My name’s Alex Davis. I’m an urban planning student at Rutgers, living in Downtown New Brunswick, right where I can keep an eye on all my buses! But how exactly did I get this job of self-appointed bus sage?

When I first started at Rutgers New Brunswick, I witnessed a tale of two bus systems. College buses are used, intimately understood and depended on by everyone. But on New Brunswick’s public buses, I’m often the only Rutgers student riding. Why would my fellow students spend $15 on an Uber for a trip that costs $1.60 on the perfectly good 814?

Well, first you have to know where and when to wait, what to pay, how to get off. And is it even safe? Well, yeah. It’s way safer than driving. But anyway, these are serious questions that people need answered. And if they can’t find their answer? They don’t ride. I wish it was just a matter of pointing people to the websites of New Brunswick’s four transit authorities. But the thing is, none of them have created a truly encompassing one stop ride guide for newcomers. Wait, seriously?

Inside most transit authorities, there are two kinds of people. Those who don’t ride transit, so are themselves ignorant of their own service. And those who know soooo much that they can no longer put themselves in the shoes of a novice. As a result, much of the information distributed by transit authorities is incomplete, unhelpful, outdated or flat out wrong. But why change? This is how its always been, and people will figure it out if they really need to.

Some transit authorities like MBTA (Massachusetts), TriMet (Oregon) and Go Triangle (North Carolina) have pulled themselves out of that soft, comfy pit of user unfriendliness. I hope to see our own NJ Transit, MCAT, Coach USA and Somerset Transit join them. But until then, welcome to the Hub City’s hub for transit information!

Take a look at that map and see where the bus can take you. When you find your route, read its route guide and schedule so you know exactly what to expect. Are you new to public buses? Don’t worry. Buses for Beginners will get you riding like an expert in no time! And if you have any questions, send me an email at alex@newbrunswickbuses.com.