Somerset County Extends Shuttle Service Connecting North Plainfield and Raritan Valley Community College

New Routes Take Effect May 30

North Plainfield residents enrolled at Raritan Valley Community College soon will have a new way to reach the Branchburg campus.

After re-examining ridership numbers, public demand and resources, the Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the county Transportation Division have announced that the CAT-2R (Community Access Transit) shuttle route will be realigned and extended from North Plainfield, a previously unserved area, to Raritan Valley Community College.  Residents taking this shuttle will have access to stops in Bound Brook, Somerville – including RWJ University Hospital Somerset – and Raritan. The new peak-hour service will run Monday to Friday starting Tuesday, May 30.

“The Freeholder Board is pleased that we are able to make shuttle service adjustments to meet the needs of more residents, including students enrolled at RVCC,” said Freeholder Director Peter S. Palmer. “Prior to this, over 300 students in North Plainfield had limited access to the college campus. With these route changes, students, older adults and employees will have reliable and affordable transportation options for getting to their destinations.”

Changes to other shuttle services that also will take effect May 30 include:

·       DASH 851 and 852 (Davidson Avenue Shuttle) routes are being adjusted to provide more access to a single, larger industrial and commercial area. Although service will no longer be provided to the Joyce Kilmer/Livingston Avenue area in North Brunswick, stops will include the New Brunswick and Bound Brook train stations, as well as MetLife, Doubletree, Residence Inn, Easton North Apartments, Harrison Towers and Davidson Avenue in Franklin Township.

·       DASH 853 will be merged into an additional CAT-1R route, resulting in extended service to the New Brunswick train station. This shuttle will connect six towns to additional mass transit services, such as the Bound Brook and Somerville train stations and NJ Transit bus routes 114/117. Riders also have greater access to the Value Center (Walgreens and Kentucky Fried Chicken) on Hamilton Street, Somerset Residence at 360 DeMott Lane, Renaissance at Raritan Valley in East Millstone, Raritan Valley Community College, and the county complex in Somerville where a variety of government services are available, including the County Clerk’s Office, the Board of Social Services, Election Board and Social Services.

Schedules for Somerset County Transportation services can be found at: https://www.co.somerset.nj.us/government/public-works/transportation.  

Somerset County Transportation provides para-transit services to older adults and persons with disabilities who need access to medical appointments, employment and senior centers, among other destinations.  The county also provides the general public with reliable and affordable community shuttle service along fixed routes.

Systemwide in 2016, county transportation completed a total of 408,395 trips. Partial funding for county transportation comes from the New Freedom Fund and casino tax revenues through a Senior Citizen and Disabled Resident Transportation Program, which is administered by New Jersey Transit.

For more information, contact the Somerset County Transportation Division at (908) 231-7116.