NJ Transit will launch a new No. 12 “Broadway” bus route in Bayonne on December 1, 2025, taking over the corridor long served by the private Broadway Bus Company, which will shut down service after November 30. [1]
The move, highlighted in multiple local reports on November 18, marks at least the sixth time since 2021 that the state-run agency has stepped in to keep buses running after a private carrier exits the local market. [2]
What’s changing in Bayonne on December 1
According to NJ Transit and City of Bayonne announcements, the changeover will work like this:
- Broadway Bus Company continues to operate its existing route along Broadway through Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025.
- Starting Monday, Dec. 1, NJ Transit will begin running the corridor as the No. 12 Broadway Route, replacing the private service. [3]
City officials say NJ Transit has committed to the following service plan once it takes over: [4]
- Weekday hours: 6:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
- Weekend hours: 6:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
- Frequency: every 30 minutes, seven days a week
The precise stop locations and full schedule haven’t been published yet; NJ Transit’s press release notes that detailed timetables and routing information will be released in the coming weeks. [5]
Why NJ Transit is stepping in (again)
The takeover follows Broadway Bus Company’s decision to wind down operations after more than a century serving Bayonne. Previous reporting has described Broadway as a family-owned operator that at one point ran more than 40 buses, but struggled in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and rising costs. [6]
Earlier this month, company president Emil Massa notified the community that the business would cease operations and keep the Broadway route running only through November 30. [7]
Rather than allow a gap in local service, NJ Transit agreed to absorb the route into its own network as Route 12. The agency says this Bayonne rescue is part of a much larger pattern: since 2023, it has stepped in to accommodate 42 bus routes that were abandoned or terminated by private carriers around the state, including lines formerly run by DeCamp, Transdev, O.N.E. Bus, A&C Bus and Coach USA. [8]
Transit observers note that this reflects a broader trend: long‑running private bus lines struggling with post‑pandemic ridership shifts, driver shortages, higher insurance and fuel costs, and aging fleets—costs that a state-backed system is better positioned to absorb over time.
How the new Route 12 will work
NJ Transit’s No. 12 Broadway route is expected to generally follow the existing Broadway Bus corridor, running along Bayonne’s main commercial spine, though the exact stops will not be identical. The agency says it is redesigning the alignment to “provide more efficient coverage with better connections” to other bus and rail services. [9]
Key points riders can expect based on current information:
- Coverage: The route will serve the Broadway corridor that links Bayonne’s residential neighborhoods with its shopping districts and connections toward Jersey City. [10]
- Connections: NJ Transit already runs buses on Broadway, Avenue C and Kennedy Boulevard, and operates the Hudson‑Bergen Light Rail with four stations in Bayonne, giving riders multiple transfer options. [11]
- Branding and fares: Once the service transitions, it will function like any other NJ Transit local bus line, with standard NJT fares, passes and mobile-ticketing options. (Final fare details will follow NJ Transit’s regular local-bus structure.)
Officials also emphasize that the takeover is designed to be seamless from a rider’s perspective: the route number will change, the paint scheme on the buses will be different, but the ability to get up and down Broadway—and connect to other parts of Hudson County—should remain intact.
What Bayonne officials are saying
Bayonne leaders have framed the move as both the end of a local era and a necessary step to protect residents who rely on buses for daily life.
In the city’s announcement, Mayor Jimmy Davis thanked Emil Massa and earlier generations of Broadway Bus operators for decades of service, and praised NJ Transit for stepping in so seniors, students, shoppers and workers would not lose a crucial transportation lifeline. [12]
Davis also pointed out that Bayonne’s transportation network is getting more complex, not less. NJ Transit already runs service on Broadway, Avenue C and Kennedy Boulevard, plus the light rail line; and New York Waterway is preparing to launch ferry service between Bayonne and Manhattan, which he said will reinforce the city’s long‑standing reputation as a commuter‑friendly hub in the metro area. [13]
The cost – and who pays it
Local coverage has reported that keeping the former Broadway Bus route alive under NJ Transit will cost about $1.6 million. [14]
While NJ Transit hasn’t broken down that figure publicly, it would typically include expenses such as:
- Operator wages and benefits
- Fuel and maintenance for buses
- Insurance and administrative overhead
- Any facility or depot costs linked to the added service
Unlike a private carrier, which must make a profit on fares alone, NJ Transit can spread those costs across its statewide system and supplement them with state and federal funding. But the Bayonne takeover still feeds into a larger debate in New Jersey politics: how far the state should go in backstopping private bus failures, and whether long‑term funding for transit is keeping up with these added obligations.
