The 99S/123/Jitney/Alternative bus service to NYC was the big topic again at last night's Riverview Neighborhood Association meeting. The current situation is best outlined in an email from the RNA excerpted below.

Council members Lipski & Fulop attended the meeting and are very involved with finding a solution. They organized the council to send a Resolution to the state level but the bottom line is that we need to get some Grass Roots Action happening. That means that all of us concerned need to make some noise.
-------------------------
-------------------------
After months of meetings with our elected officials and NJ Transit, we still do not have NYC bus service on Palisade Avenue.

Our patience has run out!
It is viable to add direct bus service to NYC on Palisade Avenue because:
The demand for it is there - 1 in 4 Hudson County residents commute to NYC.
It will only take 8 passenger fares per bus to break-even!
Most residents came to Palisade Ave because of the convenience of having direct NYC bus service (for decades); without it property values and the neighborhood declines.
State and Federal monies (our taxes) support NJT and we are not getting service in proportion to our contriibutions.
Public transportation is critical to help reduce greenhouse gases, traffic congestion and the number of cars in Jersey City
Time to be the Squeaky Wheel!
Taking the high road has accomplished nothing. It's time to make noise and demand direct, reliable NYC bus service on Palisade Avenue. But we can't do it alone. We need your help.
RNA is launching a grassroots campaign to increase the visibility of this issue and bring it back to the forefront.
We have printed hundreds of postcards to send to targeted elected officials and NJ Transit that we need you to sign and distribute for others to sign
We need donations to help offset the costs of printing, mailing and related costs. Donate!
You can send an email to NJ Transit, the Governor and other officials with just one click EMAIL NJ TRANSIT and Elected Officials
We need you to engage others in this
Volunteer!

Please come to the RNA meeting on Tuesday, January 8, 2008 at 7:30PM at the Harbor View Health Center, 178 Ogden Ave (at Franklin) to sign and pick up the "You Can't Get There From Here" postcards for your neighbors to sign.
Bring your other suggestions for ways to convince NJ Transit to come to Palisade Avenue (it was Coach USA that abandoned us) and encourage our State and City officials to make it happen.

If you cannot make the meeting, please call 201-876-1980 or email us at riverviewneighborhood@comcast.net to volunteer. We will get postcards delivered to you to distribute if you can't get to us.

We need your help to make this happen. Please join us to get direct bus NYC bus service restored to Palisade Avenue.


Becky Hoffman
Riverview Neighborhood Association
email: riverviewneighborhood@comcast.net
phone: 201-876-1980

----------------------
----------------------

The formatting got hosed in pasting it here since I'm not that html savvy.

Here's the link CitizenSpeak Petition for petition form. Fill it in and it gets emailed to al the officials concerned.

It keeps getting worse. I was at the RNA meeting on Tuesday night. The RNA had their meeting with NJ Transit discussing the possibility of extending the 123's route down Palisade to Christ Hospital. Mayor Healy did NOT attend the meeting. NJ Transit nixed the idea for several reasons. One of the reasons was that they used the Coach Red and Tan 99s "survey" of low ridership on Palisade, as proof there was little need! They cited the cost of increasing buses in order to maintain their schedule on the 123 line which already enjoys full ridership. They felt that they would "lose" money if this extension was approved. Their suggestions was for Palisade residents to take the 84,87, etc. to Congress St. and transfer to the 123!

Palisade Ave. to get some service for the evening rush hour

Monday, September 24
By N. CLARK JUDD
JERSEY JOURNAL

Starting today, bus service is back on Palisade Avenue in Jersey City - but in a very limited capacity.

According to a public notice being handed out by Red & Tan Bus Co. officials at the Port Authority Bus Terminal, the 6:15 p.m., 6:45 p.m.. and 7:15 p.m. the No. 10/99S bus leaving the Port Authority on weekdays will run along Palisade Avenue instead of Central Avenue.

On Aug. 27, Red & Tan officials ended service along Palisade Avenue because of low ridership and competition from jitneys.

But passengers and several politicians, including Mayor Jerramiah Healy, complained and asked Red & Tan to reconsider.

However, this gesture might not please anyone.

"This (change) really doesn't help the bus service on Central Avenue either," said Becky Hoffman, president of the Riverview Neighborhood Association in the Heights. "These also aren't the hours when the help is needed."

