Port Authority Bus Gates to Be Moved in Bid to Reduce Delays

For the second consecutive September, New Jersey Transit and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey are realigning bus gates at New York’s main bus terminal to try and reduce congestion.

Twelve bus routes will have new departure gates at the Port Authority bus terminal starting Sept. 3, the agencies announced Tuesday.

Five routes will move from the terminal’s third level to the lower level of the North Wing. The other routes will move to other spots on the third level.

Representatives of the Port Authority and NJ Transit will offer more information during a quarterly commuter chat from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesday on the second floor of the North Wing.

Customer services representatives will be present at the bus station beginning next Monday to answer questions.

Most of NJ Transit’s gates were consolidated last September on the third floor and most of private operator Coach USA’s gates were consolidated on the fourth floor.

Those changes were a continuation of efforts begun in 2014 to streamline bus operations and reduce congestion inside and around the terminal. Commuters and lawmakers have complained for years about long lines, delayed buses and crumbling infrastructure in the 66-year-old terminal.

The Port Authority dedicated about $90 million to what it called a quality-of-commute initiative to address those concerns.

The agency has plans to build a new terminal at an anticipated cost of between $7 billion and $10 billion, but has recently encountered opposition from New York lawmakers who represent the surrounding neighborhood.

The bus terminal handles about 220,000 passenger trips daily.