NJ gas prices too high? Mass transit alternatives in Monmouth and Ocean counties
Gas prices in Monmouth and Ocean counties reached record highs recently, with an average of $4.38 per gallon recorded last Thursday, before falling back to $4.30 by Tuesday, according to data by AAA Gas Prices.
This is up from $3.62 a month ago and $2.94 a year ago.
With prices soaring, what alternative modes of transportation exist and how do you use them?
NJ Transit
There are 23 NJ Transit bus lines and one rail line that cross through Monmouth and Ocean counties. They include bus lines 63, 64, 67, 130, 131, 132, 133, 135, 136, 137, 139, 308, 317, 319, 559, 817, 830, 831, 832, 834, 836, 837, 838 and the North Jersey Coast Line for rail.
Bus ticket prices are calculated based on the number of zones customers pass through. The zone system is similar to how tickets on tolled highways are calculated. Zone information can be found on the brochure of each individual bus line.
Buses do not stop at every listed bus stop. Passengers must press the buzzer to alert the driver.
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Rides can be purchased on the NJ Transit app MyBus or when boarding the bus if a customer has exact change. Bus tickets can also be purchased at eight locations throughout Monmouth and Ocean counties. They include: 7-Eleven in Freehold at 50 Schank Road; Penny Pantry in Freehold; Raceway Service Station in Freehold; Freehold Bus Terminal in Freehold; Colonial Coffee Shop in Howell; Gordon's Corner Bus Tickets in Manalapan; the 76 gas station at the intersection of Ryan Road and Route 9 in Manalapan; and the Toms River Municipal Bus Terminal, according to NJ Transit’s website.
The North Jersey Coast Line runs along the shore from Bay Head to New York City. Train tickets can be purchased at train stations or on the train if ticket agents and ticket vending machines are not available.
Reduced fares are available for people with disabilities, veterans, children, students and seniors over 62 years old.
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Academy
Nine Academy bus lines run through Monmouth and Ocean counties. They include bus lines Exit 109 to Port Authority; Exit 109 to Wall Street; Jackson to Midtown; Manchester, Lakehurst and Jackson to Port Authority; Parkway Express to Port Authority; Parkway Express to Wall Street; PNC to Port Authority; PNC to Wall Street; Route 36 to Port Authority; Route 36 to Wall Street; Route 9 to Wall Street and Shore Points to Port Authority.
According to Academy’s website, tickets can be purchased in the company’s SilverPass app or on the bus with exact change. Tickets can also be purchased at eight locations including Brick Town Liquors in Brick; Penny Pantry in Freehold; Academy Airport Plaza in Hazlet; PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel; Colonial Coffee Shop in Howell; Keansburg Pharmacy in Keansburg; Academy Terminal in Middletown; and the Toms River Municipal Bus Terminal.
Tickets are priced based on zones. Reduced fares are available for seniors over 62 years old.
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Ocean Ride
Ocean County has 11 Ocean Ride bus lines that operate across the county from Little Egg Harbor to Brick to Manchester. They include:
OC 1A has stops in Toms River, Manchester and Lakehurst. It completes two loops Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
OC 3 has stops in Brick, Lakewood and Toms River. It makes two loops Monday to Fridays.
OC 3A has stops in Brick, Point Pleasant, Point Pleasant Beach and Toms River. It operates one loop on the second Wednesday of the month.
OC 4 has stops in Point Pleasant Beach, Brick and Lakewood. It completes five loops Mondays to Fridays.
OC 5 has stops in the Lanoka Harbor, Forked River and Sunrise Beach sections of Lacey. It operates two loops Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
OC 6 has stops in Little Egg Harbor, Tuckerton and Stafford. It makes two loops Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
OC 9 has stops in Long Beach Island, Ship Bottom, Brant Beach, Beach Haven and Stafford. It operates one north and one south loop on Tuesdays.
OC 10 has stops in Toms River, Lavallette and Seaside Heights. It makes ten loops Mondays to Saturdays in the fall and winter.
Toms River North Loop completes one loop on Wednesdays.
Barnegat Shoppers Loop offers Barnegat residents a flexible route service to grocery stores, banks, post offices and the library on Friday mornings. Reservations are required by calling Barnegat Town Hall at 609-698-0080 ext. 193 by 3 p.m. Wednesdays.
Waretown/Barnegat Shoppers Loop offers Waretown and Barnegat residents a flexible route service to grocery and department stores on Tuesdays. Reservations are required by calling Barnegat Town Hall at 609-698-0080 and Waretown at 609-693-3302 ext. 221 by 4:30 pm Fridays.
According to Dave Fitzgerald, director of Ocean Ride, "Both the Barnegat and Waretown/Barnegat Shoppers Loops are open to the general public to ride and are not restricted to seniors and persons with disabilities."
A number of the stops are by request only. People are required to call Ocean Ride the day before by calling 732-736-8989 option 4.
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According to the Ocean County website, route deviations are allowed “up to one block of either side of the printed bus route where conditions allow.” Deviation requests need to be made 24 hours in advance by calling 732-736-8989 option 4. People requiring wheelchair lift transportation also need to make reservations 24 hours in advance.
All buses are wheelchair accessible.
While buses have scheduled stops, “You may get on and off the bus along the route, by signaling to the driver (where roadway conditions permit),” according to the website.
Bus fares for students, people with disabilities and seniors over 60 is $1. And fares for the general public is $2.
Veterans traveling to a VA clinic ride for free. Ocean County veterans can travel to the VA clinic in Brick Monday to Friday by calling 732-736-8989 extension 1 up to four weeks in advance.