A familiar story for New Jersey transit riders
For commuters who follow transportation news, the Broadway Bus transition may feel very familiar.
In recent years, NJ Transit has repeatedly intervened when private carriers pulled out, including: [15]
- DeCamp Bus Lines abandoning seven routes in 2023
- Transdev dropping several lines in Monmouth County, which NJ Transit then took over and operated directly
- O.N.E. Bus and A&C Bus shutting down routes in Jersey City and Hudson County
- Coach USA/Red & Tan contract terminations in Bergen and Passaic Counties after Coach USA’s 2024 Chapter 11 filing
In each case, riders faced the prospect of losing critical commuter links until NJ Transit restructured routes, leased facilities or created new lines to fill the gap.
The Bayonne takeover is framed in NJ Transit’s own press materials as part of this “rescue plan” strategy—one that helps communities in the short term, but also steadily expands the state’s direct role in local bus operations. [16]
What riders should do now
If you ride the current Broadway Bus in Bayonne, here’s how to prepare for the changeover:
- Keep using Broadway Bus through Nov. 30
Service continues as‑is through the end of the month, so your day‑to‑day commute doesn’t change yet. [17] - Watch for NJ Transit’s Route 12 schedule
NJ Transit says final timetables and stop lists will be released before Dec. 1. Check the NJ Transit app, website or posted notices at bus stops for updates. [18] - Plan for NJ Transit fares and passes
Once Route 12 launches, riders will use NJ Transit’s fare system—meaning you can tap monthly passes, mobile tickets and transfer to other NJT routes more easily. - Look at transfer options
Depending on where you’re headed, you may be able to connect to:- other NJ Transit buses on Broadway, Avenue C or JFK/Kennedy Boulevard
- Hudson‑Bergen Light Rail
- future ferry service to Manhattan once it begins operating
- Share feedback early
When new routes launch, agencies often tweak schedules and stops based on rider feedback. If early trips feel crowded, infrequent or poorly timed with rail connections, letting NJ Transit know can shape adjustments.
What this means for Bayonne’s transit future
The end of Broadway Bus Company is a significant emotional moment for many Bayonne residents who grew up with its white‑and‑red buses as part of the streetscape. But the core service it provided isn’t disappearing—instead, it’s being folded into a growing NJ Transit network that already plays a central role in how Hudson County moves. [19]
In the near term, the No. 12 Broadway route should keep riders moving with the same basic ability to get to work, school, shopping and appointments. Longer term, the takeover raises bigger questions:
- Will NJ Transit have the funding and staff to sustainably run all the routes it’s inherited from struggling private carriers?
- How will local leaders and the state balance neighborhood-level needs—like seniors getting to the supermarket—against system‑wide budget pressures?
- And could Bayonne’s combination of buses, light rail and future ferry service make it a model for transit‑rich, car‑optional living along the New Jersey waterfront?
Those answers will develop over months and years. For now, the headline for November 18, 2025, is simple: the buses on Broadway will keep rolling, even as the name on the side changes.
References
1. www.njtransit.com, 2. www.insidernj.com, 3. www.njtransit.com, 4. www.bayonnenj.org, 5. www.njtransit.com, 6. www.yahoo.com, 7. www.bayonnenj.org, 8. www.njtransit.com, 9. www.njtransit.com, 10. www.northjersey.com, 11. www.bayonnenj.org, 12. www.bayonnenj.org, 13. www.bayonnenj.org, 14. www.facebook.com, 15. www.njtransit.com, 16. www.njtransit.com, 17. www.bayonnenj.org, 18. www.njtransit.com, 19. www.bayonnenj.org
