CAT 1R | Somerset Transit
Serving New Brunswick, Franklin, Bound Brook and Somerville.
Monday through Friday
Runs From: M-F: 6am-5pm
“CAT stands for Community Access Transit. Emphasis on “Access”. Don’t expect to get anywhere efficiently, or come to think of it, at all. I can get you to Franklin Court in 12 minutes. But to get back, you’ll have to ride 40 minutes up to Bound Brook and then transfer to the next bus back down, taking at least an hour. And get ready for a whole world of hurt, because I only come 6 times a day! Also, I sometimes like to run 15 minutes early. Is that cool? Meet me on the Northwest corner of George & Albany. My number is 908-231-7151.”
Timetables:
There is no official map to match the time points to.
Most Vehicles Not Bike Equipped | 
No Live Tracking
BAD INFO ALERT Checked 6/29/2022
On the official schedule (and Google Maps), the CAT 1R is shown leaving New Brunswick from Somerset St & George St, the NJ Transit departure stop. This is completely false. Instead, CAT 1Rs always start at George & Albany, same as the DASH.
Somerset office:
“Do you think we should take 10 minutes and put the real stop?”
“Nah, they’ll figure it out.”
BAD INFO ALERT Checked 6/29/2022
Google Maps shows the northbound CAT 1R doing the Davidson Ave loop even on the two runs in the middle of the day where it goes straight down Elizabeth Ave.
This is a flag-down route, meaning drivers are authorized to pull over at any safe location. Few stops are marked, and the ones that are have NJ Transit signs. That’s some false advertising if I ever saw it. The headsign on the bus sometimes says “CAT 1B”. That’s a typo. Ignore it. The schedule also has a column titled “bus lines” labeling the runs “A” or “B”. But it has no significance. Ignore it. You can get a deviation if you are elderly or disabled by calling. You may have to fill out this form.
The fare is a flat fare of $2 exact change. However, if you don’t want to remember bills every time, you can buy a bunch of tickets from the driver all at once, though exact change is still required. (So a $5 bill means getting two tickets and making a one dollar donation.) You can also call Somerset Transit and get tickets that way. The tickets are just blue or green squares of construction paper that look like they were made on a home printer.Same for the
transfer tickets, which are red construction paper. They can be purchase on board for $0.50.
$2 Flat Rate
$0.50 Transfer
App Data Accuracy:Â Somerset Transit is a top offender. | Do not plan trips using Google Maps.