The new micro transit shuttle service starts Monday. It is being operated by Via with $7 million in funding from the Federal Transit Administration and offers free connections to major bus stops and park and rides.
MicroLink is a two-year long pilot program. The new service is similar to microtransit service that Via has operated in Jersey Citysince 2020.
That service allows passengers to book a ride using an app and meet the driver at a nearby location shown on a map, usually in walking distance from where they are. That service has expanded and provided two million rides in 2024.
NJ Transit’s MicroLink operates between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. weekdays, and is a free, on-demand service accessible through the MicroLink app or by calling 973-233-4047. Customers reserve rides on the app or by calling, similar to using Uber or Lyft.
“By offering flexible, on-demand service, we are helping customers more easily connect to our bus network while also expanding access to the broader transit system for a more seamless trip,” Kris Kolluri, NJ Transit CEO, said in a statement.
The Monmouth County pilot program will operate in two service areas off the Route 9 bus corridor.
Service area 1 serves sections of Manalapan and Marlboro to connect customers to and from the Union Hill Park & Ride in Marlboro. Service area 2 covers sections of Freehold Township and Freehold Borough to connect customers to and from the Freehold Mall Park & Ride. NJ Transit is operating this service using software provided through Via.
MicroLink will change the route of certain 139 buses that used to divert from Route 9 to the Covered Bridge and Yorktown areas of Manalapan and the Stonehurst and Raintree areas of Freehold Township.
The Bergen County pilot program is operated by Via under contract with NJ Transit. It serves the Knickerbocker Road corridor encompassing sections of Bergenfield, Tenafly, Englewood and Teaneck. The service connects customers to and from NJ Transit’s regular route bus service, with connections at eight locations including the Teaneck Armory and Englewood Health Center.
Commuters should book rides 20 to 30 minutes before their departure time, since it is an on-demand service. The App can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.
MicroLink operates electric and gas-powered vans that seat six and include one wheelchair-accessible seat in each vehicle.
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