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.

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. 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, a temporary LXc route was created for the 2010-11 school year, stopping at Cedar Lane every 30 minutes. A second bus was later added to shorten wait times to 15 minutes. In addition, the three weekend buses were reorganized into two all campus loop buses.
After the contract with previous operator Academy Bus expired on June 30, 2011, First Transit took over campus shuttle service. 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.
Academy has filed a lawsuit against the University over the loss of the contract. 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. 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 :
After 9 PM, the REXB and REXL routes operate via Downtown New Brunswick until 11 PM, when service ends. After 9 PM, the following routes operate until 2:50 AM:
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 service runs on weekends during the Summer and over Spring/Winter Break. It also serves as the primary bus route during holidays.

Newark Campus

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

Weekday Transit Lines

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 Only used in Route B
Bus# 1493,1495,1496,1500,1504,1510
Bus # 1001,1002,1004,1006,1007,1011,1012
Bus # 201, 202, 203, 204, 205
1009 & 1013 still missing.
Bus # 4176-4213
Bus # 4053
Bus # 4127-4133
Bus# 4274-4281
Bus# 701,708R,709
Bus# 620,625
Bus# 5379 no longer in service
Bus# 3016, 5584
Bus# 8385,8386,8388,8391,8401,8415
Bus# 630,5586,632,633

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. A series of other changes have also taken place:
Several times over the past decade, it has been suggested that the bus system be partially or fully replaced with bus rapid transit, monorail, or light rail. Closing College Avenue to non-bus motor vehicle traffic was also proposed, but indefinitely canceled in February 2010, due to excessive costs. 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.

Shuttle Buses

New Brunswick

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

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

Camden

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

Buses Gallery