BAYONNE AND BEYOND — In a deal negotiated by Bayonne Mayor Mark Smith and Jersey City Mayor Jeramiah Healy, NJ Transit and Academy Bus will take on Route No. 10 which the Red & Tan Bus Company said it would cease as of April. NJ Transit and Academy agree to take over the Boulevard Bus route from West 3rd Street in Bayonne to Journal Square on an interim basis until the line can be put out for bid in November by New Jersey Transit.
The announcement comes on the heels of the current operator, Coach USA recent, suddenly announcing that they will cease operations on April 8. At the time, both Smith and Healy expressed concern over the hundreds of high school and college students as well as commuters who would be affected by the route shutdown. Mayor Healy called a meeting in Jersey City City Hall today along with representatives of New Jersey Transit, local state legislators and city council representatives to discuss the bus route and possible solutions. Mayor Smith had previously called on Coach USA to continue operations until a suitable replacement could be found.
“We are happy to report that an accommodation has been reached that will provide for uninterrupted service for the citizens of both Bayonne and Jersey City,” said Mayor Smith. “The Boulevard bus will continue to operate and provide an important transportation link for our communities”
Smith went on to thank John Leon of New Jersey Transit and Academy Bus for their assistance in resolving the issue.