Ocean County local Bus system Ocean Ride a failure (Toms River: insurance, home)

[Dewmik]

Yesterday I was coming back from Avon to Point Pleasant Beach then home to Toms River. I thought that I would do my business at PPB then take the Ocean County local bus system Ocean Ride.
I waited at the PPB train station where the sign says to wait for 2 1/2 hours then the driver flew by like his ass was on fire. He didn't even pull into the station.
Who ever runs the local bus system needs to do one of two things. one is to just shut it down. It's unreliable and poorly organized. the other option is to get a professional transit company in to run it make many needed changes.
The routs need to attend to major transportation hubs in the county like the park and rides and train stations. There’s no reason that a person should have to go from PPB back through Lakewood to get to Toms River.
The system dose not have any stops on the major routs. They have turn around spots that they note as "Stops" but down the roads they use the flag it down method. In other words if you see it coming wave if the drive sees you he will stop. Since there is no signage there are also no specified times that a buss will go by, or when/if.
The local website shows routs but not times and is very poorly written. It gives colors and codes to the routs but not the corresponding destinations.
This is tax money that is not being used properly. I understand that there are budget issues but The Ocean ride has become a failure more because of lack of management then budget. There is just no system in place except drive up and down the road every now and again.
They do have a call and ride that is designed for the elderly and handicapped they need to keep that but get out of the local bus rout business.

[TheGambler]

I live in Ocean County and see the buses all the time, but haven't met anyone who actually uses it. I'm guessing the vast majority of riders are seniors who can't drive. In all honesty, Ocean Ride isn't meant to be a bus system like SEPTA or the NYC MTA. It serves a niche and personally, I would not want to see it expanded. As I said, I don't know anyone who uses it. That said, this is the first time I've ever heard a complaint about it, and I've attended Freeholder meetings where it's been discussed and nobody has complained.

[Dewmik]

I would not recommend expansion either. I would recommend setting a schedule with specific stops and times. I know the bus goes down 37 continuously but there are no specific stops except at the end points.
I did not know that it is not intended to be a transportation service. But it is presented as one with large transport buses and they provide a map on the website. If it's merely a on call thing I question the use of the larger buses and the few specific stops they have.
This was my second attempt at the ocean ride and I thought from reading their website that it served for Public transportation, I won't make that mistake again.
I have been to alto of places and have relied on the PT to get me around mostly because I don't know the roads and stuff. I have never had a bus system fail as bad as this.

[TheGambler]

Well, it is public transportation. But what I meant was that it's not designed to be something like major transit systems in cities like Philly or NYC. It goes to major end points, like you said. Some people apparently like it, and evidently there's a need, although I'm not sure who exactly utilizes the system.

[BlindMag]

I utilize the system, and as far as I am concerned, it isn't enough. The Ocean Ride routes do not make any sense in relation to the Jersey Transit routes, so it is difficult, if not impossible, to plan a trip anywhere if you live in the "gray area" between the Lakewood bus terminal and the Toms River Bus terminal on 549. Route 9 between those two points has the #559 NJ Transit line running most of the day and night, so anyone utilizing that route hasn't much of a problem. Those of us who live in Brick and Toms River are stuck. What is needed are better times (NJ Transit runs every two hours, weekends more to two and a half hours) and Ocean Ride is every hour except for the hour that the drivers eat lunch or dinner. It would be great if Ocean Ride could make the Lakewood to TR route when Jersey Transit does not run. It is quite a chore trying to get to work or school. The buses are full of riders from all walks of life. I wish the county and NJ Transit would put their heads together and give us some sort of solution to the transportation problem many people are confronting now. Gas, insurance, too expensive. Kids who would like to work in the Mall can't get home at night because the last bus out is 7:30pm. There is areal need for this service.

