How do you feel about access to public transit options in your neighborhood?

Submitted by North_Emu8686 t3_10fvu0s in jerseycity

I’m curious about how people who live in a transit desert (i.e. more than 15min walk to a train or limited rail/bus service) solve for their commute? I’m specifically interested in folks who live near McGinley Square, in The Heights, and some parts of downtown (eg. Cast Iron Lofts, Soho Lofts, Schroeder Lofts, Hamilton House). Do you use public transit or do you drive? What’s the most frustrating part of your commute? Any feedback is appreciated!

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possums101 t1_j4zratf wrote

We have bus service in the Heights lol. It can be spotty at times but lately it’s been good and they recently improved the schedule for the 119 which is one of the main routes that go through the neighborhood.

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North_Emu8686 OP t1_j4zttss wrote

Specifically on bus service, how often do you use it, for what purpose and what time of day? For some the bus stop might be a 5mins walk away, but for others maybe 15 mins depending on where they live. Also, is it better service during the day vs. at night?

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Recurringferry t1_j50aolw wrote

There's buses on JFK Blvd, Central Ave, and Palisade Ave. I'm not sure there's any places in the Heights that are a 15 min walk from public transportation.

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North_Emu8686 OP t1_j50e51r wrote

Do you have any frustrations with a <15min walk to access the bus line or train? Do you have to wait often or increase your commute time using the bus? Some May desire a shorter commute on the first leg of their travel.

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Recurringferry t1_j50ezz1 wrote

When I lived in the Heights, it was a block away from the bus stop on jfk blvd. That was a big appeal for my commute to nyc for work. If I had to walk to Central Ave to catch the bus (10 mins walk) it would have been frustrating.

The rush hour bus (jitney) service on JFK Blvd used to be great (buses every few mins in the mornings), but I haven't lived there since before covid so no idea how it is today.

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whatever4545 t1_j505d2x wrote

In the heights, the 119 goes down central ave and stops at basically every street, and on the east side ppl can be quite close to the light rail in hoboken, maybe if someone is deep into the west side, yes its a little far but for the vast majority in the heights, its not a 15 min walk, for me personally, its a 2 min walk at most

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North_Emu8686 OP t1_j58ol6t wrote

Would you prefer a more direct means of travel ie. one that does not stop at every street? Some might desire less stops between them and their destination, but don’t have access to that in their neighborhood.

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whatever4545 t1_j58owiu wrote

From where im at, middle of the heights/maybe somehwat closer to jsq, it only takes 20 mins to get to port authority, maybe 35 mins max at rush hr so really no reason to complain

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possums101 t1_j506yb8 wrote

I don’t use it to commute because I mostly work from home. I do use it to get to and from the city for social outings more then once a week, to go to the gym and sometimes to get around the neighborhood if the weather is bad. I take the bus all times of day depending on what I’m doing. Like the other comment said I’m not so sure anyone in the Heights has to walk 15 minutes to the bus. Besides the 119 there’s a bunch of other routes and stops all over.

The biggest issue I would say is the frequency of buses. During non peak hours the 119 is hourly which can be difficult. Yesterday actually, I was trying to catch the bus to the city around 1 and they just weren’t coming. The NJ Transit app would say a bus is coming at a certain time and then as it got closer to that time the bus vanished from the schedule. It happened twice so I just took a different route to journal square path.

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soccbowler t1_j50t7pa wrote

I agree that the app has become increasingly unreliable. I live close enough to central to see the buses as they go by, and yesterday I was looking at the app to see when the next bus would arrive (it said none were scheduled) only to look up and watch the bus go by three minutes later

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North_Emu8686 OP t1_j58ob5r wrote

What would you say you value most 1) An app that accurately tracks bus arrival times or 2) a bus service that runs more frequently? To clarify, the app can be accurate and yet the bus service run less frequently. Is it the service, the technology (app) or both that matter most to you?

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North_Emu8686 OP t1_j58nxss wrote

Would you say that your preference is to use the bus for travel within Jersey City? Also, using the example you provided about redirecting to JSQ after the bus didn’t arrive, is your preference to use the bus to travel directly into the city and why?

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possums101 t1_j58otr7 wrote

Yes I use the bus to get around the city and to NYC. I live a block from Central where the 119 stops on every block so it’s just the easiest means of transportation. I do most of my shopping and errands on Central as well so I mostly walk around unless the weather isn’t great. Taking the path adds another step since I don’t live within walking distance.