According to Hoffman, the jitney service from the Port Authority Bus Terminal stops after 7 p.m., so it would be more helpful to riders if Red & Tan had adjusted the route of later buses. John Emberson, manager of Red & Tan in Hudson County, was also pessimistic last Friday that the re-routing of the bus service would make a difference to the company.

The jitneys run more frequently and cost $2 compared to $3.20 to ride the 99S, he said.

"We can't compete with somebody who can work with a lower cost-base than what we have," Emberson said. "And customers aren't happy with how the bus works now and has worked in the past."

Mark Pesapane, a rider who works in Midtown, agreed.

"The (10/99S) service is shoddy at best anyway, even down Central," said Pesapane.

Rosemary Lynch, a Jersey City commuter, said it's Red & Tan's constant efforts to adapt that's throwing people off.

"People don't know what's going on, so they're taking other modes of transportation," Lynch said.

There's a sign at the terminal now saying that it'll run on Palisade Ave from 6:15 - 7:15 PM. Not the most brilliant solution but it's a little something.

Last nite the bus driver told me that effective monday that 99s will begin to run on palisade avenue at certain times. but he didnt elaborate as to what the times were going to be.

Hey at least it's going to come back. Hopefully some of those trips will be late at night so that those that are coming home late or early (however you want to see it) wont be in as much danger.

As of yet, they still arent carrying any new schedules. Keep us posted if anyone finds out anything new.

The bus is a must

Mayor, Heights residents want Palisade Avenue service restored

Ricardo Kaulessar -- Hudson Reporter
09/15/2007

Mayor Jerramiah Healy is scheduled to meet with NJ Transit officials this week at the Secaucus office of State Assemblyman Vincent Prieto to restore some sort of bus service from Palisade Avenue to New York City, after Jersey City Heights residents complained that their service was taken away.

Their bus was apparently re-routed to Central Avenue instead in order to serve Central Avenue's businesses, which are boasting of the new bus service in upcoming TV commercials.

Last week, residents came to a community meeting in the Heights to complain about the fact that the 99S bus' run along Palisade Avenue in Jersey City was changed. The bus terminates at the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York.

The Red and Tan subsidiary of the Coach USA Bus Company officially discontinued the bus's run down Palisade Avenue on Aug. 27, citing low ridership. They rerouted the bus to run down Central Avenue.

E-mails and letters from angry residents started pouring in to Coach USA as well as to city, county, and state officials.

Many residents came to the monthly meeting of the Riverview Neighborhood Association on Tuesday, where they directed their concerns and complaints to their special guest, Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy.

At the meeting, Healy offended some attendees by encouraging them to walk from Palisade Avenue to Central Avenue if they needed to catch the 99S bus.

But Healy also said he will request that NJ Transit reroute the No. 123 bus, which currently travels along Palisade Avenue in Union City, to continue south onto Palisade Avenue in Jersey City, travel to Christ Hospital, loop around, and return north on Palisade Avenue toward Paterson Plank Road, then onward to the Lincoln Tunnel.

Why was the route changed?

Advertisement

As of Aug. 27, the 99S and the 10 buses both began traveling down Central Avenue on the way to the Port Authority Bus Terminal.

Both buses have always left from Bayonne and traveled down Kennedy Boulevard, but No. 10 ended at the Journal Square Bus Terminal in Jersey City, while the 99S continued on its way to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York via Palisade Avenue in Jersey City.

It was the Central Avenue Special Improvement District Management Corporation (CASID) that helped bring the buses to Central Avenue, they said. This group of Central Avenue business owners worked with Jersey City officials and Coach USA Red & Tan representatives to have the buses head down Central Avenue.

The asked for this to happen because Coach USA had announced that the No. 231 bus that once traveled down Central Avenue would end its operation on Aug. 27.

Jim Rutherford, general manager of Coach USA Red & Tan, claimed in an interview last week that the company did a survey that found that only 40 to 50 people a day took the 99S bus in total, which he blamed on jitney (small passenger) buses operating on Palisade Avenue and taking away many customers with their cheaper fares.

"There was not a sufficient amount of passengers, and our operational costs were too much to sustain a small ridership," Rutherford said.

Rutherford added, "The Central Avenue Special Improvement District requested we change the route and go down Central Avenue. We looked at the route itself and timed it to see if it was shorter, and we found there is not much of a gamble going down a different street."

