Freehold mall added to service
By: Stephanie Brown
MONROE Next stop, Freehold.
Two township shuttle buses will begin running to Freehold Raceway Mall and CentraState Hospital on Monday as part of the township’s free shuttle service.
The service, which is open to residents as well as nonresidents, will make two morning and two afternoon runs Monday through Friday.
Buses will pick passengers up at the Monroe Community Center, Regency Clubhouse, Concordia Shopping Center, Greenbriar at Whittingham, Encore and Rossmoor, and make stops at CentraState Hospital and Freehold Raceway Mall.
"We’re looking forward with a great optimism for the introduction on Monday," Michael Costello, transportation department supervisor, said Wednesday.
He said the upcoming holiday season would most likely promote shuttle use, as people will be heading to the mall for holiday shopping or seasonal jobs.
"We think that will be quite attractive for a lot of people," Mr. Costello said.
The township also has a Princeton shuttle route. Pickup locations are the same, with stops at Route 130 East Windsor Town Center Plaza, Princeton Junction railroad station, Palmer Square in Princeton, the University Medical Center at Princeton and the Princeton Shopping Center.
The Freehold and Princeton shuttles are part of the Transportation Department’s new shuttle service initiative, which began in August.
At that time, five new, 16-passanger, wheelchair accessible buses were dedicated for the shuttle service.
Two of the buses were to take passengers to Princeton, one bus was for the Freehold service, one would be kept in reserve and another was dedicated to the Monroe Township Senior Center.
After evaluating the ridership numbers in the first 90 days, Business Administrator Wayne Hamilton said the Princeton shuttle will be reduced to one bus.
Mr. Hamilton said some of the shuttle passengers have commented that the Princeton area is more of an outdoor destination and involves a lot of walking.
"With the colder months coming up, people are going to prefer going to an indoor destination as opposed to an outdoor," Mr. Hamilton said.
Mr. Costello said he was a little disappointed that the Princeton ridership was low some days only 10 or 12 riders. But he said the department would continue to work at increasing those numbers.
"We anticipate a growth there," Mr. Costello said. "These things take time."
For a full schedule of the shuttle routes, visit the township’s Web site at www.monroetwp.com/transhut.html.
The township also runs a shuttle service for seniors and residents with disabilities who need transportation to run errands and go to the doctors.
The senior shuttle service is available by appointment, which can be made by calling the Senior Center at (732) 521-6111.

