MP-OC-TransitGuide R7 5/19/08 5:05 PM Page 1 IN AND AROUND ORANGE COUNTY TRANSIT GUIDE New York State Department of Transportation MP-OC-TransitGuide R7 5/19/08 5:05 PM Page 2 It is my pleasure to bring to you our new Orange County Guide to Transit services. As Orange County Executive and Chairman of the County Transportation Council, I know how important transportation issues are to the lives of Orange County residents and those who work and visit here. This improved guide to transit services is also available on our county website at www.transitorange.info. I look forward to continued improvements and cooperation with our transit operators and federal, state and local agencies to provide you with affordable, reliable and efficient service today and into the future. Edward A. Diana Orange County Executive The transit information in this Guide is effective as of May 2008 and is subject to change. Please call the transit operator for updated information before you travel. MP-OC-TransitGuide R7 5/19/08 5:05 PM Page 1 WELCOME to the Orange County Transit Guide Did you know that thousands of people use transit in Orange County every day to get to work, the doctor, to go shopping, or just to get from here to there? There are many types of transit services in Orange County including commuter bus service, which leaves from the many Park & Ride lots throughout the county to New York City and the surrounding area. There is commuter train service to the New York City area via the Metro-North Port Jervis Line, which runs through the heart of the county. Both bus and ferry service are available from Newburgh to the Beacon Train Station on the Metro-North Hudson Line. In the City of Middletown, City of Newburgh and in the Village of Kiryas Joel we have local bus service with complementary Paratransit service and a number of municipalities offer Dial-A-Bus service. Orange County sponsors 16 individual transit operators providing service in four general categories: Commuter Bus, Local Bus (Fixed Route), Dial-A-Bus, and Paratransit services. Orange County does not have a central countywide transit operator; however, through the work of the Orange County Planning Department, the services of the individual operators are coordinated. We now use the name “Transit Orange” to identify the individual and coordinated transit services in and around Orange County. MP-OC-TransitGuide R7 5/19/08 5:05 PM Page 2 Commuter Bus Service Regularly Scheduled Local Bus Service (Fixed Route) These services carry the majority of the county’s transit riders. Local bus services, larger buses Commuter Bus services typically that run regular schedules on set provide service between Orange routes, are operated in and around County and New York City. However, the Cities of Middletown and some relatively minor services to Newburgh, as well as the Village of adjacent counties fall into this Kiryas Joel. In addition to the local category. Coach USA/ShortLine, an area, this service can be used to intercity carrier, provides significant make connections to other localities local service throughout the county, in and around Orange County and but not to all communities. to commuter services. MP-OC-TransitGuide R7 5/19/08 5:05 PM Page 3 Dial-A-Bus Service Paratransit Service Dial-A-Bus is a service that is Mandated by the Americans with open-to-the-public where you are Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, required to call ahead of time to Paratransit services are provided in reserve a ride on the bus. You must all areas with local bus services call at least 24 hours in advance (fixed route) for people who can’t but typically you need to call further use the local bus system due to their ahead because the service is on a disability. Similar to Dial-A-Bus in first-come, first-served basis and that you need to reserve a ride by the schedule can fill up quickly. This calling at least a day in advance, is not a taxi service where you are Paratransit service will only be pro- picked up at your door at whatever vided for those individuals whose 3 time you arrange with the cab com- trips begin and end within /4 of a pany. With Dial-A-Bus, the many mile of an existing local fixed route requests for rides are accommodated bus line. Paratransit vehicles are as best as possible and riders are wheelchair lift-equipped and service picked up and dropped off at the is provided curb-to-curb. To qualify curb (curb-to-curb service). The to use this service you must obtain a schedule changes daily and specific valid ADA Paratransit Identification pick up and drop off times cannot Card issued by Orange County. be guaranteed. You