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New Jersey Transit - Random Thoughts Thread


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The issun the basement isn't so much NJT but Greyhound leaving buses wherever they please. They know what gates NJT uses during the 1am-5am period and sometimes they choose to ignore it. I had a problem just last Sunday night, the 139 driver and I loaded in the alleyway and blocked everything up. Being an a**hole is the only way things gets fixed

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I can only do them on the weekends (and the older I get, the less stoked/apt I feel like doing them these days).... Weekdays, forget it.

 

Anyway, to your question, Yup.... That wasn't an abnormal ride (like due to some traffic hangup or something)... a typical ride on the 317 takes anywhere from 3.5 to 4 hours, fam... I'll admit, about 25% (1 hour) of the ride is spent driving through a bunch of nothing....

 

Believe it or not, we actually got to asbury early... Could've got there earlier if the path to get in & out of Moorestown Mall was altered (that, and the fact we trailed a salt truck inside mall property didn't help matters either... It's like being stuck on a city bus on a 1 lane street trailing a garbage truck (don't know if you've ever been through that, but if not, believe me, it's no fun).... Then again, after Browns Mills, no one got on or off the bus 'til we hit Lakewood (that's about an hour ride nonstop right there)...

 

Between Lakewood & Brick, was the most passenger activity we had during the entire trip (this is common).... 27 people got on at Lakewood, and I was one of 7 people on the bus when we got to lakewood (4 people got off, which left 3 of us)... Of the 3 of us, myself & this other dude stayed (physically) on the bus, and one guy got off to (I guess) take a leak along w/ the driver... So we left Lakewood w/ 30 pax.

 

I say that to say, if the 317 got cut short to Lakewood, it would cut an hour's worth of runtime, but the route would struggle to survive.... I imagine during the weekday, the college kids give the route more usage, but FWIW, I'd still say it is the portion b/w Lakewood & Asbury that gives the route overall the most usage....

 

Although nothing can be done about it, smh at the diversion around Ft Dix (since it no longer runs through it)... Feels like you're riding around in circles, because the surrounding area all looks the same.....

 

Man....gotta give it to the ops for doing such a long run. Also to the passengers that (may) actually use that long commute!

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The issun the basement isn't so much NJT but Greyhound leaving buses wherever they please. They know what gates NJT uses during the 1am-5am period and sometimes they choose to ignore it. I had a problem just last Sunday night, the 139 driver and I loaded in the alleyway and blocked everything up. Being an a**hole is the only way things gets fixed

no kidding, right?

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I can only do them on the weekends (and the older I get, the less stoked/apt I feel like doing them these days).... Weekdays, forget it.

 

Anyway, to your question, Yup.... That wasn't an abnormal ride (like due to some traffic hangup or something)... a typical ride on the 317 takes anywhere from 3.5 to 4 hours, fam... I'll admit, about 25% (1 hour) of the ride is spent driving through a bunch of nothing....

 

Believe it or not, we actually got to asbury early... Could've got there earlier if the path to get in & out of Moorestown Mall was altered (that, and the fact we trailed a salt truck inside mall property didn't help matters either... It's like being stuck on a city bus on a 1 lane street trailing a garbage truck (don't know if you've ever been through that, but if not, believe me, it's no fun).... Then again, after Browns Mills, no one got on or off the bus 'til we hit Lakewood (that's about an hour ride nonstop right there)...

 

Between Lakewood & Brick, was the most passenger activity we had during the entire trip (this is common).... 27 people got on at Lakewood, and I was one of 7 people on the bus when we got to lakewood (4 people got off, which left 3 of us)... Of the 3 of us, myself & this other dude stayed (physically) on the bus, and one guy got off to (I guess) take a leak along w/ the driver... So we left Lakewood w/ 30 pax.

 

I say that to say, if the 317 got cut short to Lakewood, it would cut an hour's worth of runtime, but the route would struggle to survive.... I imagine during the weekday, the college kids give the route more usage, but FWIW, I'd still say it is the portion b/w Lakewood & Asbury that gives the route overall the most usage....

 

Although nothing can be done about it, smh at the diversion around Ft Dix (since it no longer runs through it)... Feels like you're riding around in circles, because the surrounding area all looks the same.....

I rode the 317 from Asbury Park to Philadelphia back in Feb or March 2003.  Back then it was still going through Ft. Dix and they made everybody break out ID.  I think that was the first of the long distance semi-rural lines I rode (the others being the 313, 410, 554 and 559) and I was impressed by how long and desolate this line was.  The section of the 410 from Upper Deerfield (right around where the 553 ends and the 410 begins) till about Woodbury is like being in a different state.  There are miles upon miles along Route 77 where there's nothing but farmland on either side.  

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The issun the basement isn't so much NJT but Greyhound leaving buses wherever they please. They know what gates NJT uses during the 1am-5am period and sometimes they choose to ignore it. I had a problem just last Sunday night, the 139 driver and I loaded in the alleyway and blocked everything up. Being an a**hole is the only way things gets fixed

One morning (1-something in the AM), I must've circled the dungeon about 6 times before I finally just pulled into the first open gate I saw and corralled everybody over to my bus.  I hate it down there.  On President's Day, however, when I did 21/166, gate 80 was wide open when I arrived so I jumped on it and stayed there for my 20 minute recovery.  In the past, I've had to drop and go to Galvin before coming back.   