Doing anything to make it work

Michael Yun, president of the CASID board, said last week that the CASID did not "pursue" Coach USA, but rather Coach USA came to them to reestablish bus service on Central Avenue after the 231 bus was discontinued and asked if they wanted other bus service.

Yun said while he welcomes both the 99S and the 10 buses running down Central Avenue, he knows this situation could be short-lived if there aren't enough passengers to satisfy Coach USA.

"This is strictly a business decision on their part, and if they don't see enough ridership on Central Avenue, they could close these lines again," Yun said.

During the interview, Yun walked outside his store, where a 99S bus was stopped a few feet away. The bus was going nowhere. Instead, it was being utilized for a commercial for the CASID to air on cable in upcoming weeks.

Yun said the commercial will not only showcase Central Avenue as a shopping district, but will also highlight the fact that shoppers will be able to take the 10 and 99S buses to travel here from other parts of the city.

The CASID has also put a banner over Central Avenue advertising the buses traveling on the thoroughfare.

"We know that to prevent any future stopping of the buses, one way is to promote and let the neighbors know - nothing more than that," he said.

They want their bus back

The members of the Riverview Neighborhood Association (RNA) and other Heights residents who are 99S bus customers aired their concerns to Mayor Healy, and then after Healy left, to City Councilmen Steve Lipski and Steven Fulop.

Many who came to the meeting said they were daily passengers who still could not understand how Coach USA could find declining passenger numbers in their survey. When they board the buses, they said, they are packed in the morning and crowded in the evening.

After the meeting, Joe Sadowski, who owns two houses on Ogden Avenue, said without the bus service, several of his tenants who take the bus to jobs in New York will have a more difficult time.

"Two of my tenants said they will seriously consider moving if they won't be able to catch the bus on Palisade Avenue," Sadowski said.

Nicole Durbin, who lives with her husband also on Ogden Avenue, commutes on the 99S at night from her job as an educator in New York. She said she would rather see a bus back running on Palisade Avenue since she does not feel safe walking at night several blocks west from Central Avenue.

"Before, the 99S usually stopped a block away from my home," Durbin said. "While the Heights are a lovely place to live in, the reality is we live in an urban area, and I'm thinking about safety."

Becky Hoffman, president of the RNA, said she is hopeful that bus service will be restored - and should be restored - as the RNA and other Heights residents were given short notice of the change.

For comments on this story, contact Ricardo Kaulessar at rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com.

has anyone figured out about what time the 99S stops on ogden/congress...I know this is laughable...but, I was hoping maybe they would stick to a sort of schedule. If it helps, today I was picked up at 8:06AM...let's see if it remains consistent.

There was a woman there with me who said it picked her up at 8:37AM the day before but the driver said he was running late, so it's not too accurate.

'WE MISS BUS'
Heights tells Healy to bring 99S service back

Thursday, September 13, 2007
By N. CLARK JUDD and KEENAN STEINER
JOURNAL STAFF WRITERS

But if a new proposal now in the works gets wheels in Trenton, Healy said, there may be a solution just around the corner.

Healy announced that he, Assemblyman Vincent Prieto, D-Secaucus, and other officials will meet with NJ Transit to propose extending a spur of the NJ Transit Number 123 bus to provide service to Manhattan for Palisade Avenue riders. Currently, the bus goes from Union City to the Congress Street Light Rail station in the Heights before turning around and heading to New York City via the Lincoln Tunnel.

Prieto, a member of the Assembly Transportation and Public Works Committee, will host the meeting Sept. 21. It was the Central Avenue Special Improvement District that suggested extending the 123 to improve service to Palisade Avenue, CASID President Michael Yun said.

Many commuters on Palisade Avenue and east of Palisade Avenue were upset when Red & Tan's No. 10/99S moved its route to Central Avenue on Aug. 27.

The proposed switch calls for the 123 bus to continue south on Palisade Avenue, making five stops, before looping back around and heading to New York.

"It would only be another eight to 10 blocks south to Christ Hospital," Healy said at the meeting, held at the Harbor View Health Care Center.

Residents told Healy that the No. 123 is already at capacity, and NJ Transit said in an interview that many of the lines it operates in Jersey City are already maxed out.

"There is no question that the system is experiencing record high ridership and any change in service is going to be impacting somebody," NJ Transit spokesman Dan Stessel said, but he added that NJ Transit would go into the meeting with an open mind.

