Community transportation comes to Sussex County

Using a combination of services, riders can access every corner of the county SUSSEX COUNTY — After years of planning, studies and surveys by Sussex County Public Transportation, an overhauled, countywide, community transit system has gone into effect that is aimed at servicing more than just the senior community. “It has the potential to touch the lives of every person in the county and those who wish to visit here” said Carol A. Novrit Director of the Division of Social Services, who was connected with the transportation project. With two active and rider responsive bus services, every corner of the county can be accessed. Plus, For the first time ever, it crosses over to Morris County where the NJ Transit rail system can be accessed. At a presentation to the Byram Council on Jan. 16, Novrit, along with John Jackson, Coordinator of Skylands Ride for the Office of Transit, explained the history of the county bus system, the changes and updates and how they came to be. The history of the project Public transportation in the county started 30 years ago. It began as a loop that touched the most populated and frequented areas of the time including Newton, Franklin, Sussex and Hamburg. It expanded to included senior busing to food stores, pharmacies, and provided transportation for the elderly to doctors and healthcare facilities. Over time the service was expanded to include rides for people who needed to get to work within the county. Approximately three years ago, a “dream team,” as Novrit put it, was formed to attend a mobility management training program put on by Easter Seals. Only 15 teams from the entire State of NJ were chosen, the Sussex County team being one of them. It consisted of Freeholder Susan Zellman, Tom Drabic, a Sussex County transit planner, Tim Sharpe of the NJ Transit Community Bus Division, Bob Panzer of DAWN, an advocacy group for the disabled and Novrit from Social Services. Jackson explained that the whole transit system in the county really needed to be looked at. After attending the program, grants were actively pursued and won. New Jersey Transit funding brought Boris Palichek of Nelson, Nygaard, transportation planners, to the situation to help advise and consult on what needed to be done. The Connect Bus As result, a new Connect Bus replaces the former loop service. The new Connect bus travels through Newton, Sussex Wantage, Hamburg, Franklin, Ogdensburg, Sparta, Andover, Hampton and Newton. It is available to the general public as well as seniors and people with disabilities. Unused stops were eliminated from the old schedule and new stops were added including the YMCA in Hamburg and Carlton Village, destinations that surveys showed riders wanted as stops. The change nearly doubles the number of trips on the eastern side of the schedule. The bus runs on a regular basis, between 5 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. with stops every one hour and 15 minutes at predetermined locations. The cost is a $1 donation. The bus schedule can be found online at www.Sussex.nj.us. By request The Skylands Request bus is meant to serve people who are not serviceable by the Connect loop. There are three components to the Request bus. One component will be a corridor bus that runs along Route 206 between Newton and Netcong with the Netcong Train Station at the end of the run. Stops can be made at any of the 56 Lakeland Bus stops along 206. Riders need to call and request that the corridor bus pick them up at a predetermined Lakeland bus stop and bring them to their destination along the route. The second component helps the rider who can not get to 206. A rider can request that a bus pick them up at their home and bring them to a 206 Lakeland bus stop to then take the corridor bus to their destination or to make their connections to get to their final destination. The third component of the Request bus is connecting people with their employment. The request bus can be used to transport a passenger from their home to their workplace within the county. All services are available to the general public including senior citizens and people with disabilities. Service runs from 5:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. The cost is $2 per ride donation. Novritexplains “The new request bus is for people who need to get to the train station or to points between Newton and the station. It is convenient with the line running from Newton to Netcong with stops at all of the 56 Lakeland Bus stops. It is probably the most exciting part of the changes implemented.” Jackon said “This is the first time our public transportation bus has ever crossed county lines. It is history in the making.” Novrit added that one of the hopes is to bring people from out of the area to enjoy Sussex County and all that it has to offer, bringing people, family and friends together. “The buses are really nice to ride too. We have two new 29-seat buses, which will improve passenger comfort and vehicle reliability. These projects were really designed for the people. With services like this people can stay in the county and in their homes for their entire lives. It is aimed to improve the lives of the young, the elderly and all those in between.”