By: Follow South Jersey Staff
ATLANTIC COUNTY, N.J. — The county is offering people an easy way to get to work, doctors appointments or even shopping.
The Route 54/40 Community Shuttle is a free and convenient mode of transport that connects Atlantic County residents with job opportunities and essential services. It serves the community by giving transit-dependent individuals and families access to their weekly and daily needs.
Forty percent of riders use the shuttle to travel to and from work. Riders also use the shuttle to access doctor’s appointments, schools and grocery stores. This shuttle provides a safe and efficient connection between the communities of Hammonton, Folsom, Collings Lakes, Newtonville, Buena, Buena Vista Township, Minotola and Richland.
Employment opportunities along the Route 54/40 Community Shuttle include jobs at Walmart, Wawa, Burger King, Family Dollar, AtlantiCare, ARH Associates, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, Dollar Tree, Walgreens, ShopRite, McDonald’s, Advance Auto Parts, Applebee’s, Kramer Beverage, and South Jersey Gas. Other major destinations along the route include the Hammonton Rail Station, MLK Community Center, Atlantic County Library, Stockton University’s Hammonton campus, the Eagle Theater, and Hammonton’s central business district.
Since it initially opened in January 2016, the Route 54/40 Community Shuttle has serviced many residents in Atlantic County. To date, nearly 50,000 one-way trips have been taken on the Route 54/40 Community Shuttle, with an average of nearly 10,000 trips per year. Riders can use the shuttle Monday through Friday from 6:00am – 7:45pm, except on Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, and Independence Day.
More than 65% of riders use the Route 54/40 Community Shuttle to connect with NJ TRANSIT routes. For example, riders can travel to Richland and take NJ TRANSIT’s 553 bus to Vineland. Riders can also stop in Hammonton, and conveniently take the NJ TRANSIT rail line to Philadelphia, Atlantic City, and communities in between.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, various safety measures have been implemented on the Route 54/40 Community Shuttle to ensure the wellbeing of its passengers. Masks are required to be worn, select seats have been closed for social distancing purposes, and the shuttle buses are regularly sanitized.
Commuters can keep informed about the shuttle with Cross County Connection’s Route 54/40 Community Shuttle Alert Service. It provides real-time information regarding shuttle delays, schedule changes and other information. All you need to do is text route5440 to 555888. Simply provide your mobile phone number and/or email address. The service is free and people can sign up to receive shuttle alerts via text or email!
The shuttle is made possible through collaboration between Atlantic County, the Pascale Sykes Foundation, the South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA), NJ Transit, and Cross County Connection Transportation Management Association
For more information on the shuttles can be found by visiting Cross County Connection’s website, www.driveless.com or by calling 856-596-8228.
To see an updated list of hiring businesses along these routes, please visit: https://njheartland.org/work/careers-in-new-jerseys-heartland/. Click here to view the route schedule and stop.
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