Office of Borough President James P. Molinaro
Staten Island, New York
MTA NYC Transit adds bus service from Staten Island to Hudson Bergen Light Rail, advances MTA commitment to seamless regional transportation
Groundbreaking partnership with NJ TRANSIT anticipated to allow joint ticketing; Port Authority to contribute vital funding for buses
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority today announced that MTA New York City Transit (NYCT) will initiate a new bus service from Staten Island to the Hudson Bergen Light Rail (HBLR) in Bayonne, New Jersey beginning in the fall. The new limited stop route will allow Staten Island residents to quickly reach the growing job market in Bayonne, Jersey City and Hoboken, as well as connect to the PATH train to Manhattan. Hudson County residents will also now have access to jobs in Staten Island.
The MTA and NJ TRANSIT are working toward a groundbreaking agreement that would allow riders of the service to buy a joint monthly ticket for service on both the MTA NYC Transit bus route and the HBLR. The Port Authority will provide a one-time contribution of $2 million to help buy buses that will be used on the service. The agency's commitment will improve traffic flow over the Bayonne Bridge and on state and local roads in the region.
The new route, the S89 Limited, will run 12.5 miles from Hylan Boulevard-Richmond Avenue in Eltingville to the 34th Street HBLR Station in Bayonne, traveling via Richmond Avenue and the Bayonne Bridge. The service will operate on weekdays during the morning and evening peak periods, from 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Buses will depart every 15 minutes in the peak direction (toward Bayonne in the morning) and every 30 minutes in the reverse peak direction (to Staten Island in the morning).
The 1,200 expected daily riders on the new route will pay a local fare ($2 base) and will enjoy a free MetroCard transfer to connecting Staten Island local bus routes. Nine buses will be required to operate the service, at an annual operating cost of approximately $1.4 million. The service will be operated with standard MTA buses that normally provide local service.
July 17, 2007