should allow Please note that service will only 3 extra travel time since other passen- be provided within the /4 of a mile gers will likely be picked up or of an existing local fixed route dropped off during your trip. bus line. As of January 1996 the local bus systems that qualify for Paratransit service are those operated by Middletown Transit Corp., Newburgh-Beacon Bus Corp., and the Village of Kiryas Joel. For more information and to receive an application, call the Orange County Department of Planning at 845-615-3850. PLAN YOUR TRIP BEFORE YOU RIDE THE BUS You should know: L Your starting address—where you can get on or board the bus. L Your destination address—where you want to get off the bus. L The time you want to leave and when you want to get to the place you want to go. L The amount of the fare (exact change is required). MP-OC-TransitGuide R7 5/19/08 5:05 PM Page 4 COMMUTER BUS SERVICES COACH USA/SHORTLINE The largest provider of bus service in the County is Coach USA, which operates local, intercity and commuter bus service. Coach USA provides major commuter service to the New York City area with over 100 trips per day to and from Orange County during the morning and evening peak hours. The commuter routes operate along the Route 17 and Route 32 corridors, with the commuter Park & Ride lots being the principal stops. There is also service provided to West Point. Coach USA provides service to the East Side of Manhattan via the George Washington Bridge and operates the Orange Westchester Link (OWL), which provides service to the White Plains area. Both of these services are provided via five daily weekday round trips. 800-631-8405 www.shortlinebus.com MONROE BUS CORPORATION Monroe Bus Corporation provides commuter and off-peak service to Manhattan and Brooklyn to and from the Village of Kiryas Joel. The main pick up and drop off point in the Village is the shelter at Bais Medrash with service to Manhattan, Boro Park, Brooklyn and Williamsburg, Brooklyn. 845-783-8559 MONSEY TRAILS Monsey Trails connects Kiryas Joel and Monsey in Rockland County with five daily round trips. This service is spread throughout the day but focuses on those commuting between Kiryas Joel and Monsey. 845-354-7026 www.monseybus.com NJ TRANSIT NJ Transit provides commuter and off-peak service to New York City and northern New Jersey from Greenwood Lake and Warwick. This bus service is provided along Route 210 and Route 17A and serves the Greenwood Lake and Warwick Park & Ride lots. 800-772-2222 www.njtransit.com Orange County Goes Cleaner and Greener! In 2007, Orange County was the first public transit operator in the country to get commuter buses from Motor Coach Industries that operate solely on ultra low sulfur fuel, meeting the latest U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards. 4 MP-OC-TransitGuide R7 5/19/08 5:05 PM Page 5 LOCAL BUS SERVICES (FIXED ROUTE) THE MAIN LINE Under contract with New York State Department of Transportation and Orange County, Coach USA/ ShortLine operates “the Main Line” bus service, which harks back to the former Erie Railroad line, which served the villages along NYS Route 17. This service, which operates between Middletown and Harriman, is available seven days a week. 800-631-8405 www.shortlinebus.com MIDDLETOWN TRANSIT CORPORATION A local bus service (fixed route) in Middletown since 1935, Middletown Transit operates four routes, which connect at a central hub in downtown Middletown off of Railroad Avenue. Service now extends beyond the city limits east into the Town of Wallkill to the shopping-retail areas along Route 211. 845-343-4702 www.midcitytransit.com NEWBURGH BEACON BUS CORPORATION Operating since 1934, this service offers two local routes in the City of Newburgh that extend into the Towns of Newburgh and New Windsor. Some of the areas outside of the City of Newburgh served are the Newburgh Mall and Wal-Mart on Route 300, the Price Chopper on Route 32, and Vail’s Gate shopping areas. The Broadway corridor, which is the common spine for both routes, is provided with hourly service. The Newburgh Beacon Bus Corporation also operates the Newburgh Beacon Stewart Airport Shuttle which connects Stewart International Airport with down- town Newburgh and the Metro-North Railroad Beacon Station on the east side of the Hudson River. Beacon Station is on Metro-North’s Hudson Line, which provides hourly service to and from Grand Central Terminal in midtown Manhattan. 845-565-7900 www.leprechaunlines.com VILLAGE OF KIRYAS JOEL Four different local bus routes are available in the Village of Kiryas Joel and to destinations in Monroe and Woodbury.