DeCamp Bus Lines ceasing operations after 150 years

[pkim87]

Decamp cannot be worse than Saddle River, which let their commuter routes literally go down the toilet. On top of that, their website makes it look like "nothing happened." I would not like to work for that kind of company.

[The TransitMan]

Forgive me for asking (if this was not asked already) but what's going to happen to the buses at DeCamp? Will NJT take back there buses (#17071-17120)? 

[46Dover]

20 minutes ago, The TransitMan said:

Forgive me for asking (if this was not asked already) but what's going to happen to the buses at DeCamp? Will NJT take back there buses (#17071-17120)? 

Don’t count them out yet.  This is a temporary stoppage of work due to lack of ridership.  They’re hoping it all turns around after Labor Day

[pkim87]

The "CERT" bill as it stands:

"As a condition of receipt of assistance, Treasury must require that a provider of transportation services agree to use the funds, on a priority basis, to maintain through December 31, 2020, pay, paid administrative leave, and benefits to all employees after making any adjustments required for retirement or voluntary employee separation; and recall or rehire any employee laid off, furloughed, or terminated because of reduced service as a result of COVID-19, to the extent warranted by increased service levels."

Congress will not reconvene until after Labor Day then will have to hash out the bill.

It will be interesting how they categorize private carriers using buses paid for by NJT. By the looks of the bill, the funding is to be used to restore or maintain current service levels more or less and so cannot be used to boost the company's bottom line or other debts incurred not related to pandemic related service cuts (i.e. Saddle River cannot use it to pay $57000 in back rent to Port Authority). The companies will have to shoulder the fixed costs of not having service until the bill passes and funding is received. And what happens in the future after Dec 2020 will be up to the carrier based on their individual situations.

[R10 2952]

2 hours ago, pkim87 said:

Congress will not reconvene until after Labor Day then will have to hash out the bill.

Our tax dollars hard at work SMH...

It's disgraceful, really, for them to be taking recess at a time like this.

[BreeddekalbL]

On 8/24/2020 at 10:25 PM, R10 2952 said:

Our tax dollars hard at work SMH...

It's disgraceful, really, for them to be taking recess at a time like this.

Cant the president order them back?

[pkim87]

22 hours ago, BreeddekalbL said:

Cant the president order them back?

He can, but historically it's been rarely done. But with the RNC this week, this being a normal recess, and the fact that they did not adjourn "sine die," (some form of a second stimulus will be on the agenda when they reconvene), I don't think anything will happen beforehand.

[checkmatechamp13]

They seem to have a pretty solid network in terms of areas served (I don't think ridership will ever fully return to previous levels, as work-from-home becomes more prevalent, but I think there will be enough demand to sustain the routes in general). I could see for example, a #33/44 combination, a #33G/66 combination, and the #88 being run by NJT. 

[DaTransitMan4608]

19 hours ago, checkmatechamp13 said:

They seem to have a pretty solid network in terms of areas served (I don't think ridership will ever fully return to previous levels, as work-from-home becomes more prevalent, but I think there will be enough demand to sustain the routes in general). I could see for example, a #33/44 combination, a #33G/66 combination, and the #88 being run by NJT. 

I can see that too. Question is, if that happens which garage is gonna take it? The 88 is unique in that it begins/terminates in Orange/East Orange, which I guess could put it in Hilton territory.

Edited October 18, 2020 by DaTransitMan4608

[go25]

3 hours ago, DaTransitMan4608 said:

I can see that too. Question is, if that happens which garage is gonna take it? The 88 is unique in that it begins/terminates in Orange/East Orange, which I guess could put it in Hilton territory.

That's Orange territory, not Hilton

[DaTransitMan4608]

On 10/18/2020 at 7:26 PM, go25 said:

That's Orange territory, not Hilton

It is, but that doesn't mean they should do it. If a line terminates near or at a garage, it doesn't necessarily mean it should belong to said garage. Especially in Orange's case given that the 88 has historically been a motorcoach line and they have no space to store any MCIs there.  

Also, keep in mind that whether this line or any other DeCamp line ends up being taken over hinges on NJT getting the federal funding they have been asking for to keep them operating the way they are now. 

 

[go25]

1 hour ago, DaTransitMan4608 said:

It is, but that doesn't mean they should do it. If a line terminates near or at a garage, it doesn't necessarily mean it should belong to said garage. Especially in Orange's case given that the 88 has historically been a motorcoach line and they have no space to store any MCIs there.  

Also, keep in mind that whether this line or any other DeCamp line ends up being taken over hinges on NJT getting the federal funding they have been asking for to keep them operating the way they are now. 

 

Never implied that Hilton should do the route(s) whatsoever. Just pointing out the obvious answer lol. 

 

I hope that DeCamp can pull through, hate to see another small business go away because of this pandemic. And if it does, can NJT handle all of this? That's up for debate...

