Bus Mayhem in Jersey: NJ Transit Again Saves the Day — But Who’s Getting Left Behind?

In yet another dramatic move in New Jersey’s transit saga, NJ Transit has been forced to step in — for the sixth time in recent years — after a private bus company abandoned its routes.
Here’s what you need to know… and what nobody is talking about.

🚍 The Breakdown

• A legacy operator, Broadway Bus Company (with a history going back a century) has announced that it is ceasing operations, citing declining ridership and rising costs.
• NJ Transit will take over the route (the No. 12 Broadway Route) starting December 1 to maintain service coverage.
• Since 2023, NJ Transit has absorbed at least 42 routes from private carriers that shut down or abandoned their contracts.

🔍 What This Really Means

• Public bailout, private exit. Every time a private bus company quits, it’s NJ Transit (and by extension, taxpayers) who pick up the slack.
• Service disruption risk. Riders are temporarily left in limbo — route changes, stops removed, schedule uncertainty — when the carrier change happens.
• Decline of private carriers = bigger burden for public sector. The shift signals trouble in the business model of regional bus carriers: fewer riders, higher labor/vehicle costs, maybe less state/federal support.
• Local impact. For commuters in places like Bayonne (where the Broadway route runs), this means uncertainty. New schedule, fewer stops, and potential longer travel times.

📣 Voices from the Ground

One resident reportedly said:

“A 100-year-old company goes under, and we’re left waiting for someone to fix it.”
And NJ Transit’s chief, Kris Kolluri, responded:
“I am extremely proud of the work our bus operations team has done… It is another example of NJ Transit’s stewardship…”
But when you read between the lines, “stewardship” sounds a lot like “emergency takeover”.