ended service earlier tonight. In any case, the state MVC does not have legal authority to tell any bus company how or where to operate beyond fare regulations, and NJT has its South Jersey bus hub at WRTC.
Well, in this case they really were. Buses in South Jersey at the time PATCO opened were operated by PSCT, a subsidiary of the utility company PSE&G. NJ historically had very strong private bus operations statewide; all routes until 1980 were whatever was most economical for companies to run.
December 1, 2025 at 3:22 AM
Well, in this case they really were. Buses in South Jersey at the time PATCO opened were operated by PSCT, a subsidiary of the utility company PSE&G. NJ historically had very strong private bus operations statewide; all routes until 1980 were whatever was most economical for companies to run.
To be fair, Transitgrid's generation component was a pretty bad project. Attempting to build a brand-new natural gas power plant in an EJ community right across the river from a previous power plant that was shut down a few years prior was nearly universally opposed for good reason.
December 1, 2025 at 1:01 AM
To be fair, Transitgrid's generation component was a pretty bad project. Attempting to build a brand-new natural gas power plant in an EJ community right across the river from a previous power plant that was shut down a few years prior was nearly universally opposed for good reason.
It sort of was. Per a circa 2009 JC bus study document, what remained was timed around shift changes at the South Kearny USPS facility and some manufacturing plants in Newark. Rider feedback requested more trips to serve the Kearny Walmart, but there were supposedly too few stops to warrant this.
December 1, 2025 at 12:27 AM
It sort of was. Per a circa 2009 JC bus study document, what remained was timed around shift changes at the South Kearny USPS facility and some manufacturing plants in Newark. Rider feedback requested more trips to serve the Kearny Walmart, but there were supposedly too few stops to warrant this.
There was a bus to Wilmington until 2010 (the 423), but unfortunately the area across the river from Wilmington that it served (Penns Grove) was not conducive to strong ridership and it was thus a Christie Cut casualty.
December 1, 2025 at 12:11 AM
There was a bus to Wilmington until 2010 (the 423), but unfortunately the area across the river from Wilmington that it served (Penns Grove) was not conducive to strong ridership and it was thus a Christie Cut casualty.
Given this, I will concede to your first point about why there is published schedule whatsoever.
November 28, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Given this, I will concede to your first point about why there is published schedule whatsoever.
I'm somewhat more tempted to believe that whoever's running LIRR PR is under the (horribly misguided) assumption that riders should feel like they got lucky by having the holiday train show up unannounced and thus think that the public should not have a schedule to find it.
November 28, 2025 at 5:43 PM
I'm somewhat more tempted to believe that whoever's running LIRR PR is under the (horribly misguided) assumption that riders should feel like they got lucky by having the holiday train show up unannounced and thus think that the public should not have a schedule to find it.
They should be able to provide a holiday train schedule a few days in advance, but it is not possible to guarantee that a specific equipment set will be on a given train further out since trainsets may be substituted for various reasons. The same applies for bus services.
November 28, 2025 at 5:30 PM
They should be able to provide a holiday train schedule a few days in advance, but it is not possible to guarantee that a specific equipment set will be on a given train further out since trainsets may be substituted for various reasons. The same applies for bus services.
The more likely answer as to why 62 ridership is down is that riders not going to the airport are using the 24 instead; this previously had very poor service levels despite being the more direct route between Newark and Elizabeth as it was not a NJT route until October 2023 (during FY24).
November 26, 2025 at 7:48 PM
The more likely answer as to why 62 ridership is down is that riders not going to the airport are using the 24 instead; this previously had very poor service levels despite being the more direct route between Newark and Elizabeth as it was not a NJT route until October 2023 (during FY24).
It's probably a good thing in any case to keep airport passengers and riders heading between Newark and Elizabeth separate. Few enough buses are required to run full 62 service that NJT can try to keep as many of the luggage rack-equipped buses as it can on that specific route.
November 26, 2025 at 6:52 PM
It's probably a good thing in any case to keep airport passengers and riders heading between Newark and Elizabeth separate. Few enough buses are required to run full 62 service that NJT can try to keep as many of the luggage rack-equipped buses as it can on that specific route.
The 62 and 24 serve different routes on the Elizabeth end. In any case, the bus directly to the terminals is probably more convenient for riders with luggage than the AirTrain transfer, even if it is slower. The 24 notably does not serve Newark Penn as it runs directly through the downtown core.
November 26, 2025 at 6:42 PM
The 62 and 24 serve different routes on the Elizabeth end. In any case, the bus directly to the terminals is probably more convenient for riders with luggage than the AirTrain transfer, even if it is slower. The 24 notably does not serve Newark Penn as it runs directly through the downtown core.
The 14, 21, 46, and most Short Line service off of the highway never resumed service after the pandemic. 20 and 47 service has been cut to the bone, and almost all of the 11A in NJ was silently discontinued a year ago to combine it with the 11X, leaving riders in several areas stranded.
November 26, 2025 at 6:34 PM
The 14, 21, 46, and most Short Line service off of the highway never resumed service after the pandemic. 20 and 47 service has been cut to the bone, and almost all of the 11A in NJ was silently discontinued a year ago to combine it with the 11X, leaving riders in several areas stranded.