WHITE TOWNSHIP [January 22, 2004] – Beginning on Saturday, January 24, the Phillipsburg-Washington Shuttle will introduce weekday evening and Saturday service to residents of Warren County.

The expanded hours will provide evening service running to 7:45 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and to 9:45 p.m. on Tuesday evenings.

The new Saturday service will operate from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The service marks the next step in expanding public transit to enable local employees to reach key retail and manufacturing employment centers.

"Expansion of Phillipsburg - Washington Shuttle services to evenings and weekends will provide county residents the opportunity to take advantage of employment and educational opportunities that have since been denied them due to limited resources. Residents can now use this Shuttle to reach destinations after 5 p.m. and on Saturdays," noted JanMarie McDyer, Transportation Coordinator for Warren County. "Although the primary focus of this service is to provide transportation to county residents in order for them to obtain a job or education, this expanded service will provide increased public transportation to a variety of other destinations including shopping, medical and recreational destinations," she added.

Funding for the Shuttle comes from the US Federal Transit Administration – Job Access Reverse Commute funding, NJ Department of Labor, NJ Transit and the Warren County Board of Chosen Freeholders. The shuttle also has a suggested fare policy of $1 for the general public and 50¢ for seniors and persons with disabilities. The NJ Department of Labor has awarded the County a discretionary grant of $41,000 to fund the weeknight expansion of service for one year.

The Warren County Shuttle system reintroduced public bus service between Phillipsburg and Washington Borough in July of 2001. The service links destinations along the Route 57 and Route 22 corridors including Warren Hospital, Phillipsburg Mall and Warren County Community College. A second route, the Hackettstown-Washington route will continue to provide weekday service along Route 57 from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.

Timetables can be obtained from bus drivers and key destinations along the route. For more information please call ATC at (908) 454-4044 or The Warren County Department of Human Services at (908) 475-6332.