[checkmatechamp13]

@go25 I think one of the big things going forward will be less rush hour service and any service expansions would be off-peak. Since rush hour service is the most expensive to provide (since it requires extra buses and drivers to be brought on-board that aren't being used in the middle of the day) I think they'll have enough drivers/buses to handle those other lines (plus I think the physical buses were State-owned) but of course the big question comes down to funding.

[46Dover]

On 10/17/2020 at 8:25 PM, checkmatechamp13 said:

They seem to have a pretty solid network in terms of areas served (I don't think ridership will ever fully return to previous levels, as work-from-home becomes more prevalent, but I think there will be enough demand to sustain the routes in general). I could see for example, a #33/44 combination, a #33G/66 combination, and the #88 being run by NJT. 

The other thing to consider is this:

New York’s bread and butter economy wise is tourism.  The streets of New York City are virtually empty (as evidenced from my lofty perch from the 3rd floor of the Port Authority Bus Terminal looking uptown on 9 Avenue and along 42nd Street and down 8th Avenue).  With so many folks from different states (and other parts of the world for that matter) being on lockdown due to COVID restrictions, the industry is taking a beating.  Lakeland used to bustle with standing room only buses on weekends into New York, now has basically a skeleton crew operating with weekend service cancelled (with the exception of the NJT Gladstone bus shuttles).   
 

Back to DeCamp:  I had to cross honor tickets for a couple of months, and the fact that there may be an uptick in some of NJT’s Park & Rides looking full may be an illusion due to displaced riders from the aforementioned company’s temporary (?) stoppage.  Hope everything gets better soon 

[pkim87]

I second that observation about tourism taking a beating. Usually on Saturday afternoons, SEC would be bustling with passengers with nearly every train bound for NYP packed like sardines. Now, there are literally 2 people on the platform and SEC is a ghost town. It is surreal.

[Gotham Bus Co.]

On 10/20/2020 at 7:39 PM, DaTransitMan4608 said:

It is, but that doesn't mean they should do it. If a line terminates near or at a garage, it doesn't necessarily mean it should belong to said garage. Especially in Orange's case given that the 88 has historically been a motorcoach line and they have no space to store any MCIs there.  

Also, keep in mind that whether this line or any other DeCamp line ends up being taken over hinges on NJT getting the federal funding they have been asking for to keep them operating the way they are now. 

 

If NJT takes over DeCamp's routes, maybe it should also take over DeCamp's garage.

[aemoreira81]

Can Orange or Hilton handle MCI buses? Currently, Orange (plus Big Tree) doesn't even have any interstate routes.

[B35 via Church]

20 hours ago, Gotham Bus Co. said:

If NJT takes over DeCamp's routes, maybe it should also take over DeCamp's garage.

Where is DeCamp's garage anyway?

17 hours ago, aemoreira81 said:

Can Orange or Hilton handle MCI buses? Currently, Orange (plus Big Tree) doesn't even have any interstate routes.

With respect to what?

[DaTransitMan4608]

2 hours ago, B35 via Church said:

With respect to what?

I'm assuming in respect to garage space, driver/mechanic training, route training. These garages have never had MCIs like the rest. The garage out of the two he mentioned that have NY routes is Hilton (107 & 108). 

[B35 via Church]

11 minutes ago, DaTransitMan4608 said:

I'm assuming in respect to garage space, driver/mechanic training, route training. These garages have never had MCIs like the rest. The garage out of the two he mentioned that have NY routes is Hilton (107 & 108). 

Oh, I know those depots don't operate any MCI routes, I was inquiring his rationale as to what prompted his inquiry....

We would assume what you just mentioned, but knowing of him, it's a good chance it's something quirky....

[46Dover]

4 hours ago, B35 via Church said:

Where is DeCamp's garage anyway?

Montclair right next to the Montclair-Boonton line at (IINM), Walnut Street station

Edited October 25, 2020 by 46Dover

[pkim87]

Was there any provision in the latest stimulus funding for charter bus companies (and those who run commuter lines)? The DeCamp website has not budged and no word from Rockland Coaches either (though they now run 2 buses to/from PABT during rush hour on each line as of a few months ago). With the new commuting patterns which are inevitable but may take a while to be seen, I wonder if some routes will still be viable.

[JAzumah]

DeCamp is returning based on CERTS funding. NJT recently put out an advisory that the 192 will be picking up in DeCamp turf until they return. 

A lot of routes will have to be restructured to work at 50% capacity, but it can be done in most areas.

[davemackey]

Well it appears that DeCamp is coming back to life. They have reactivated a number of their buses for charters, specifically their most recent J4500's (no word on the two J3500's they got just prior to the shutdown), and even have some state buses reinspected and registered for the return of their commuter runs next month.

 

[JLiu15]

It looks like some of their NJT D4500CTs have been given new plates. 17089 and 17119, which I saw on the 33 today, both had AX plates instead of their original AT plates.