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Its ridiculous down there. Myself and the 145am driver on the 139 tend to look out for each other and direct our passengers but some of the other guys will stop in alleyway, open the door and if nobody comes over will just take off. Its a hassle that isn't getting much better.

 

Is 21/166 the 130am 166? If so then I had just missed you as I pull into gate 80 after that schedule leaves.

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One morning (1-something in the AM), I must've circled the dungeon about 6 times before I finally just pulled into the first open gate I saw and corralled everybody over to my bus. I hate it down there. On President's Day, however, when I did 21/166, gate 80 was wide open when I arrived so I jumped on it and stayed there for my 20 minute recovery. In the past, I've had to drop and go to Galvin before coming back.

Do a Eunice still work at oradell? All she did was 1/166.

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Its ridiculous down there. Myself and the 145am driver on the 139 tend to look out for each other and direct our passengers but some of the other guys will stop in alleyway, open the door and if nobody comes over will just take off. Its a hassle that isn't getting much better.

 

Is 21/166 the 130am 166? If so then I had just missed you as I pull into gate 80 after that schedule leaves.

I was out at 1:05 but that was just President's Day.  I am doing a relief run on the 165 otherwise for this pick.  

Do a Eunice still work at oradell? All she did was 1/166.

Possibly.  I see the woman who does 1/166 when I return to the garage to turn in but don't know her name.  I'll see if I can find out.  When I was on the XB, I always hoped they would put me on that run just once, so I could see how it is lol.

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I rode the 317 from Asbury Park to Philadelphia back in Feb or March 2003.  Back then it was still going through Ft. Dix and they made everybody break out ID.  I think that was the first of the long distance semi-rural lines I rode (the others being the 313, 410, 554 and 559) and I was impressed by how long and desolate this line was.  The section of the 410 from Upper Deerfield (right around where the 553 ends and the 410 begins) till about Woodbury is like being in a different state.  There are miles upon miles along Route 77 where there's nothing but farmland on either side.  

I remember the last time I rode #554 to the PATCO station (Lindenwold) from AC; Don't remember what twp. it was, but I remember saying to myself, unless you live out here, why would anyone get off along this stretch.... Saw cows & horses & what not; multiple times along the ride....

 

One morning (1-something in the AM), I must've circled the dungeon about 6 times before I finally just pulled into the first open gate I saw and corralled everybody over to my bus.  I hate it down there.  On President's Day, however, when I did 21/166, gate 80 was wide open when I arrived so I jumped on it and stayed there for my 20 minute recovery.  In the past, I've had to drop and go to Galvin before coming back.   

Its ridiculous down there. Myself and the 145am driver on the 139 tend to look out for each other and direct our passengers but some of the other guys will stop in alleyway, open the door and if nobody comes over will just take off. Its a hassle that isn't getting much better.

 

Is 21/166 the 130am 166? If so then I had just missed you as I pull into gate 80 after that schedule leaves.

Those 5am #139's I've taken on multiple occasions, come to think of it, always pulled up @ gate 79 or gate 80.... Never 81.

 

It's like, anything after 81 down there, there are greyhound buses lined up and people inside the terminal (on line) waiting to board the things.....

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  • 2 weeks later...

So I'm on 7318 here on the 139 and the fine people of centeal jersey seem to love me recording the bus. Guys next to ke are accusing me of being a terrorist and saying they're gonna call the cops when they get off like I can't hear. I love NJ... really

Eff em. They should try minding their own business.

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Not something people in those parts know how to do...

 

But anyways it was a nice ride, comfy with a nice new bus smell and all that, actually liking these a bit more than the old CNGs and much better than that DL POS. Took the train back to NY this morning, noticed they don't got that much Arrow 3s out anymore so did they retire more or something?

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Not something people in those parts know how to do...

 

But anyways it was a nice ride, comfy with a nice new bus smell and all that, actually liking these a bit more than the old CNGs and much better than that DL POS. Took the train back to NY this morning, noticed they don't got that much Arrow 3s out anymore so did they retire more or something?

 

Right...when I got off 7278 that first time when it was out, there was this guy asking me 8 million questions while I was recording the takeoff video. I was pretty pissed that I had to edit it.

 

 

Eff em. They should try minding their own business.

 

Impossible. You'll see their nosy-ness here.

 

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Right...when I got off 7278 that first time when it was out, there was this guy asking me 8 million questions while I was recording the takeoff video. I was pretty pissed that I had to edit it.

The worst one I ever had out there was an op slamming the brakes and stopping the bus as he pulled off to jump out and ask questions.

 

This time I got all the looks I always get then this couple next to me in the back acted like I couldn't hear em. These guys were like "this guy's a terrorist" and "if something happens..." then one of em said they're calling the cops when they get off. Like, I can hear you ya know... My fault getting on a packed bus at the Port not expecting another CNG to come for awhile, really should've just waited for the next one cause when I got down to Union Hill 7279 pulled up a few minutes later with less than half the people.

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Not something people in those parts know how to do...

 

But anyways it was a nice ride, comfy with a nice new bus smell and all that, actually liking these a bit more than the old CNGs and much better than that DL POS. Took the train back to NY this morning, noticed they don't got that much Arrow 3s out anymore so did they retire more or something?

Quite a few of them got damaged during Sandy.

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