Coach USA Offers Temporary Lifeline For DeCamp Bus Riders In NJ

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — For the rest of August, there will be a second option for DeCamp bus riders in North Jersey: Coach USA.

Last week, the family-owned bus company announced it will be indefinitely suspending all service due to the financial impact of the coronavirus. Based in Montclair, DeCamp made about 200 trips per day between northern New Jersey and the Port Authority Bus Terminal before the pandemic.

It wasn't immediately clear when DeCamp plans to resume service.

• See related article: DeCamp Bus Lines In NJ Suspends Service, Blames COVID Struggles

The announcement came as a tough blow to many commuters in North Jersey who rely on DeCamp to get to New York City. However, Coach USA will be stepping in – for now – to help pick up the slack.

According to Coach USA, it will cross-honor customers who bought DeCamp tickets from Monday, Aug. 10 to Monday, Aug. 31. DeCamp riders will be cross-honored at pick up locations on the 77 line in West Orange.

“We are pleased to be in a unique situation wherein we are able to work together with DeCamp to keep Jersey strong and offer a convenient solution for the commuting public,” Scott Sprengel of Coach USA said.

“The partnership with Coach USA is very welcomed and we are happy to see commuters will have an option while our routes are suspended,” DeCamp Vice President Jonathan DeCamp said.

Riders had mixed reactions to the announcement on social media, however.

“One line … one route,” a commenter quipped. “That's the best you can do? I guess I'll be using my tickets as the world's most expensive toilet paper.”

J. Andrew Smith used to take DeCamp lines 32 or 33 for his commute. It’s one of the major reasons he moved to Bloomfield, he says.

Smith said that luckily, he’s been able to work from home since mid-March.

“If DeCamp folds for good, first I'll jump for joy, then I'll just use NJ Transit,” Smith told Patch. But his neighbors may not have the same fortune, he pointed out.

“There are many towns in Essex that now have zero alternative,” Smith said.

Coach has also been navigating through the impact from COVID-19. The company suspended commuter service from New Jersey to New York City at the onset of the pandemic, resuming service again in June.

Coach has since rolled out “stringent cleaning and disinfecting procedures on all buses.” Customers and employees are required to wear face masks, with exemptions for riders with medical conditions or children under 2-years-old. Buses are running at 50 percent maximum capacity.

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FEDERAL FUNDS NEEDED FOR DECAMP?

DeCamp was one of many companies and nonprofits in New Jersey that received funds from the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which is meant to help businesses keep workers on their payrolls during the COVID-19 crisis.

• See related article: Coronavirus PPP Loans In Montclair (Where The Money Went)

However, DeCamp has also said that it's among other motorcoach, tour and travel businesses being "shut out" of other federal stimulus packages during the COVID-19 shutdown.

DeCamp spokespeople offered the following statement to Patch last week:

“While the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) Act directed $1.4 billion in FTA funding to New Jersey, that amount has been allocated only to NJ Transit, leaving private carriers such as DeCamp without a similar lifeline. Private carriers account for an estimated 35 percent of the scheduled bus service in the state, based on passenger miles, and our collective operations actually help to generate FTA funding for the state of New Jersey. So it is disappointing that we cannot access relief funds that would enable us to continue to serve our passengers and to provide jobs for our employees.”

Essex County Freeholder President Brendan Gill warned that the loss of DeCamp may “severely impact” the quality of life for many local commuters.

Gill, a Montclair resident, pushed Gov. Phil Murphy to probe the possibility of state or local aid for private bus carrier companies in an Aug. 7 letter. He wrote:

“I am writing to express my concern regarding a pressing matter which affects DeCamp, a six-generation private family business who has provided transportation services to northern New Jersey residents since 1870. DeCamp has announced it will be suspending all services as of Friday August 7th. The residents of Montclair, Bloomfield, West Orange, and other surrounding communities in Essex County depend on the services of DeCamp. Without reliable commuter and charter transportation service companies, the quality of life for so many of our residents will be severely impacted in a negative fashion.”

Gill continued:

“The CARES Act allocated 1.4 billion dollars to New Jersey to keep vital transportation services running. These federal funds have been accessed by NJ Transit and, thankfully, they have been able to continue providing their services. Unfortunately, private companies like DeCamp have not been able to access these same federal funds. The Bus Association of New Jersey has estimated that private operators account for about 35 percent of the scheduled bus service in the state, based on passenger miles.”

Gill added:

“The Coronavirus Economic Relief for Transportation Services Act (CERTS Act) was introduced on the floor of the Senate on July 1 and is currently under review by the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Should the bill pass, 10 billion dollars of federal aid will be provided for transportation relief to states around the country. This will certainly help the situation, but our residents that rely on private bus companies cannot wait. Please look into what can be done on the state and local level to assist these private carrier companies, and our residents who rely on their services.”

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