The changes to the Route 130 Connection bus line go into effect Aug. 15
TRENTON -- The county announced this week that the Route 130 Connection bus line will be expanded to now provide service to and from Mercer County Community College for Hightstown and East Windsor residents.
The changes to the Route 130 Connection bus line go into effect Aug. 15 (Courtesy photo) Other changes mean that it will also be easier for workers to get to the Exit 8A warehouses and the 'ZLine,' which serves the Matrix Business Park and Amazon mega-warehouse.
Cheryl Kastrenakes, executive director of the Greater Mercer Transportation Management Association, said the group spent the last two years monitoring ridership on the existing route and looking at possible routing and scheduling changes.
"Besides the routing to MCCC, we wanted to make the route more efficient by providing more bus service to areas underserved by transit, streamline the route where it is underperforming and eliminate duplication of service that is already provided by NJ Transit," she said.
The primary reason for the route change, which goes into effect Aug. 15, was to add service to the college. Officials said it became apparent, after reviewing enrollment and census data, that there was a need for transportation service from the eastern part of the county.
College records show there were 567 enrolled students from East Windsor and Hightstown last semester.
MCCC to have free shuttle bus to mall
"Increased access to employment and educational opportunities is the purpose of re-aligning and expanding service for Mercer County's Route 130 Connection bus route and we are so pleased to partner with the college and the TMA to add additional transportation options," Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes said.
The first bus leaves East Windsor's Town Center Plaza at 7:55 a.m. and arrives at the college at 8:45 a.m. In total, there are five trips to the college and nine return trips.
Other changes include:
- Increasing the number of trips between Trenton and the Exit 8A warehouses from two to three, while also shortening the traveling time with a more express route;
- Adjusting the route's timing to make it easier for workers to connect to the 'ZLine' at Hamilton Marketplace; and
- Running more frequent service on weekdays and Saturdays
Saturday service will only operate from East Windsor and Hightstown bus stops to Hamilton Marketplace.
Though service to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton and some trips to and from the Hamilton Rail Station are being eliminated, NJ Transit has bus routes to provide alternate service.
The Route 130 bus line is funded in part by a grant from NJ Transit. The fare is $1 each way and exact change is required.
More information is available at gmtma.org.
Cristina Rojas may be reached at crojas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaRojasTT. Find NJ.com on Facebook.