For veterans traveling to an out-of-county VA facility, residents should call the Ocean County Veterans Service Bureau at 732-929-2096, preferably two weeks in advance. Transportation to the Veterans Medical Center in East Orange runs Mondays mornings and Thursdays afternoons, to Lyons Veterans Medical Center runs on Tuesdays, to the VA Hospital in Philadelphia on Wednesdays and the Burlington County VA clinic on Fridays.
Ocean Ride also provides a Reserve-a-Ride program for seniors over 60 and people with disabilities. According to the Ocean County website, "Pre-registration is NOT required, just call us when you need your appointment."
The program allows residents to go anywhere from doctor's appointments, grocery shopping or social events. Reservations can be made by calling 732-736-8989 option 1. A round trip fare costs $6. Discounts are available for passengers with a PAAD Card or Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged & Disabled Card.
Lakewood Shuttle
Lakewood has two bus lines.
The Lakewood Shuttle runs in a circle from Westgate Plaza to Georgian Court University to Pine Park Monday to Friday. Fares are $1 per ride.
According to the township website, routes may deviate up to “a two-block radius from the designated route. There is a $2 fee per route deviation; however, this service is free for seniors and individuals with disabilities.”
Requests for deviations must be made 48 hours in advance by calling 732-905-3405.
Lakewood also has a bus line called Job Link, which makes a loop in the town's Industrial Park. It runs from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
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Paratransit
NJ Transit Access Link
For people with disabilities, NJ Transit offers paratransit for riders who wish to be picked up and dropped off within a 0.75-mile radius of eligible bus routes or light rail stations.
The bus or sedan follows fixed bus routes and light rail lines. According to the NJ Transit website, “The bus routes defined as commuter routes are not included in the Access Link service area.”
Jim Smith, spokesperson for NJ Transit, wrote in an email, "We are currently reviewing commuter bus lines to see if adjustments need to be made or if local service will be added. Access Link does not operate into New York, but we assist the customer with making ADA-accessible trip plans and aid in obtaining New York City Access-A-Ride visitor status information. It should be noted that all NJ Transit buses are ADA-compliant."
To apply for Access Link, customers need to schedule a telephone interview. According to the Access Link website, “During a telephone interview, you will be asked about your disability and the impact on your ability to use NJ Transit’s local fixed-route system to travel.”
Interviews can be scheduled by calling 973-491-4224 option 1 or emailing adacert@njtransit.com.
Access Link does not accept reduced fares and customers must make reservations by 5 p.m. the day before. Tickets can be purchased on Access Link’s mobile app.
According to Smith, "We use the same bus zones as fixed route bus. The fares are comparable but tend to be lower. In reference to distance, essentially yes, however we go 0.75 of a mile beyond the shadowed fixed route bus."
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Monmouth County Special Citizens Area Transportation or S.C.A.T.
For seniors over 60, people with disabilities and military veterans, Monmouth County has a paratransit service for residents who need to attend medical appointments and buy groceries.
Services include:
Shared ride, which are shared multiple-destination bus services residents can request. It runs Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
MCDOT SCAT, which are requested individual transportation services.
FTA Section 5311, which is provided through a rural transportation grant. It provides bus services for the general public as well as seniors and people with disabilities. It covers the towns of Roosevelt, Upper Freehold, Millstone and Manalapan south of Gordons Corner Road. It runs from from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays.
Shared Ride Work, which provides limited work transportation for people with disabilities, according to Monmouth County Commissioner Tom Arnone.
Veterans Services, which provides transportation for veterans to VA hospitals in Brick, East Orange and Lyons. Buses will pick up residents starting at 6 a.m. and depart from the hospital at 1 p.m. Buses heading to Brick depart on Tuesday, West Orange on Wednesday and Lyons on Thursday. Services are available every other week. Buses will also take veterans to Tinton Falls Outpatient clinic on request.
According to the Monmouth County website, reservations must be made at least one week in advance and no more than two weeks in advance. For rides to and from the VA hospitals, rides can be booked two to 30 days in advance.
A one-way ride to an in-county medical facility or a single shared ride will cost $3. A one-way ticket for an educational facility will cost $4 and transportation to work will cost $7. For out-of-county medical transportation, it will cost $10.
There are no fares for veterans traveling to VA hospitals or clinics, according to Arnone.
To make a reservation, call 732-431-6480 option 1.
According to S.C.A.T.’s 2022 grant application, “Our service provides transportation to doctors' appointments, life sustaining treatment (dialysis, chemo, and radiation), senior centers, nutrition sites, food shopping, food pantries, general shopping and socialization and most recently COVID 19 Vaccine sites. We also accommodate a variety of other requests that our clients may make. We provide service to CVR (the Center for Vocational Rehabilitation) and the Monmouth County Division of Work Force Development.”
According to Arnone, S.C.A.T. provides food shopping to all eligible residents. "Some municipalities have regular scheduled days and some do not. If a client lives in a municipality that is not on a regular schedule they can choose which day they would like to go shopping and we will accommodate the request if we have availability."
The application also states that they have 35 buses with a staff of 15 full time drivers. It says there are 18 openings citing “a nationwide shortage of CDL drivers.”
Toms River Township Senior Transportation
A shuttle is available for people living in Toms River who are over 60 years old. According to the Toms River Township website, it provides free transportation “to local stores, doctor’s appointments (and) to the Toms River Senior Center for activities and outreach.”
Rides must be scheduled through 732-341-1000 ext. 8208.
Ridesharing
Uber and Lyft have options to share rides with other customers going to or from the same direction. Rides can be requested through the apps.
NJ Rideshare is a statewide carpool that connects residents with others interested in sharing the cost of commuting. Residents can sign up at www.njrideshare.com and find others looking to share a ride.
Olivia Liu is a reporter covering transportation, Red Bank and western Monmouth County. She can be reached at oliu@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: NJ high gas price Monmouth, Ocean County mass transit alternatives