[qjbusmaster]

Originally Posted by blindmag

i utilize the system, and as far as i am concerned, it isn't enough. The ocean ride routes do not make any sense in relation to the jersey transit routes, so it is difficult, if not impossible, to plan a trip anywhere if you live in the "gray area" between the lakewood bus terminal and the toms river bus terminal on 549. Route 9 between those two points has the #559 nj transit line running most of the day and night, so anyone utilizing that route hasn't much of a problem. Those of us who live in brick and toms river are stuck. What is needed are better times (nj transit runs every two hours, weekends more to two and a half hours) and ocean ride is every hour except for the hour that the drivers eat lunch or dinner. It would be great if ocean ride could make the lakewood to tr route when jersey transit does not run. It is quite a chore trying to get to work or school. The buses are full of riders from all walks of life. I wish the county and nj transit would put their heads together and give us some sort of solution to the transportation problem many people are confronting now. Gas, insurance, too expensive. Kids who would like to work in the mall can't get home at night because the last bus out is 7:30pm. There is areal need for this service.

oceanride is soo bad the state would save money by extending njt bus lines to serve more of ocean county then kill oceanride they are the worst bus i've ever seen buses in vermont are more frequent!!!!!!!

[qjbusmaster]

Originally Posted by TheGambler

Well, it is public transportation. But what I meant was that it's not designed to be something like major transit systems in cities like Philly or NYC. It goes to major end points, like you said. Some people apparently like it, and evidently there's a need, although I'm not sure who exactly utilizes the system.

The system is TOO ****TY TO EVEN USE LOOK AT THEIR SCHEDULES AND YOU WILL KNOW WHAT I MEAN. OCEANRIDE= UNUSABLE USELESS BUS NETWORK. They run like 4 trips a day now even less they have no coridination with new jersey transit at all they are a waste of taxpayer money plz KILL OCEANRIDE CRISTIE!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TheGambler]

Originally Posted by qjbusmaster

The system is TOO ****TY TO EVEN USE LOOK AT THEIR SCHEDULES AND YOU WILL KNOW WHAT I MEAN. OCEANRIDE= UNUSABLE USELESS BUS NETWORK. They run like 4 trips a day now even less they have no coridination with new jersey transit at all they are a waste of taxpayer money plz KILL OCEANRIDE CRISTIE!!!!!!!!!!!!

It has nothing to do with Christie. It's administered by the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders. The county runs it, not the state. For all I care they can get rid of it. I have lived in Ocean County my entire life and have yet to meet anyone who uses it. Everyone has their own car around here. Like I said, I'm guessing it's geared toward the seniors. Maybe it suits their needs just fine?

Really, if you're not 80 years old, you should have a car if you live in Ocean County.

[qjbusmaster]

Originally Posted by TheGambler

It has nothing to do with Christie. It's administered by the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders. The county runs it, not the state. For all I care they can get rid of it. I have lived in Ocean County my entire life and have yet to meet anyone who uses it. Everyone has their own car around here. Like I said, I'm guessing it's geared toward the seniors. Maybe it suits their needs just fine?

Really, if you're not 80 years old, you should have a car if you live in Ocean County.

DUH!!!Cause the bus system is so FAIL!!! ONLY SENIORS CAN USE IT WITH THE FAIL SCHEDULE IT HAS!!!!!! THE OCEAN RIDE IS SO BAD THERE IS NO CHOICE BUT TO DRIVE!!!!! But if new jersey transit had there buses all over then the Ocean freholders can subsidize New jersey transit like morris county does and that same subsidy for oceanride would be put to better use if used to improve new jersey transit to replace oceanride rtes. That would put NJT buses everywhere!!!! Reducing the need to drive!!! Most ppl use NJT at some point or even commute to NYC there is no reason why they should drive to the bus terminal when if the oceanride rte that is supposed to serve them was replaced by NJT they would either have to transfer at toms river without paying any more on the monthly pass. Or a one seat ride to NYC!!!!!!! Ocean county NEVER GAVE TRANSIT A CHANCE TO THRIVE!!!!!!!!

[Johninwestbury]

Ocean Ride doesn't even serve Ocean County College! I agree there is a need for more Rt.549 bus service. I've always felt that NJT should send some 137's down Rt.549 beyond just a few rush hour direction ones.
When I'm down in Toms River either at the mall, by OCC, or up in Brick, for the day its annoying and a waste of time to have to backtrack to the Toms River Bus terminal to get a bus back to NYC. NJ Transit should have all 137's go via Rt.549 and GSP and have the parkway express be the 319.
I cannot understand why 549 cant be similar to US 9 up in Monmouth with decent NYC bus service.
Ocean Ride needs to have Sunday service year round (how does one get to/from Seaside on sundays off season?). They also need to have a regular schedule on the other routes, instead of running 2 days a week.
And does Long Beach Island even have bus service?