Residents disputed Red & Tan's claims that it moved the No. 10/99S bus from Palisade Avenue to Central because there was an average of less than one Palisade Avenue pickup per trip. Company officials have said that overflowing rush-hour buses did not compensate for empty seats during middle of the day.

But several residents explained that some people wait at the stops for hours - even in the afternoon - before getting a bus.

"What (Red & Tan) told me, and what I'm hearing here tonight, are entirely different stories," Healy said.

Results of a $100,000 transit study, expected next year at the earliest, are expected to influence public transportation planning going forward.

And while proposals and studies are hashed out, residents who commute to Midtown say they're left with few options: either the jitneys, which residents say are unreliable and unscheduled, or a longer walk to the new bus route, which they say comes with a potentially dangerous walk home at night.

Yesterday, Healy said that the Jersey City police will increase evening patrols on the side streets between Central Avenue and Palisade Avenue. Public Service Electric & Gas officials said they would make sure lights on these streets are in working order. Requests to integrate Jersey City Police Department surveillance with NJ Transit Police's systems have been denied.

There was lively discussion with Mayor Healy at the meeting last night. He was remarkably ill-informed on the situation and the difficulties of commuting from the Heights in general. It's really hard not to say something snarky about the man.

Anyhow the gist of it is that 99S's new route is provisional as well. If Red & Tan doesn't see increased profits from the route they'll pull it entirely. Somebody brought up the point that all of this may be a tactic for Red & Tan to get a subsidy from NJ Transit or the DOT. Regardless, I'd be surprised to see the 99S return to Palisade in any manner.

There is discussion of extending the route of the 123, which currently terminates at the Congress St. Light Rail station, up to Christ Hospital. It's an interesting idea but that line is pretty packed already. In fact they reduced service last year from every 30 mins to once an hour. The mayor has a meeting about this next week.

The best thing may be to put some pressure on Sacco & Prieto (see post #20 in this thread) to get some help at the state level. I think the Mayor left last night with a much better understanding of the situation. We shall see...

Healy to answer questions on bus service changes in the Heights

by N. Clark Judd
Sunday September 09, 2007, 3:04 PM

Jersey City's bus wars are not over yet.

Residents of Palisade Avenue are continuing their campaign to get bus service back after the No. 10/99S they take to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan was shifted to run along Central on Aug. 27. And at the Riverview Neighborhood Association's monthly meeting Tuesday, residents will get a chance to air their grievances with Mayor Jerramiah Healy.

Healy will be at the association's meeting, at 7:30 p.m., in the first floor cafeteria of Harborview Health Center, 178 Ogden St.

He's making his appearance to present the association with the first annual Jersey City Clean and Green Project Pride Award, which will go to one block association in each ward to recognize efforts to improve the city's environment and community, said Healy spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill.

But he will also answer questions about bus service in the neighborhood.

Red & Tan in Hudson County, the Coach USA subsidiary that that runs the Number 10/99S bus, drew the ire of Palisade residents when it shifted the route to Central.

Red & Tan officials called the move a compromise intended to keep daytime bus service for the shops on Central Avenue, whose owners feared a loss of service would ruin business.

Residents say it leaves them with longer commutes to the city and a potentially dangerous walk home at night.

The Central Avenue Special Improvement District and Riverview Neighborhood Association are making plans to get bus service along both avenues, possibly by courting a new NJ Transit route, said officials from both groups.

There's a meeting of the Riverview Neighborhood Association next Tuesday, Sept. 11 at 7:30pm at the Riverview Nursing Home on the corner of Ogden & Franklin which Mayor Healy is supposed to attend. The 99S is on the agenda.

I've never attended one of these meetings so I have no idea what the deal is. The contact is riverviewneighborhood@comcast.net. I'm a little outside of their geo but she says all concerned are welcome. Could be interesting.

Today I was on the 12:20PM bus heading back to JC. The female driver almost hit the opposing traffic while attempting to make the turn at Congress LR...then, she blew past the MARKED bus stop at Webster/Congress - after I yelled out "stop please" she came to a stop on the further down the street at an nondesignated bus stop. I asked, "isn't the bus stop back there?" because I truly don't know what is going on with this bus line anymore...she replied with a shrug and a dirty look. so I said, "oh, I guess the bus stop is wherever you want it to be then. thanks."

my small amount of vengeance doesn't help, though...cuz we never know if the bus WILL stop - either to let us on or off.

i hate the 99s. but I'm preaching to the choir now.