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mmmmyah t1_j505j7w wrote

I’m not sure why you are interested in the neighborhoods you named because they aren’t really transit deserts .. places like Greenville more fit the description .. I live in MSQ and my walk to the JSQ path is about 15 minutes so I usually just walk when going to the city .. if commuting within JC I use VIA or the bus .. late nights all of jersey is a transit desert so we need buses and via to run 24x7

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North_Emu8686 OP t1_j506zfu wrote

How often do you use VIA and/or the bus? Do you have any frustrations with using these types of transit? Also, are there any frustrations with the walk to JSQ? For some, 15mins is outside of their zone for proximity to a train.

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mmmmyah t1_j508syp wrote

Re: city commute I use the bus when I’m tired of walking maybe once every couple of weeks, often when returning home .. VIA needs more vehicles the wait time is often 15 minutes or more. The only frustration with the walk to jsq is when it snows and people / the city don’t do a good job cleaning the sidewalk and the huge water puddles at street corners … there’s of course the bikers who don’t obey red lights and traffic signs that can run you over

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North_Emu8686 OP t1_j58psg6 wrote

Would you be more or less likely to use an on demand travel service ( eg. Via) over bus service if there were to be minimal to no wait time? Also, how often do you use on demand travel services like VIA?

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mmmmyah t1_j58tym1 wrote

Via is almost the same price as a bus and yes if there was minimal wait time, absolutely. Via has a much better app user interface for live tracking your incoming ride (very similar to Uber and Lyft). I saw other comments about bus tracking not being that great - at least 50% of that is the clunky Nj transit app .. when you do finally hit the dozen clicks to figure out the arriving bus the bus live tracking is pretty accurate

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North_Emu8686 OP t1_j61kphw wrote

If VIA were to cost 2x more than a single bus ride and have minimal to no wait time, would your use of VIA remain the same, increase or decrease?

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North_Emu8686 OP t1_j58pc08 wrote

The neighborhoods listed were included simply due to inclusivity and the nature of travel in urban environments. Having access to a bus line <15mins away is likely not sufficient to meet all travel needs or preferences of a community. Also, when someone reconsiders living in a neighborhood because access to a train or light rail is 15mins away can indicate that more can be done to make living in those areas more convenient for all.

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mmmmyah t1_j58xfox wrote

Ok I was just surprised by the glaring omission of Greenville - in fact I believe the inspiration for VIA was spawned by NJ transit stopping service to a critical bus line there. You might also find this paper of interest that defines the transit desert index - I haven’t had a chance to look at their data collected. Finally can you shed some light / provide some context around your questions and why you are asking them - it would help us help you better. Are you someone planning to move to JC? Alternatively do you live in JC and thinking of relocating ? or, do you work for the city ? Or do you work for one of the transit companies ? App? Some other reason? Also have you talked to the jc dept of transportation to see what data they are willing to share ?

https://dc.uwm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1169&context=ijger

Thanks

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North_Emu8686 OP t1_j61shey wrote

As background, my wife and I moved to Downtown JC last year from LIC Queens. We recently started looking for another apartment and found a great option in Hamilton Park. Although the apartment was nice, we did not prefer the 15min walk to the PATH after considering weather conditions (bad snow days, rain, summer) and the time it would add to our overall commute. After not moving forward with the apartment, I started considering possible solutions to help people in similar (hence some of the neighborhoods listed) and worse situations. The questions posed here are for data gathering and research to help understand the problem before identifying any final solution. Thank you for sharing the paper. Very helpful. I am also reviewing the JC transit study conducted in 2022 on transit issues across the entire city and recommendations.

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FelixTaran t1_j50cv7v wrote

I live in west side and I usually take either a VIA or the light rail to get downtown. I would take the bus, but I have a very hard time figuring out where they even go. Why are the routes not published somewhere? A route that just has street names is not helpful if you don’t know the area.

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North_Emu8686 OP t1_j50eigb wrote

If I may, what options did you consider before deciding on using VIA or the light rail to get downtown? To clarify, was there a reason not to walk, bike, or even purchase a car?

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FelixTaran t1_j50n3qp wrote

I don’t drive. Walking downtown from where I live is about 45 minutes. It’s already a 20 minute walk to either the PATH or the light rail. Sometimes I walk but that’s honestly more of a recreational thing.

