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
Fleet111 buses & cutaways (Fall 2020)
Daily ridership70,000 (daily); 6 million (annually)
Fuel typebiodiesel
OperatorFirst Transit
DirectorJack Molenaar
WebsiteCampus Buses

History

From 2001-2011, Rutgers bus service was provided by Academy Bus Lines. Prior to that, Coach USA was the operator.[1]

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.[2] 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,[3][4] a temporary LXc route was created for the 2010-11 school year, stopping at Cedar Lane every 30 minutes.[5] 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.[6] 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.[7][8]

Academy has filed a lawsuit against the University over the loss of the contract.[9][10] 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.[11] The new Rutgers-logo fleet of buses utilize the NextBus system and real-time status is available via the official Rutgers app. In 2018, Rutgers replaced the NextBus system with TransLoc.[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]

Routes

New Brunswick Campus

There are 9 routes on weekdays, 2 routes on weekends, and 1 route on holidays.

Weekday Routes
  • A - College Avenue / Busch (Clockwise on Busch)
  • B - Livingston / Busch (One bus designated as B/He stops at the Busch-Livingston Health Center)
  • C - Busch Commuter Loop
  • EE - College Avenue / Douglass–Cook via George Street
  • F - College Avenue / Douglass–Cook via Route 18
  • H - College Avenue / Busch (Counterclockwise on Busch)
  • LX - College Avenue / Livingston Express
  • REXB - Douglass / Busch (Rutgers Express to Busch)
  • REXL - Douglass / Livingston (Rutgers Express to Livingston)

LX, EE, H, B operate from 6:00 AM to 3:00 AM.

F & A operate from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM.

REXB & REXL operate from 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM, with service to downtown New Brunswick via New Street and George Street after 9:00 PM.

C operates from 7:30 AM to 10:00 PM.

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

The weekend routes run 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 name of the specific break in the destination sign of the bus. For example, during the summer buses will display "Summer 1" or "Summer 2"; for winter break, buses will display "Winter Break 1" or "Winter Break 2", etc. The routes themselves, however, do not change; they are the same as the Weekend 1/Weekend 2 routes.

Special Break Service

  • All Campus - College Ave / Busch / Livingston / Douglass–Cook (Same as Weekend 1)

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).

Color Routes

In fall of 2020, 6 color routes were temporarily introduced to help with social distancing on Rutgers buses due to COVID-19. They were modeled off of the regular intercampus routes, but featured less stops. These routes were implemented shortly before the start of the fall 2020 semester. However, due to low ridership, these routes were scrapped in the beginning of October 2020 and weekend routes were used instead. These routes are:

  • Purple (PRL) - College Avenue / Busch
  • Blue (BLU) - Livingston / Busch (One bus designated as Blue-He (BLU/H) stops at the Busch-Livingston Health Center)
  • Scarlet (SCR) - College Avenue / Douglass via George Street
  • Orange (ORG) - College Avenue / Livingston
  • Green (GRN) - Douglass / Livingston
  • Yellow (YLW) - Douglass / Busch

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.

Shuttles

New Brunswick Campus
  • New BrunsQuick Shuttle 1
  • New BrunsQuick Shuttle 2
  • RBHS Shuttle

During the Fall & Spring Semesters, the New BrunsQuick shuttles 1 and 2 run on weekdays between College Ave, the New Brunswick Train Station, and select stops in New Brunswick. They run roughly the same route but in opposite directions. The RBHS Shuttle runs between the medical school on Busch campus and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. During Summer and Fall/Spring Breaks, only the New BrunsQuick Shuttle 1 is in operation.

Newark Campus
  • 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 Campus
  • 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.

Fleet Roster

Active

Unless otherwise noted, buses listed here operate at the Rutgers-New Brunswick campus. Note that buses operating at one campus do occasionally operate at other campuses.

Fleet number(s) Photo Year Manufacturer Model Engine Transmission Notes
4127-4133 2015 ElDorado National Axess BRT 40' Cummins ISL9

(EPA 2013)

