Rutgers Campus Buses

Rutgers Campus Buses are a zero-fare bus service|bus] service used by students at Rutgers University campuses. It is the second-largest bus service in New Jersey after NJ Transit, and one of the largest university bus systems in the United States. Service is provided by Transdev and Academy Bus Lines year-round, including weekends and holidays. Late night shuttle service for students is provided by Rutgers Department of Transportation Services when the New Brunswick campus transit system is not in service. Football and other event shuttles are operated by Academy Bus Lines. Academy Bus Lines took over Newark service on January 20, 2026, and will take over New Brunswick in July 2026.

History

From July 1, 2001 to June 30, 2011, Rutgers New Brunswick Campus bus service was provided by Academy Bus Lines. Prior to that, Suburban Transit was the operator.
Rutgers began to install new bus shelters in the summer of 2010. The new shelters incorporate red roofs to cast a red tone on the sidewalk, showcasing university colors.
Director Jack Molenaar announced that the L route would be discontinued due to budget cuts, effective 28 August 2010. Molenaar called the bus a "relic" and said it was "slowest and most underutilized" of the bus routes. There was significant opposition to the move, especially from graduate students and Highland Park residents who had already made housing arrangements expecting the bus to be there. After 600 people signed an online petition calling for its reinstitution, a temporary LXc route was created for the 2010-11 school year, stopping at Cedar Lane every 30 minutes. A second bus was later added to shorten wait times to 15 minutes. In addition, the three weekend buses were reorganized into two all campus loop buses.
On October 21, 2010, First Transit was awarded a 5-year contract with an option to extend up to 15 years for the operation of New Brunswick Campus shuttle system. The main reason cited for the switch is cost. First Transit will refurbish existing buses and supply new ones for a total of 50 buses featured automatic stop announcements, whereas now drivers may or may not announce stops.
On December 10, 2010, Academy filed a lawsuit against the University over the loss of the contract. Despite the loss of shuttle operations, the company continues to provide the chartered bus operations used for tours and football games.
First Transit expanded their bus service to the Newark Campus beginning September 1, 2014; to Camden Campus since September 1, 2019. The new Rutgers-logo fleet of buses utilize the NextBus system and real-time status is available via the official Rutgers app. In 2018, Rutgers replaced the NextBus system with TransLoc. After Transdev completed the acquisition of First Transit on March 7, 2023, all current First Transit contracts were transferred to Transdev. Starting August 2, 2023, Rutgers replaced TransLoc with Passio Go! as the new tracker for Rutgers buses. This app includes features such as bus capacity, how long the bus will take at each stop, dwelling features, the bus number, while tracking each bus.
As of January 20, 2026, Academy Bus Lines has started operations at Newark campus. They will start operations at New Brunswick campus on July 1, 2026.

Alternative plans

Several times over the past decade, it has been suggested that the bus system be partially or fully replaced with bus rapid transit, monorail, or light rail. Closing College Avenue to non-bus motor vehicle traffic was also proposed, but indefinitely canceled in February 2010, due to excessive costs. Current plans are for incorporating the Rutgers bus system into the proposed New Brunswick Bus Rapid Transit, which would be centered on the New Brunswick Station near the intersection of Route 18 and Route 27.

Routes

New Brunswick Campus

There are currently 10 routes on weekdays, 2 routes on weekends and winter/spring/summer breaks, and 1 route on holidays for the New Brunswick Campus.

Weekday routes

As of Jan 21, 2025.

Name	Route	Stops	Hours of Operation
A	College Avenue/Busch	College Avenue Student Center → The Yard → Student Activities Center → Stadium West Lot → Hill Center → Science Buildings → Busch Student Center → Werblin Recreation Center	7:00AM–9:20PM
B	Livingston/Busch	Livingston Student Center → Quads → Hill Center → Science Buildings → Busch Student Center → Livingston Plaza	7:00AM–10:40PM
B/L Loop	Livingston/Busch	Jersey Mike's Arena → Livingston Student Center → Quads → Busch Student Center → Rodkin Academic Center → Stadium West Lot → Hill Center → Science Buildings	6:00AM–2:30AM
C	Busch Commuter Loop	Stadium West Lot → Hill Center → Allison Road Classroom Building → Hill Center	7:30AM–10:00PM 7:30AM–7:30PM
EE	College Avenue/Douglass-Cook via George Street	College Avenue Student Center → The Yard → SoCam Apartments → Red Oak Lane → Lipman Hall → Biel Road → Henderson Apartments → Gibbons → College Hall → SoCam Apartments → Student Activities Center	6:00AM–2:54AM 6:00AM–3:41AM
F	College Avenue/Douglass Express via Route 18	Red Oak Lane → Lipman Hall → College Hall → Student Activities Center → The Yard	7:00AM–9:24PM
H	College Avenue/Busch	College Avenue Student Center → The Yard → Student Activities Center → Werblin Recreation Center → Busch Student Center → Allison Road Classroom Building → Hill Center → Stadium West Lot	6:00AM–3:16AM 6:00AM–4:00AM
LX	College Avenue/Livingston Express	College Avenue Student Center → The Yard → Student Activities Center → Livingston Plaza → Livingston Student Center → Quads	6:00AM–2:46AM 6:00AM–3:46AM
REXB	Douglass/Busch	Red Oak Lane → Lipman Hall → College Hall → Hill Center → Allison Road Classroom Building → Hill Center	7:00AM–11:18PM
REXL	Douglass/Livingston	Red Oak Lane → Lipman Hall → College Hall → Livingston Plaza → Livingston Student Center	7:00AM–11:22PM

The Knight Mover operates when weekday buses stop running; it runs Monday through Thursday from 3:00AM to 6:00AM.

