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 Posted: Thu, Oct 21 2010, 4:27 pm EDT Post subject: Commuter bus on Route 130 vs train? |
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I currently commute by train to NYC from Princeton Junction. I wanted to look into taking a bus instead. Does anyone have experience with both and the pros and cons in terms of time it takes, reliability of timing, costs, parking, freqency, etc.?
Also, I can't figure out where to get info about the buses that leave from the large parking lot on Route 130 where Forsgate Drive dead-ends? Knowing nothing about it I assumed it was run by NJ Transit but it must not be because I can't find any info on their site at a stop in South Brunswick, Monroe or Cranbury and it must be in one of those towns.
Thanks. |
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| Posted: Thu, Oct 21 2010, 4:38 pm EDT Post subject: Re: Commuter bus on Route 130 vs train? |
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| Guest wrote: | I currently commute by train to NYC from Princeton Junction. I wanted to look into taking a bus instead. Does anyone have experience with both and the pros and cons in terms of time it takes, reliability of timing, costs, parking, freqency, etc.?
Also, I can't figure out where to get info about the buses that leave from the large parking lot on Route 130 where Forsgate Drive dead-ends? Knowing nothing about it I assumed it was run by NJ Transit but it must not be because I can't find any info on their site at a stop in South Brunswick, Monroe or Cranbury and it must be in one of those towns.
Thanks. |
It depends on where you go. When I worked down town I loved the bus. It was so much easier and better than the path and train.
When I worked mid-town the bus was about equal for me to the train. The benefit was the parking situation was better at the bus and if I needed a ride it was easy to get a ride to the bus.
I stopped awhile ago so cost wise I am not sure. I also am not sure if the bus became more crowded. When I took the bus it was always easy to get a seat and no one fought each other in line. |
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| Posted: Thu, Oct 21 2010, 4:55 pm EDT Post subject: Re: Commuter bus on Route 130 vs train? |
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I did a little Google work and figured out the 8A park and ride is operated by CoachUSA and Suburban Transit.
It looks like the ticket cost is very similar to the train -- $14 one way versus $14.75 for the train. The drop-off point at 42nd street is not as convenient for me as Penn Station but I could probably live with it.
What I am curious about is:
1) Can you always find parking at the 8A parking lot, even if you are leaving later like 8:30 or 9am?
2) Is parking free?
3) I see they have a lot of buses. Do you almost always get the next bus when you arrive or is it so crowded sometimes that you have to wait for another bus?
4) The route claims 1 hour door-to-door between 8A and 42nd Street. How reliable / variable is this? When I drive myself in by car it is completely hit-and-miss. One day it may be an hour, the next it could be 2 hours because it takes almost an hour in the back-up getting through the tunnel. It's almost 50/50 which is why I have found the train to generally be more reliable. But people tell me they haven't had problems with the buses. I wonder how that is -- do they have some special approaches to the tunnel that avoid the log-jam I get stuck in? If I'm going to be no better off on reliability than in my car, I would stick with the train.
Thanks. |
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Guest
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| Posted: Fri, Oct 22 2010, 1:03 pm EDT Post subject: Re: Commuter bus on Route 130 vs train? |
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I have been taking the train daily for a few years. Used to take the bus from a different area (same bus provider) for 8 years.
My experience is that the train has had many more delays vs. the bus. Daily parking at the train is $5 (unless you have a permit) vs $2 at the exit 8A. No idea if you can get parking after 8:30 since I'm in earlier. Train parking after 8:30 can be difficult.
If your commuting monthly the most cost effective way for the train is a monthly at $414. Last I checked, you can buy 10 trips (weekly) for the bus at $104. If your out a day you obviously don't use the tickets and save money vs. the fixed train monthly.
Not sure where you work but the bus has a midtown route that drops you off along Madison Ave (or other areas) which will save money on Subways.
I don't have problems getting a seat on the either the bus or train but I know others have on the train. As far as people and common courtesy, the bus is a better option in my experience.