Yest I got on the 545 bus from the Port Authority. It was "scheduled" to arrive at my bus stop about 640. It was 710 when it finally arrived. AND we went thru Palisade avenue. Am I missing something here? I thought they were going thru Central Avenue? The bus driver said that "at that time" they would go thru Palisade. Im confused. And very tired since my days begin at 5 AM and end at midnight. So I might be missing something. Please excuse this posters ignorance and lack of energy if someone has already answered my concerns.

I am all for it running on Palisade avenue, but is their a set schedule somewhere? When I went to the website it had the old prices and the old routes.

Last night at the Congress street stop heading towards the city around 8pm the driver blew right past the stop. I caught up with him at the stop light and he opened the door looking at me like I'm a crazy person when I hand him my ticket. He tells me I need to pay cash if I'm heading into the city! WTF? I was too tired to even get into it with him.

Seems to me that he knows neither where he's supposed to stop to pick up fares, nor how the fares are supposed to be paid. Where do they find these drivers? If this route's business is down it's less likely about the number of passengers than the competence of the dispatchers & drivers.

Last Wednesday I got to the gate at 6:15pm. The 99S didn't show up until 6:40pm. Then the bus driver drove right by Congress and was alerted to his mistake by the passengers. He then decided to make a k-turn in the construction parking lot of the Cliffs.

It was hilarious and pathetic all at the same time. Watching this poor bus driver trying to turn the bus around in a small, dirt lot. With a few construction workers trying to block traffic so the bus could pull out onto Paterson Plank Road. It seemed like the tires were spinning in the dirt and the construction works were risking their lives with cars flying down the road. All while a busload of passengers are waiting to get home safely.

Finally after almost 15 minutes, we were going back up to Congress and the people on the bus continued to direct the driver where to go! I'm so glad that they trained their drivers on the new route! This was truly a well thought-out plan!

Now that 99s is on central avenue I'm trying to figure out all the alternate bus routes. Is there any way to obtain information on the jitneys? (maps/routes mainly) Is there some phone number I could call to find out what's the nearest jitney from my place which goes to New York?

Quote: This was sent to the DJCW: From: Jim.Rutherford@coachusa.com Date: August 24, 2007 1:46:12 PM EDT To: Gale Sasson <gale.sa@verizon.net> Subject: Fw: Don't take the buses off Palisade Ave The Jitney operators provide a high service frequency along Palisades Ave. 7 days a week. The frequency increases during the rush hour periods. During the midday (2pm), they operate every 2-3 minutes. Their service has reduced our passengers along Palisades Ave. over the last several years. On average we now transport less than 1 passenger per trip. The Jitney service and their method of operation results in congestion along Palisades Ave. Typically the Jitney's nose into a bus stop, which then impedes all following traffic. This congestion adds time and cost to the travel along Palisades Ave. The commuters along Palisades Ave. do have frequent service and have made a choice as to which service they will use. The # 10/99S will stop at Congress and Palisades Ave. for those Palisades Ave. residents who would chose to use our service. Thank you, James J. Rutherford, Jr. General Manager Olympia, ONE Bus, Independent Bus & Red & Tan 908-354-3330 ext. 232 Fax: 908-994-9355 Gale Sasson <gale.sa@verizon.net> 08/23/2007 10:25 PM To: mayorhealy@jcnj.org, mariano@jcnj.org, lipskis@jcnj.org, pobrian@hudsoncountynj.org, brennanp@jcnj.org, floodw@jcnj.org, asmprieto@njleg.org, asmquigley@njleg.org, redandtan@coachusa.com, tdegise@hudsoncountynj.org, sensacco@njleg.org Subject: Don't take the buses off Palisade Ave It is outrageous that the citizens of the Heights should be without adequate public transportation. The 99S is the only NY bus on the Palisades to New York City. Since moving here 10 years ago I have experienced the service declining, the missing buses, the lack of air conditioning, the buses with smaller and smaller aisles, and the very long lines in the evening at the Port Authority as the ownership changed hands. But in spite of that there is simply no other bus line to service this area. This community has been working to attract more people who care about where they live and who often work in NYC. The jitneys do not run in the evening and weekends with any frequency. Please do not make us feel that we are second class citizens here in the Heights. Dear Mayor, Council, NJ Legislators and Coach USA, Having bus service along Palisade Ave to New York City is critical to me. Jitney service is infrequent, limited mostly to rush hour and daylight hours, and of questionable safety. Bus service is vital to our area. Public transportation should be increased, not decreased, in a time of global warming and when Jersey City is reaching critical mass with the number of cars here. Having viable bus service increases property values and enables us to work and enjoy the area. Taking this service away without notice or input from the community is unconscionable. Please do all you can do to insist that this service is restored and improved. Gale Sasson 175 Sherman Avenue Jersey City, New Jersey 07307 Phone: 201 876-0224 --

I am a resident on Palisade ave nearby Christ Hospital. I work in NYC and don't leave until about 8pm.

