The wheels to Wall Street: reservation-based system begins for Trans-Bridge bus passengers

• Trans-Bridge bus passengers leaving the area bound for Wall Street need a reservation beginning Oct. 30
• The new system affects all runs leaving Lehigh Valley International Airport, William Penn Highway Park & Ride and the Clinton, New Jersey, Park & Ride
• Trans-Bridge continues to transition to a reservation-based system for all runs, but several continue to operate on a first-come, first-served basis

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Trans-Bridge bus passengers bound for Wall Street will need a reservation to ride beginning Monday, Oct. 30.

The transition affects all runs leaving Lehigh Valley International Airport, William Penn Highway Park & Ride and the Clinton, New Jersey, Park & Ride.

Trans-Bridge introduced the new reservation-based system back in spring, beginning with the Doylestown/Flemington routes.

It means Wall Street bus runs will be the second to see an application of the new system.

The company initially anticipated one to two months for the introduction of the reservation-based system on each schedule, but said the timetable wasn’t definitive.

Routes to Newark Airport, along with the Allentown/Clinton routes, continue to operate — for now — on a first come, first-served basis. Eventually, they’ll also be on a reservation system.

An intended travel date and time

With the new system, passengers will have confirmed bus runs for their intended travel date and time.

It means anyone boarding a bus to Wall Street needs to book the exact run, day and time they intend to board.

“If your travel plans change, you will be required to reschedule your boarding pass to the correct run,” the Trans-Bridge website says.

Customers with tickets for an alternate run, who wish to board, will be considered standby passengers. They’ll have the chance to buy tickets via their smartphones — if seats are availabile.

If a bus is full, standby passengers will need to buy a ticket for the next available bus.

Avoid losing your seat and your money

Under the new system, passengers booked for any run should arrive about 15 minutes early and within five minutes of departure, or risk losing their seat to a standby passenger.

Passengers who can’t make their scheduled run are expected to reschedule their ticket, or it becomes null and void after the original run date.

“There will be an extended grace period during this transition period, however, all one-way and round-trip tickets will no longer be valid for six months,” the website states.

Commuters will have 16 hours to reschedule boarding passes. After that, they’ll be null and void and the customer will not be refunded.

The Allentown/Clinton, Wind Creek and Newark Airport routes running eastbound from the Lehigh Valley will continue to be seated on a first-come, first-served basis. Trans-Bridge said it cannot confirm seating on those schedules, and advance purchase of tickets is highly recommended.

Advance purchase of paper or electronic tickets does not reserve or confirm seating on those routes.

Trans-Bridge recently raised its rates for all fares, citing fluctuating fuel costs and the continued high cost of goods and services, combined with the current escalated inflation rate.

The new prices apply to all one-way, round-trip and commuter pass purchases, as well as pier transportation service.

Regular adult fares eastbound to Wall Street or Port Authority leaving from LVIA or the William Penn Highway Park & Ride are $54.20 one-way or $108.40 round-trip.

Trans-Bridge also temporarily relocated its pickup location for Water and Wall Street to Water and Broad Street.

The drop off at Water and Wall Street hasn't changed.

The relocation is under the order of the New York City Department of Transportation to accommodate a gas main installation project and construction in the area.