The South Orange Parking Authority (SOPA), in partnership with South Orange Village and its Senior Citizen Advisory Committee will launch a 3-month pilot “Loop” bus service for senior citizens this summer, beginning Tuesday, June 9.
According to a news release from the Parking Authority, this free “Hop On, Hop Off” shuttle service is designed to help seniors easily access key destinations throughout South Orange Village while staying active, connected, and engaged in the community. The pilot program will operate only on Tuesdays through August 2026.
As part of the pilot, the Village’s existing Dial-a-Ride service will transition to the Loop service on Tuesdays during the 3-month trial period. Dial-a-Ride will continue to operate as usual on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
The Loop bus will follow a fixed route with designated stops and scheduled pick up times between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. each Tuesday. The full route is expected to take approximately one hour from start to finish, giving riders the flexibility to visit friends, shop locally, attend appointments, dine downtown and enjoy community destinations throughout the day.
“We carefully reviewed ridership patterns before selecting Tuesdays for this pilot program to help minimize impacts to residents who regularly rely on Dial-a-Ride services,” said Mark Hartwyk, executive director of the South Orange Parking Authority. “This pilot gives us an opportunity to explore a more flexible transportation option for senior adults while assessing future community needs.”
“We are grateful to the South Orange Parking Authority for partnering with us to create this pilot program in direct response to requests from our senior adult community,” said Councilwoman Summer Jones. “We consistently hear from seniors that transportation is directly connected to independence, social engagement, and overall well being. We are excited to launch this service and learn from resident feedback as we continue evaluating transportation needs in South Orange.”
Mayor Sheena Collum added that the pilot program is part of the Village’s broader effort to explore expanded transportation options and strengthen community connectivity.
“Residents have expressed interest in additional local shuttle services, and this pilot is an important step in evaluating how those transportation options could serve South Orange more broadly,” Collum said. “We are excited to see how residents use the service and how these conversations can help shape future mobility options for the community.”
The Parking Authority and South Orange Village encourage senior adults to take advantage of this new transportation option and help make the pilot program a success.
The complete Loop schedule and map are attached for reference and trip planning.
For additional information please reach out to the Parking Authority at the direct senior service number (973) 821-5866.
