County adds Saturdays, O.B. stop for shuttle

Middlesex County officials will expand a new shuttle service that runs between East Brunswick and Old Bridge to include Saturday service and a new stop in Old Bridge.

The changes to the Brunswick Square Mall-South River-Old Bridge Shuttle take effect this Saturday.

"The expansion of the shuttle service really is by customer request to facilitate access to medical appointments and shopping destinations," said Middlesex County Freeholder H. James Polos, chairman of the county's Public Works and Transportation Committee. "We are happy to be able to accommodate our residents using additional state grant dollars."

The shuttle and the additional service are paid for through the Senior Citizen and Disable Transportation Assistance Act, which is funded by a special tax on casino revenue.

The new Saturday service is scheduled to operate from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a shuttle arriving at each stop every two hours. Shuttle frequency may be adjusted as demand grows. Weekday service is offered hourly from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A stop will be added at the recently opened Chuck Costello Center, an independent living facility for people with disabilities. The housing center is located next to Raritan Bay Medical Center on Route 18 in Old Bridge.

The shuttle, which began service last August, serves up to 90 passengers a day, but county officials anticipate that the Costello stop will provide a significant boost to both weekday and Saturday ridership.

The route runs between Birchwood in Old Bridge and Brunswick Square Mall on Route 18 in East Brunswick, with stops at housing complexes, doctors' offices, shopping centers and Raritan Bay Medical Center. When the shuttle reaches Brunswick Square Mall, passengers can access NJ Transit buses and the county's shuttle that runs to Jamesburg, with stops in East Brunswick, Spotswood, Helmetta and Monroe.

The suggested fare for weekday and weekend shuttles is $1 for adults and children, and 50 cents for senior citizens and people with disabilities.

Timetables are available at the Old Bridge municipal complex in the library and the Senior Citizens Center, as well as at many of the destinations along the route.