I don’t have a citi bike path and I’m not super confident about biking in the city. With unprotected bike lanes it just doesn’t feel all that safe.

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North_Emu8686 OP t1_j58q7fy wrote

Would you then rank safety, speed, as a top motivational factors in choosing your travel means?

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FelixTaran t1_j58sby8 wrote

I absolutely would not. That’s a clumsy aggregation.

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111110100101 t1_j52lugm wrote

I wouldn’t call the heights a transit desert, but definitely underserved given the density of the area. Imo, the coverage is fine, I.e. you could leave all the bus routes & light rail as they are, it’s the frequency that’s the problem. Every bus and the light rail should basically be running double what it runs now.

The jitneys/immis/minibuses pick up some slack, but they dropped off after covid, and are honestly just awful. I feel for the drivers and their need to make a livelihood but this shit should not exist in a first world country. They are not accessible to the disabled, have no real timetable, pollute and drive like maniacs… and I can’t use them because they don’t take my NJT monthly pass. They should be real NJT buses.

I was recently in Staten Island and realized that the buses in this random suburban neighborhood of SI came twice as often as the buses on Palisade Ave or Kennedy. Like a neighborhood of random single family homes with better transit service than some of the densest parts of the country. NJ is just pathetic in this regard.

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ScumbagMacbeth t1_j52350x wrote

The Heights isn't a transit desert at all. I'm a 20 minute walk from 2 different PATH stations and a 2 minute walk from several different bus lines. When I'm working Manhattan, I generally take the bus round trip six days a week. It's great. I take the PATH if I'm going in for fun on the weekend.

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North_Emu8686 OP t1_j58uhau wrote

Based on your current living situation, on demand travel services (ie. VIA, Uber, etc.) are not required integral to your typical travel schedule?

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ScumbagMacbeth t1_j590776 wrote

Never. If traffic is bad I take the PATH instead of the bus. Once in a blue moon I MIGHT do it but it would either be a weird circumstance (getting out of a 16 hour workday at 2 AM) or if I was running super late already.

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bundemout t1_j518s6v wrote

I am in greenville and the JFK buses run on time 90% of the time. Even the westside ave buses are really good. Get your self a monthly pass and all these buses can be used.

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North_Emu8686 OP t1_j58sw3h wrote

Are there any travel situations where bus service is not ideal for you?

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bundemout t1_j5grdud wrote

Shopping. If I want to go to Costco or the mall the public transport doesn't really do it for me.

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Maleficent-Baby-1926 t1_j4zvyro wrote

do you all find the buses reliable and think will remain that way if city gets more congested overtime ?

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burrito__supreme t1_j4zxrtr wrote

at rush hour, yes. other times, not really. as the city continues to grow njt is going to need to improve reliability.

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orb_king t1_j5051n4 wrote

That’s a statement you could say any time in the last 20 years. It would appear that they have no intentions of addressing the issue.

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North_Emu8686 OP t1_j58qg0c wrote

What makes bus service reliable during rush hour? To clarify, is it that they arrive more frequently, avoid traffic, arrive on time?

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Conscious_Tone2063 t1_j50iqks wrote

I’m in the east side of the Heights near Riverview Park. Depending on which part of Manhattan I’m headed to, I use 123 bus to PABT, 87 bus or Lightrail to Hoboken PATH, Via to Newport PATH.

I like using 123 bus to PABT due to how easy and not crowded it is, but it doesn’t come often enough for me to rely on daily basis.

I feel none of the options are reliable or available all the time. So I need to compare which options take the least time depending on the time of the day, which can be too much work.

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North_Emu8686 OP t1_j58segp wrote

Do most of your travel needs take you into the city ie. work, doctors appointment, social life? How often do you need to travel into the city? Finally, which do you prefer (VIA or bus service) to manage connections to long range travel modes (ie. PATH or light rail)?

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kjrst9 t1_j50ski4 wrote

I live on the far far side of Hamilton Park neighborhood and the walk to PATH is 15 minutes. There's not much useful in terms of the bus. I just suck it up and walk. 15 minutes isn't the end of the world, and it's better than using a car. Not ideal though.

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burrito__supreme t1_j4zulao wrote

i live on the west side just west of mcginley square. i take a bus to journal square to get the path when i need to get into the city. there are 3-4 bus lines that all stop at jsq that i can get right at the end of my block.

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North_Emu8686 OP t1_j4zw33s wrote

Outside of commutes directed toward the city, do you use the bus, walk, bike or drive for commuting within Jersey City?