Commuting time is roughly the same. |
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Guest
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| Posted: Fri, Oct 22 2010, 1:10 pm EDT Post subject: Re: Commuter bus on Route 130 vs train? |
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| Forgot to mention the turnpike has the HOV lanes and dedicated tunnel lane for buses before 10am. |
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Guest
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| Posted: Fri, Oct 22 2010, 2:44 pm EDT Post subject: Re: Commuter bus on Route 130 vs train? |
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| Guest wrote: | | Forgot to mention the turnpike has the HOV lanes and dedicated tunnel lane for buses before 10am. |
Is there a dedicate bus lane other than the HOV lane? I have found the HOV lane not much help in heavy traffic. When I have carpooled it ends up backing up just a little later than the relgular lanes and when I have been solo and stayed out of the lane I have made sport of counting how many of the people in the HOV lane actually have 2 or more people in the car. I've done this about a dozen different times because there's not much else to do (legally, since you shouldn't use your cell phone or check email) while stuck in heavy traffic and the collective ratio of those times so far is 1:21 vehicles are legit. That's right -- 1 in every 21 cars or busess in the lane in heavy traffic is legitimately using it. The rest are cheating. I'm sure the ratio is lower when traffic is light but there's no point then. It seems a lot of people seem to believe that the rules stop applying whenever traffic becomes inconveniently heavy. Others seem to think it's okay to cheat if they are using it as a passing lane. Either way the law breakers basically clog up the lane when traffic is stop and go.
In my experience the traffic backs up more later in the morning so those who leave at 8:30am for their work schedule are more likely to encounter problems than those who leave at 7:30 or earlier. |
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Guest
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| Posted: Fri, Oct 22 2010, 2:51 pm EDT Post subject: Re: Commuter bus on Route 130 vs train? |
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"Is there a dedicate bus lane other than the HOV lane?"
No. It's impossible to have a dedicated bus lane on NJ Turnpike. |
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Guest
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| Posted: Fri, Oct 22 2010, 4:25 pm EDT Post subject: Re: Commuter bus on Route 130 vs train? |
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| Guest wrote: | "Is there a dedicate bus lane other than the HOV lane?"
No. It's impossible to have a dedicated bus lane on NJ Turnpike. |
And the HOV lane ends on the approaches to the tunnels which is where I get backed-up the most. I don't commute in by car all the time, but I do so probably a couple dozen times a year, usually leaving around 8am. I would say my average time to get from Cranbury through one of the tunnels is about 1 hour and 40 minutes. Worst case was 2 hours and 50 minutes. Best case was 55 minutes. But it definitely wouldn't average an hour. It is just so inconsistent when the tunnel approaches will be backed up. It's usually not too bad until then even in heavy traffic. |
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Guest2
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| Posted: Fri, Oct 22 2010, 5:53 pm EDT Post subject: Re: Commuter bus on Route 130 vs train? |
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1) Can you always find parking at the 8A parking lot, even if you are leaving later like 8:30 or 9am?
I believe so. I don't think the extended parking lot has ever being filled yet.
2) Is parking free?
No. Daily rate is $2. Monthly rate comes out a bit cheaper if you go everyday.
3) I see they have a lot of buses. Do you almost always get the next bus when you arrive or is it so crowded sometimes that you have to wait for another bus?
You can find schedule on suburban web site.
Good Luck. |
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Guest
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| Posted: Fri, Oct 22 2010, 6:17 pm EDT Post subject: Re: Commuter bus on Route 130 vs train? |
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| Guest2 wrote: | 1) Can you always find parking at the 8A parking lot, even if you are leaving later like 8:30 or 9am?
I believe so. I don't think the extended parking lot has ever being filled yet.
2) Is parking free?
No. Daily rate is $2. Monthly rate comes out a bit cheaper if you go everyday.
3) I see they have a lot of buses. Do you almost always get the next bus when you arrive or is it so crowded sometimes that you have to wait for another bus?
You can find schedule on suburban web site.
Good Luck. |
Thanks. On 3, I had already seen the schedule, that's why I saw they had a lot of buses. The question was do you always get the first bus that comes or do they sometimes fill-up forcing people to wait for the next bus? On the train no matter how many people get on there is always standing room. On a bus I assume they only take as many people as there are seats. So the gist was can you predictably pick your bus, arrive just before it and know you'll be able to get a seat or at peak times are their more people than seats? |
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Guest2
Guest
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| Posted: Fri, Oct 22 2010, 7:08 pm EDT Post subject: Re: Commuter bus on Route 130 vs train? |
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| Guest wrote: |
Thanks. On 3, I had already seen the schedule, that's why I saw they had a lot of buses. The question was do you always get the first bus that comes or do they sometimes fill-up forcing people to wait for the next bus? On the train no matter how many people get on there is always standing room. On a bus I assume they only take as many people as there are seats. So the gist was can you predictably pick your bus, arrive just before it and know you'll be able to get a seat or at peak times are their more people than seats? |
Occasionally, there are more people than the first bus can take, then you have to wait for the next one. But in my experience, this doesn't happen that often. But I haven't taken the bus for several months, not sure if the situation changed. |
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