I have been taking the 8:20pm bus which conveniently left me right in front of my house.

There are no Jitney buses that operate to palisade that late at night and the 99s was my only alternative.

I am concerned about my safety walking from central avenue to palisade at 9pm for obvious reasons.

So now the only alternative is to get off on congress and palisade or Paterson plank and palisade via 123 or 99s and pay an additional $1.50??

How come the residents of JC heights/palisade avenue were not involved in the decision making process. I wasn't even aware of the schedule change until the bus continued to central avenue yesterday!

I hope the Jitney operators get it together and offer later service or else I'm screwed, along with all Christ hospital employees or lower palisade ave residents who make the same commute.

I laughed when I read Fast Eddie's posts. I remember those brown Central Avenue buses. One used to also run up Hutton Street from Liberty or Terrace Avenue to Central Avenue and then to Journal Square. Ony thing is that my memory stretches back to 35 cents!

Anyhow, that privately owned company abandoned the route. Another one took it over and then Coach. When Coah first took over, it used to go all the way to Liberty State Park.

For those of you living near Kennedy Boulevard in the Heights, you will be better off using the jitneys there. The route is longer as they take the Blvd. up to 30th Street and then turn east (unless the driver is savvy enough only to pick up NY commuters and take a shortcut throughh Hoboken). However, the Kennedy Blvd. jitneys run every ten minutes to NYC and Journal Square during rush hour. In addition, they are a bargin -$2 and change to NYC, $1 to JSQ. The NJ transit buses that also are on this route not only are twice the price, they tend to treat bus schedules like some people treat marriage licenses - like a piece of paper to which there is no commitment.

I have lived on Palisade Avenue for three years now and, outside of the Light Rail and jitneys that run from Newport Mall to Bergenline and points north, have been very unimpressed with all of the service. The 99S rarely is on schedule. In addition, they charge a ridiculous price for a very short ride. I hear that with the new route has come an even higher fare. The Palisade Ave.-NYC jitneys only run five minutes ahead of the 99S, almost disappear during off-peak hours and weekends and stop running after 7:30.

During rush hour, the #87 to the Hoboken Path is supposed to run every ten minutes. In reality, you get four buses every 20 minutes to a half hour. I hear that this is because of congestion at the southern end of their route but I notice that in the evening, after rush hour, buses are either late or skip altogether.

iI moved east because I was in dire need of a pet-friendly, reasonable apartment. The irony is that many other people moving to the eastern end of the Heights do so because there is easy access to transportation to Hoboken and NY. What no one knows until they move there is that there are plentiful stops and many buses but nothing ever runs. THANK HEAVENS I HAVE A BIKE!

I noticed in the latest Jersey Journal article that some commuters voice fear about walking east of Central late at night. Living on the armpit of Palisade, between Franklin and Ferry, I can certainly understand that fear as stretches of New York, Sherman and Webster can be pretty gruesome.

Whenever I ask the police captain at block and association meetings why there are not foot or bike patrols on Palisade (cars are useless because the trash just scuttle away); the police captain of the Western Precinct explains they are reserved for Central Avenue because of the stores. (I have not seen either foot or bike patrols on Central Avenue, particularly at night. However, I notice gangs of 5 to 12 youths whooping it up. That is for another thread.)

Other attendees have pointed out to our captain that the stores are not going to get much business if folks are afraid to walk there. If commuters feel the same way about walking home from Central Avenue at night, perhaps there will be enough voices to get something done.

I think people should call the Mayor's action bureau (212-547-4900) to complain as well as the bus company directly.

I didn't notice any additional jitneys this morning, but at least the regular ones were running (unlike yesterday). Since the 99S is re-routed, will there also be jitneys running into the city from Central? It was easy to walk to Palisade and pick up a jitney when the 99S didn't arrive on time. Now I'd hate to walk all the way to Central for the 99S which won't show and then be stranded there waiting without another method of transportation.