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burrito__supreme t1_j4zx10c wrote

within jersey city usually depends - honestly i uber/lyft to save time. sometimes will take the bus if i know i have the time to do it but i hate having to build an unknown amount of commute time into whatever i’m doing. i’m usually going downtown for an appointment so i can’t be late and prefer uber/lyft for that reason (as opposed to bus which is unpredictable, as half the buses i can get are a&c and therefore not on the njt app bus tracker. i also find the tracker unreliable). otherwise i will drive myself in my own car, usually when running errands on weekends.

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North_Emu8686 OP t1_j4zy79z wrote

This is helpful context. One last question, would you change anything about your travel options when you have to commute within Jersey City or to the city?

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burrito__supreme t1_j506mwo wrote

i mean, in a perfect world? yeah, we’d have a rail system throughout jc comparable to the subway. but i’m biased as i’m from new york and lived in queens for ten years before moving to jersey city and have always felt the public transit here falls very short compared to nyc. understand there are a lot of factors that go into it but i’m speaking from a place of pure idealism, even fantasy.

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Acrobatic-Season-770 t1_j50zguk wrote

I walk, bike, or e-scooter because while there's a bus stop less than a block away i never see it and it's so infrequent I can walk faster

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zjuka t1_j52fvvs wrote

Heights. Weekend/off-peak bus service is infuriating. All the transit apps are pretty unreliable (I guess they all get data from the same source). When 119 gets to Palisades during the rush hour it’s pretty packed (going into the city), and are not spaced evenly.

We had so many community meetings about the public transit already through the years and nothing changed. Every time community starts to complain more than usual, city hires advisors which present a keynote with a list of problems, and that’s the end of that. That’s frustrating.

Since this is the second post in a row I’m seeing about traffic/public transport, I’m guessing city is planning to throw more of our tax money at some “studies” again.

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JeromePowellAdmirer t1_j5596fc wrote

Except it did change? 119 reliability improved dramatically (there is statistical evidence of this) after July NJT takeover, and more rush hour trips were recently added.

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ReeseCommaBill t1_j52xxgw wrote

Newport is boring, but if you love easy access to transit, we’re within steps of Path, Light Rail, and a short walk to NJT at Hoboken. We used to have a ferry, there was talk of bringing it back but ::shrug::

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fraggle-rocket t1_j55ikhl wrote

I’m by the western slopes it used to take me about an hour when I worked in midtown, sometimes longer. The 125 didn’t run often enough and the 119 was a hike and half (better for ppl on the eastern side). The jitneys were basically it lol. I just got sick of it and got a job in NJ, 30 min commute. No more risk of a jitney breaking down, not passing by, being cramped, bus smelling like an old rag lol.

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driftwoodnyc t1_j584r4r wrote

McGinley Square/Bergen Hill here. Don't mind a 20 min walk to JSQ, or I can take the 87 bus around the corner from me which takes less than 10 mins to JSQ. Or, there's also the Bergen Ave bus (irregular service), or the 10/119 on JFK. Date nights to Newark Ave/Grove St we just Uber/Lyft.

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Any-Environment6707 t1_j5dgs6d wrote

The heights. I take a bus to the path station because I work at 23rd st so it’s more convenient than the 119. I find the busses to be very unreliable and my commute to the city to be far too long.

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Puzzlekitt t1_j5sgh9z wrote

All those lofts/houses you mentioned provide shuttle buses for their residents.

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Economy-Cupcake808 t1_j4zyt57 wrote

I live in a transit desert as you described. I use my car for most things. I am happy doing so, no real frustrations. I don’t commute into NYC. Traffic is usually not terrible outside of the inbound turnpike between 8:30-920. Traffic gets hairy downtown but if I am going there I will usually bus, via, or park at the Jersey avenue light rail if it’s after 3

If I need to go into NY I will usually drive, sometimes I will park at the light rail and use the path, but that usually takes an extra 40 minutes so I only do that if I am sure that traffic/parking will be a nightmare.

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North_Emu8686 OP t1_j5001bf wrote

Was the choice to live in in your neighborhood influenced by having a car? Also, do you prefer to drive or is it the choice to drive due to lack of public transit access?

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Economy-Cupcake808 t1_j501h1w wrote

Yes. My partner and I each have a car so parking was a must. I prefer to drive, would rather not spend extra time waiting for and walking to and from the public transit options.

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