The following is from the South Orange Parking Authority:
Bike racks for jitney riders
Hey bike riders! Now you can ride the South Orange jitney and bring along your bicycle! The South Orange Parking Authority is pleased to offer expanded options for getting to your destination by combining two popular modes of transportation.
Bicycle racks are now mounted on the front ends of two jitneys, #734 and #735 and no additional cost is incurred for using them. Jitneys with racks are rotated throughout all jitney routes, and more could be similarly equipped in the future.
The stainless-steel racks, made by SportWorks, hold three bikes each. Only single-seat, two-wheeled bicycles are permitted. If the rack is full, cycling customers should be prepared to wait for the next bus with a rack.
Cyclists are responsible for loading and unloading their bicycles from the rack. Jitney drivers will not be permitted to assist. To use the racks, cyclists must remove any large baggage from their bikes. All baggage must accompany the rider on the bus.
Before boarding a jitney, you must first alert the jitney driver that you will be loading your bicycle. If no other bicycle is in position, you’ll first need to lower the rack by squeezing the center handle. Load your bike into the empty wheel well that’s closest to the bus, with the front wheel facing the curb. Pull the spring-loaded support arm out and upwards. Fasten it over the front tire at the highest point of the wheel to hold the bicycle in place.
Locks cannot be used to secure bicycles to the racks. You can, however, lock your front wheel to the bicycle frame before the bus arrives.
On leaving the bus, tell the driver you’ll be removing your bicycle. Unload your bike and if no other bicycles remain, stow the rack against the bus in the upright position.
For details, contact the South Orange Parking Authority at (973) 378-7715, x2037 or SOPA@southorange.org.
New Jitney Route
SOPA is adding a new south-to-north jitney route serving two previously uncovered neighborhoods. The route, which will cover Audley, Lenox and W. Montrose, will launch Tuesday, Sept. 8, with morning, evening and late-night service.
The new route connects the Audley and Lenox side of town with Wyoming Avenue stops previously served by the Newstead bus. It ends with pickups on the north end of town at West Montrose and Vose avenues.
The new route brings changes to the Newstead schedule, which is now slightly shorter. New and revised schedules are available on the bus, online or in the SOPA office.
The schedule is also attached here as a PDF.
2016 parking fees
With the new Third Street Garage set to open in January, the South Orange Parking Authority has announced revised parking fees for 2016. The new schedule was approved by the Parking Authority Board on Aug. 18 as follows:
Garage Permit (resident): monthly $70; quarterly $210, semi-annual $420, annual $700.
Garage Secondary (resident): monthly $50; quarterly $150, semi-annual $300, annual $450.
Jitney Daily Fee: $2 each way
Annual Resident Jitney Pass: $300
Garage/Jitney Combo Pass: garage permit $700, jitney fee $150
Secondary/Jitney Combo Pass: secondary permit $450, jitney fee $150
Daily Garage Fee (general public): $1 per hour, or $7 maximum per day up to 6 p.m.