Wouldn't it be smarter to have the multiple buses running multiple routes? The buses into NYC are usually more crowded than the NJ Transit 87 or 84, so I think the need is there. I don't understand why JC would re-route instead of adding additional buses. Towns like Hoboken have both NJ Transit AND Academy buses running down Washington and Clinton during rush hour.

People are moving to the Heights because Hoboken is overpriced and overcrowded. They need to realize the growth and potential of this area and start supporting the community as a whole.

Absolutely incredible that a bus company would simply change its routing without public input. Just shows how lacking this city is in leadership!

I agree that Central Avenue should have bus service (if its viable), but I'm not sure that it is and inconevneincing people along Palisade Avenue is not going to make it more viable. In fact, thiese large buses will probably worsen the traffic situation on Central Avenue.

Will there now be more gypsy vans going Palisade Avenue to New York?

WALK HOME IN FEAR
99S route shift adds blocks

Tuesday, August 28, 2007
By N. CLARK JUDD
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Some commuters making the daily trek to New York City from Jersey City are concerned that changes to one of the major bus routes leaves them with a dangerous walk home.

And the switch, which went into effect yesterday, shocked some riders who had not learned about it until they were already on the bus home.

The 99S bus, which makes several stops in Jersey City on its route between Bayonne and the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York, now runs along Central Avenue in Jersey City instead of its former route along Palisade Avenue.

Yesterday morning, some commuters were unaware of the change until they had already spent minutes waiting for buses that weren't coming.

And Red & Tan in Hudson County, the bus operator, had not updated its Web site with the new route by yesterday afternoon.

"This morning, I went out there like normal and waited, and waited, and then I didn't even see any jitneys," said Cyndi Eberhardt, referring to the commuter buses city officials say will service those who can't or won't make the six-block trek from Palisade Avenue to Central Avenue.

State Motor Vehicle Commission spokeswoman Cathleen Lewis said 15 commuter buses were inspected at Journal Square yesterday and nine were taken out of service in a spot inspection requested by the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office. Lewis said that buses typically are taken out of service for safety violations, but she did not have specifics on those inspected yesterday.

And several commuters on the 8 p.m. bus back to Jersey City and Bayonne last night said they did not know about the changes until, moments before the bus started moving, concerned fellow riders gave them fliers. "I didn't know," said one media executive who asked that his name not be used.

Officials call the route shift a compromise between Red & Tan and the Central Avenue Special Improvement District, whose members feared that another, already reduced Red & Tan route running up Central Avenue would be canceled and that it would bad for business. But residents who work in Manhattan and take the 99S home at night call it a potentially dangerous situation.

"It's definitely doable," Eberhardt said, "but my concern is being a single woman walking home at night."

And Gretchen Goldsworthy, who also commutes to Manhattan from her Ogden Avenue home, was nervous as she traced her new walk home for the first time last night.

"I feel like this is not an option for me late at night," said Goldsworthy, who handed out some of the fliers on the evening bus.

Jersey City Police Chief Thomas J. Comey said he doesn't believe the changes are a public safety concern. "We provide excellent coverage via marked cars, motorcycles, and walking patrols, and will continue to do such to ensure the safety of everyone along the bus routes and otherwise in the community."

Officials from Red & Tan did not return phone calls yesterday afternoon.

This reroute was most likely an agreement with the city to provide bus service on Central Ave. Probably at the behest of the Central Ave. Merchants Association. When I was a kid, when I was a boy, there was a Central Ave. bus line that ran on time and often to the Square, it cost a dime or 15 cents and you rode in a real bus dammit. The deregulation of the established bus lines was the worst thing that ever happened to public transportation. I usually drive these days but when i have to take public trans, I dread it. I don't know where these yahoo vans go or how much they cost. You have to stop them and ask "do you go to Journal Square?" They usually grunt in reply. And they drive like cab drivers. I dunno, I dunno anymore.

Quote:

I filled out the petition at citizenspeak along with a personal message (a clever little system) and got this back from the GM of Red & Tan:


"The Jitney operators provide a high service frequency along Palisades Ave. 7 days a week. The frequency increases during the rush hour periods. During the midday (2pm), they operate every 2-3 minutes.

Their service has reduced our passengers along Palisades Ave. over the last several years.
On average we now transport less than 1 passenger per trip.

