Starting this Fall, students attending the Mercer County Community College in West Windsor have a new transportation option to get to campus – connecting bus service to and from Quaker Bridge Mall. A year ago, mentors from the College met with the Princeton Public Transportation Committee to discuss transportation issues and how the group could help. After ruling out extending the freeB bus service to the College, Greater Mercer TMA developed a plan that recommended using Quaker Bridge Mall as a connection point since a number of NJ TRANSIT bus routes serves the Mall. By making connections between buses as Quaker Bridge Mall, students commuting from Princeton can save an hour travel time each way.
Besides serving residents in the Princeton area that ride the 605, the new MCCC bus makes connections with the following NJ TRANSIT bus routes and communities:
600 – Plainsboro, West Windsor, Princeton Junction, Lawrence, Trenton;
603/613 – Lawrence, West Windsor, Trenton, Hamilton;
609/619 – Ewing, Trenton, Hamilton, Lawrence; and
612 – West Windsor, Princeton Junction, Lawrence (service is limited).
It was also noted that there are also a number of apartment complexes in the immediate area whose residents may benefit from the bus service.
Greater Mercer TMA staff had the opportunity to meet with students on September 10th, and received positive feedback of the new service. “It is extremely rewarding to know we were able to assist the students by proposing the connection at Quaker Bridge Mall. Access to education is vitally important,” said Cheryl Kastrenakes GMTMA Executive Director.
The new MCCC bus operates Monday – Friday and is free. At this time only students attending MCCC can ride the bus. Details available at mccc.edu http://www.mccc.edu/student_services_shuttle.shtml
Greater Mercer TMA has prepared information on connections to and from the MCCC bus and NJ TRANSIT buses. Kastrenakes, encouraged students to call the TMA for route planning assistance, “we have the resources to help students plan their bus trips. They can call our customer service office or send an email to tma@gmtma.org with their schedule and home address for us to prepare a personalized transportation itinerary for them.”