The different campuses and bus system is one of the more common reasons people tell me they, “could never go to Rutgers.” I won’t lie, the buses can be frustrating sometimes, especially when all you want to do is get back to your dorm after a long day of class. But overall, the buses really are not that bad. Here’s a few tips on how to get used to the bus system as quickly as possible.
1. Make the most of your time on the bus.
Chances are, you won’t be on the bus for too long each day. Especially going back and forth from Livingston to College Ave, the average bus ride won’t take longer than 10-15 minutes. For the time that you are on the bus, though, make the most of it. Bus rides provide a great opportunity to do some homework, talk with friends, or meet new people.
2. Budget your time wisely.
The best advice I could give when it comes to the buses is budget your time. Most lectures will start a few minutes late anyway, so you will have a few minutes to spare if you run late one day. However, if you have an exam that day, or a professor who takes attendance at the very beginning of class, leave a few minutes earlier than you normally would. This is also true with bad weather. If it’s storming outside, give yourself a few extra minutes to get to class.
3. Figure out peak times/stops.
There are some times or stops where it will be tough to catch a bus. It can be nearly impossible to get a bus at the SAC (Student Activities Center) stop on College Ave because nearly everyone gets on at the prior stop, Scott Hall. Also, it can be difficult to get a bus right before peak class times (1:20 or 3:20, to name a few). Know that you may not get on the first bus you see at these peak times. It won’t ever be too bad though, especially after the first two weeks when a lot of people stop going to class. (Someone told me this before my freshman year and I didn’t believe them, but it’s true. Buses are noticeably less crowded a few weeks into the semester.)
4. Don’t always trust the app.
The Rutgers app is a great way to figure out what bus you should catch. It will give you a list of buses and their estimated arrival times at each stop. However, don’t always believe exactly what the app says. If it claims a bus will be at the Quads in five minutes, it could just as well mean it will be there in three minutes, or maybe even ten. Make sure to account for the fact that the bus you are planning to catch may show up a few minutes earlier or later than anticipated.
5. Know your route.
Certain bus routes do not always run. For example, if you plan on getting from Cook to Livingston or Busch, the REX-L or REX-B are your best options, but they don’t run past 11 PM on weekdays. If you miss the last one, you’ll have to get to College Ave first before catching a bus back to your campus. Also, if you are going from College Ave to Cook, do yourself a favor and don’t take the EE. It stops basically every five feet on George Street, while the F bus will get you to Cook much faster.
6. Prepare for the Weekend Buses.
If you don’t live on College Ave your freshman year, you’ll surely be taking a lot of weekend buses, especially on Saturdays. The weekend bus schedule runs on Saturdays and Sundays, and there are only two routes (Weekend 1 and 2) that go to all campuses, rather than the direct bus routes that run during the week. Weekend buses run far more infrequently, which can be frustrating when trying to get home after a Saturday night on College Ave. Have fun waiting 20 minutes for your bus to come at 2 AM on a freezing January night (embrace it, it builds character.)
7. Prepare to see things you’ve never seen before.
If you name it, it has probably happened on a Rutgers bus. After a full year there, some of the craziest things I have seen or heard at college happened on a bus. Guaranteed you’ll have some great bus stories to tell your friends by Thanksgiving break.
It may be a lot to take in initially, but you will get used to navigating the bus system faster than you’d think. Over time, it becomes less of an obstacle rather than something else that makes Rutgers great.