The Jitney service and their method of operation results in congestion along Palisades Ave. Typically the Jitney's nose into a bus stop, which then impedes all following traffic. This congestion adds time and cost to the travel along Palisades Ave.

The commuters along Palisades Ave. do have frequent service and have made a choice as to which service they will use.

The # 10/99S will stop at Congress and Palisades Ave. for those Palisades Ave. residents who would chose to use our service."


In my reply I pointed out that in my experience those Jitneys are rarely going to/from Manhattan but then again I don't usually travel during rush hour periods.

Well, thats about all I can do at the moment. Let's see how this all shakes out next week.

I just spoke with somebody at the Red & Tan bus line office: They say there will be a stop at Congress & Ogden (a stone's throw from the Light Rail). This should be...interesting.

Thanks nprosario for passing on the info.

The 99S runs all night, but drops down to once every 2 hours overnight. See http://www.coachusa.com/CoachUsaAssets/files/96/route99Ssched.pdf

Quote:

This morning I was waiting for the bus when this couple pulls up and hands me a petition with fax numbers and phone numbers for our Council, Mayor, County Executive and Assembly persons and Coach USA. I agreed to pass the information along because I honestly believe that Palisade avenue deserves to keep the 99S bus route....at least during night hours. Here it is word for word.

www.citizenspeak.org/node/1133

Mayor Healy - 201-547-5200
Bill Gaughan - Ward D - 201-547-5485
Steve Lipski - Ward C - 201-547-5159
Jim Rutherford - Coach USA - 908-354-3330
Vincent Prieto - Assembly - 201-770-1303
Nicholas Sacco - Senate - 201-295-0200

Faxes can be sent to the Councile members at 201-547-4678 and to Mayor Healy at 201-547-4288 or 201-547-5442. Letters can be mailed to the Mayor and Council at 280 Grove Street, Jersey City, Nj 07302

Write letters to the editor of the Jersey Journal and the Jersey City reporter.

Jersey Journal: Letters to the Editor, 30 Journal Square, Jersey City, NJ 07306 or email to jjletters@jjournal.com or call Journal On Line msg system at 201-217-2500

Jersey City Reporter - PO Box 3069, 1400 Washington Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Fax 201-798-0018 or email: editorial@hudsonreporter.com

Riverview Neighborhood Association
201-876-1980
riverviewneighborhood@comcast.net

Now just as an aside I believe that during rush hour periods and late nites they should run on palisade. During non peak hours, then you can run on Central Avenue. That way everyone gets a shot at bus service!

The Coach USA buses on Pallisades are getting really sketchy as of late. I saw one this morning that was marked as being Newark Airport Express but it's sign read "PA Bus Terminal". I didn't get on it. The other day there was a bus with no number & just said "Port Authority". I took a chance & got on that. My guess is tha Coach USA uses whatever bus is left at their station at the end of the morning to do the 99s run on Palisades.

Riders told: Just walk a few blocks
99S route a 'compromise'

Thursday, August 23, 2007
By N. CLARK JUDD
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Palisade Avenue residents in Jersey City who suffer a longer commute because of the re-routing of Red & Tan Coach USA's Route 99S bus will just have to hoof it to bus stops on Central Avenue after service changes go into effect on Monday, city officials said at a press conference yesterday.

The 99S will now travel along Central instead of Palisade on its way to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan. The change represents a compromise between Red & Tan and officials from the Central Avenue Special Improvement District who say that service reductions along Route 231 have been bad for Central Avenue businesses since the route was briefly canceled in 2006.

"Bus service on Central Avenue was about to expire," said Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy. "In my opinion, it imposes a minimal amount of hardship."

Healy called the compromise "a home run for everybody."

City Councilman William Gaughan, who represents the Heights, said he believes the disruptions for Palisade Avenue riders will be minimal compared to the business the route will bring back to the Central Avenue business district.

Although, he conceded: "It may be inconvenient for a few people who have to walk a few blocks."

Doris Brown, a board member of the Riverview Neighborhood Association, disagrees.

"Do you know how many blocks we're talking about?" she countered after the press conference.

Brown said that while people on the avenue who live closer to Congress Street might have a negligible change in their routines, those further south along Palisade could have to walk up to a half hour to get to the new bus route.

The new 99S route will run every 30 minutes from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., and hourly between midnight and 6 a.m.