User:Djflem/Jitneys of Northern New Jersey

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/14/nyregion/new-jersey-jitney-drivers-squeezed-between-competition-and-demands-for-more-safety.html?_r=0

The Jitneys of Northern New Jersey are a popular form of mass transit using a minibus or midibus providing public transportation within Hudson, Bergen, and Passaic counties and to Manhattan in New York City. An intergral part of the regional bus system, they operate similar to share-taxis along a number of transit corridors augmenting and competing with state-run and contracted New Jersey Transit (NJT) routes. Sometimes called dollar vans, commuter vans, or guaguas, the jitney system has grown considerably since the early 2000s.

Geography and demographics
The municpalities served by jitneys are part of the "urban core" of northeastern New Jersey, which comprises some of most densely cities in the United States along the Passaic River, Hackensack River, and Hudson River, across from which is the borough of Manhattan in New York. The region is home to a large newly immigrated population from abroad  immigration po

Havana on the Hudson Koreatown and as of result of the Gold Coast real estate redevelopment of the the Hudson Waterfront. http://www.northjersey.com/news/bergen/NORTHJERSEYCITY0422.html http://www.rpa.org/pdf/RPA_tomorrows_transit.pdf

Route corridors

 * Paterson- Passaic-Clifton-PABT route roughly parallels NJT's Main Line
 * Paterson-New Jersey Route 4-GWB Plaza-GWB Bridge
 * GWB Plaza-Anderson Avenue-Nungessers-Bergenline-Lincoln Tunnel Approach-42nd Street (Manhattan)
 * Nungessers-Bergenline- Palisade-Newark Plank RoadNewark Avenue to Newport or Journal Square
 * Nungessers-495-42nd Street
 * Nungessers-Kennedy Boulevard-Journal SquareSQ
 * Journal Square-SQ-Bergen Point

While some operators use the Port Authority Bus Terminal, others use local streets in the vicintiy of the PABT, namely 42nd Street as a terminal, which has led to congestion and complaints.

While operators are permitted to devise their owns routes the majority of dollar vans operate on profitable pre-determined routes which act as the trunk lines for the system. ==Routes== The company has several routes in which parallel and thus augement and compete with New Jersey Transit bus operations. In general Spanish Tranportation jitneys are slightly less expensive and significantly more flexible with pickup and drop-off locations and payment. The company's primary routes are: Paterson, New Jersey to Port Authority Bus Terminal (PABT), by way of, Clifton, Rutherford and Union City, and also letting off passengers on Manhattan streets as well, prior to arrival at PABT. Other routes go from Journal Square in Jersey City to Port Authority, and from Main Street, Paterson to George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal in Manhattan, crossing eastern Bergen County.

Bergenline Avenue Boulevard East New Jersey Route 495 Palisade Avenue Kennedy Boulevard Fairview

Teaneck GWB Plaza

Fares and schedules
Fares on jitneys are pro-rated by the distance travelled and are payable in cash when deboarding. Prior to a stop passengers are require to signal, say, or shout to driver that they wish alight at the next stop. At terminals, particularly during peak hours, jitneys depart when full, namely when all seats are take since standing is not permitted. During peak periods many jitneys will travel a few minutes before NJT service in the hope of picking up passengers on NJT buses (called "cabellos", or horses by jitney drivers).

Ownership and operation
The majority of dollar vans are owned by larger corporations which then lease or rent them to private operators. in the manor of cartel  determine routes and prices. While some jitneys are owner operated many a leased to drivers, who then travel on assigned routes. Drivers pay a rental and dispatcher's fee. They are not unionized

Regulation
The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) is responsible for regulation of jitneys. Additionally, all vehicles must bear an “Omnibus” license plate signifying registration with the federal government. Under MVC guidelines, jitney buses must be inspected on their “company property” two times per year by the state MVC mobile inspection team.

According to the MVC 6,500 jitney buses are registered in New Jersey.(Atlantic City is another locale in the state where there is extensive use of iitneys, most operated by the Atlantic City Jitney Association and Wheels (New Jersey Transit). and NJT's Community Shuttle Program. Vehicles are required to be registered by the New Jersey Department of Transportation as well as the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. In Septermber 2010, there were approximately 350  jitneys owned by 20 companies operating on the North Jersey routes.

Drivers are required to have a commercial driver's license (CDL): a Class B license for vehicles with up to fifteen seats or Class C, for those with up to 30 seats.

Spanish Transportation, officially Spanish Transportation Service Corporation, and operating under the name Express Service, is a privately operated bus company which leases minibuses to individual operators who provide service in and between various communities in northeastern New Jersey and to Manhattan in New York City. The fleet consists mostly of jitneys that are colloquially known as dollar vans or guaguas.

https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20140724/hells-kitchen-clinton/jersey-jitney-buses-getting-shut-down-ticketed-by-nypd

Inspections
Sporadic inspections of jitneys operating in Hudson County have frequently lead to the discovery of numerous safety violations. leading tothe vehicles being taken out of service and being towed.

http://www.hudsonreporter.com/view/full_story/2412131/article-Erratic-driving--lack-of-licensing-Prosecutor-s-Office-cracks-down-on-commuter-vans?

commuter vans/dollar vans http://www.hudsonreporter.com/view/full_story/15649720/article-Darn-those-dollar-vans---Moody-issues-favorable-bond-rating--town-help-desk-opens-soon-?instance=home_Most_popular

Image
[[Image:8.7.09LibertyPlazaByLuigiNovi6.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Post office at 30th Street in Union City is the local marginal road of [[New Jersey Route 495]], where numerous jitneys and NJT buses converge to enter the Lincoln Tunnel