 Allison B400R
  • Used at Rutgers-Newark.
4053 2014
4176-4213
2011 Cummins ISL9

(EPA 2010)
  • 4179 & 4206 currently out of service.
1001, 1002, 1004, 1006, 1007, 1011, 1012 2010 Axess 40' Cummins ISL (EPA07)
  • Ex-LSU Tiger Trails, same unit numbers.
  • Entered service in fall 2017, except 1007 which entered service in fall 2018.
  • 1002 is wrapped for the Rutgers study abroad program.
  • 1011 is wrapped for RUSA.
  • 1001, 1006, and 1012 are completely white.
  • 1011 and 1012 feature forward-facing seats throughout the bus.
201-205
  • Ex-Emory University, Exx-LSU Tiger Trails 1000, 1003, 1005, 1008, 1010.
  • Entered service in fall 2019, except 201 which entered service in spring 2020.
  • 205 features forward-facing seats throughout the bus.
4274-4281 2007 Transmark XHF 32' Cummins ISL (EPA07) Allison B300R
  • Ex-Wolfline NCSU, same unit numbers.
  • Entered service in fall 2017.
  • 4274 & 4279 feature a First Transit livery and have transferred to Princeton University's Tiger Transit.
  • 4280-4281 feature City of New Brunswick and NBPA decals, as they are primarily used for the New BrunsQuick shuttles.
1493, 1495, 1496, 1500, 1504, 1510 New Flyer D40LF ZF EcoMat 2 6HP592C
  • Ex-Wolfline NCSU, same unit numbers.
  • Entered service in fall 2017.
8385, 8386, 8388, 8391, 8401, 8415 2019 Ford E-450
  • Used at Rutgers-Newark.
  • Entered service in summer 2019.
  • Owned & Operated by First Transit
5584, 5586, 5594
  • Used at Rutgers-Camden.
  • Entered service in spring 2020.
  • Owned & Operated by First Transit
16-1777 2017 E-350
  • Purchased by Federal Transit Administration & NJ Transit.
  • Operated by Rutgers University.
  • Used for on-campus paratransit, Douglass library shuttle & Knight Mover.
616, 622 2013
  • Used at Rutgers-Newark.
  • College Town Shuttle
  • Owned & Operated by Rutgers University
620, 621, 632 2012
  • Used at Rutgers-Newark.
  • College Town Shuttle
  • Owned & Operated by Rutgers University
3016 2012 F-550
  • Backup bus.
  • Previously numbered 635.
  • Owned & Operated by First Transit
625 2011
  • Used at Rutgers-Newark.
  • Purchased by Federal Transit Administration & NJ Transit.
  • Operated by First Transit.
630, 631, 633 2006 GMC C5500
  • Used at Rutgers-Camden.
  • Purchased by Federal Transit Administration & NJ Transit.
  • Operated by First Transit.

[1]

Retired
Fleet number(s) Photo Year Manufacturer Model Engine Transmission Notes
701, 706, 708R, 709, 712 2007 ElDorado National Transmark XHF

40'

 Cummins ISC Allison B300R
  • Ex-Texas First Transit Inc. (nicknamed the "Texas ElDorados")
  • Entered service circa 2015.
  • 706 or 712 may have transferred to Connecticut First Transit Inc.
  • 708R was renumbered from 708 at an unknown time due to a numbering conflict with another bus.
  • Lacked tracking devices after NextBus was phased out.
  • Originally featured red "RUTGERS" logos on the sides which were later removed.
  • All units retired by 2020.
6167-6176 2004 New Flyer D60LF Detroit Diesel Series 50 EGR Allison B500R
  • Ex-OC Transpo 6341-6350; purchased through New Flyer in early 2011.
  • Used exclusively on the B route since at least fall 2018.
  • Only 4 units (6167, 6171, 6175, 6176) were in service as of fall 2019.
  • All units retired by 2020.
1516, 2122, 2272, 6685, 6967, 7150 Blue Bird Xcel 102 40'
  • Ex-NCSU.
  • Retired circa 2016.

[1]

Academy

Under Academy, the fleet consisted of 2006-2009 Nova Bus LFS, 2002 New Flyer D60LF, 2001 Nova Bus RTS, and 1982 MAN articulated buses.[1]

Coach USA

Under Coach USA, the fleet consisted of 1998 Nova Bus RTS, 1982-1984 Neoplan AN460, 1978-1983 MAN articulated buses, 1979-1983 Grumman 870/Flxible Metro, and 1976 Flxible New Look.[1]

  • A #1504 - Inside
  • B #6176
  • EE #4180
  • F #202
  • H #4185
  • LX #4185 - Inside
  • LX #4189
  • REXB #4192
  • REXL #4053

References
  1. "Rutgers University - CPTDB Wiki". cptdb.ca. Retrieved 2020-10-01.
  2. 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.
  3. "Save the L Bus". Facebook. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  4. "Save the L Bus". Wordpress. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  5. 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.
  6. "Rutgers selects First Transit as bus operator". Metro Magazine. 15 November 2010. Retrieved 15 November 2010.
  7. 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)
  8. Stokes, Timothy (2 November 2010). "First Transit Named Campus Bus Service Operator for Rutgers University". First Transit. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
  9. Academy Bus of Hoboken sues Rutgers University.
  10. Contractor sues Rutgers over loss of bus contract
  11. "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).
  12. https://ipo.rutgers.edu/dots/buses-shuttle
  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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