Weekends and breaks

In spring 2021, a variation of the weekend routes was introduced. They are essentially an express version of the regular weekend routes, stopping only at the stops served by the color routes on each campus. In fall 2021, a revised version of previous letter routes with redundant stops eliminated was introduced. Weekend routes were also based on revised letter routes.

Name	Route	Hours of Operation	Notes
Weekend 1	College Ave → Busch → Livingston → Douglass-Cook	4:00AM–6:00AM 4:00AM -3:00AM	Known as Summer 1 during summer break, Winter Break 1 during winter break, and Spring Break 1 during spring break.
Weekend 2	College Ave → Douglass-Cook → Livingston → Busch	4:00AM–6:00AM 4:00AM -3:00AM	Known as Summer 2 during summer break, Winter Break 2 during winter break, and Spring Break 2 during spring break.
All Campuses	College Ave → Busch → Livingston → Douglass-Cook	10:00AM–7:00PM	Identical to the Weekend 1 route, operates on weekends during breaks and during holidays.

Special event shuttles

Buses for the following routes are not trackable.

Name	Route	Notes
Campus Tour	Visitor Center → Werblin Recreation Center → Livingston Student Center → College Avenue Student Center → Biel Road → Gibbons	Operated by Academy Express
Commencement Shuttle	Jersey Mike's Arena → Busch Practice Bubble	Operated by Academy Express
Commencement Shuttle	College Avenue Student Center → New Brunswick Train Station → Lot 48	Operated by Academy Express
Convocation Shuttle	Busch Campus pickup: Busch Student Center → Green Lot; Busch Campus return: Lot 101 → Busch Student Center	Operated by Academy
Convocation Shuttle	College Avenue Campus pickup: College Avenue Student Center → Green Lot; College Avenue Campus return: Lot 101 → College Avenue Student Center	Operated by Academy
Convocation Shuttle	Douglass/Cook Campuses pickup: Biel Road → Green Lot; Douglass/Cook Campuses return: Livingston Student Center → Biel Road	Operated by Academy
Football Shuttle	Jersey Mike's Arena → Busch Practice Bubble	Operated by Academy Express & Rutgers Department of Transportation
Football Shuttle	College Avenue Student Center → New Brunswick Train Station → Johnson Park	Operated by Academy Express
Football Shuttle	Red Oak Lane → Biel Road → Johnson Park	Operated by Academy Express
New Student Orientation	Livingston Student Center → College Avenue Student Center → Gibbons → Werblin Recreation Center	Operated by Academy
Open House Day Shuttle	Visitor Center → Livingston Student Center → College Avenue Student Center → Gibbons	Operated by Academy
Rutgers Day Shuttle	Busch Student Center → Lot 48 Far → Student Activities Center SB → Zimmerli Art Museum SB → SoCam Apt SB → Douglass Student Center → George Street Northbound at Liberty Street → Zimmerli Art Museum NB → Student Activities Center NB → Lot 48 Near	Operated by Academy
Shopping Shuttle	Bevier Road → ShopRite → Walmart → Kam Man Food	Operated by Rutgers Department of Transportation Open to students with slightly different routes on select dates throughout the semester
Social Security Shuttle	College Avenue Student Center → Social Security Administration	Operated by Academy Available by appointment via Rutgers Global

Former routes

B-He

B-He was first introduced in the Fall 2022 semester as a route serving stops in opposite sequence from the B route. B-He was discontinued after the Fall 2024 semester and was replaced with B/L Loop.

Name	Route	Stops	Hours of Operation
B-He	Livingston/Busch	Livingston Student Center → Quads → Busch-Livingston Health Center → Busch Student Center → Allison Road Classroom Building → Hill Center → Livingston Plaza	6:00AM–2:25AM

Color Routes

In fall 2020, 6 Color Routes were introduced to help with social distancing on Rutgers buses due to COVID-19. They were based on regular intercampus routes, but featured less stops to reduce students traveling time on bus. These routes were implemented on August 26, 2020. However, due to low ridership, these routes were discontinued after October 2, 2020 and weekend routes were used until the end of Spring 2021 semester. In early 2021, Color Routes were planned to continue in fall 2021. However, this plan was scrapped in summer 2021, and Letter Routes were brought back for Fall 2021 with slight modifications.

Name	Route	Notes
Purple	College Avenue/Busch
Blue	Livingston/Busch	One bus designated as Blue-He stops at the Busch-Livingston Health Center.
Scarlet	College Avenue/Douglassvia George Street
Orange	College Avenue/Livingston
Green	Douglass/Livingston
Yellow	Douglass/Busch

Shuttles

Routes operated under previous contractors

The majority of the below routes ran throughout the late 20th Century as alternative variants or service patterns of the current routes.

Name	Route	Notes
AX	College Avenue Express/ARC Building	Ran for the 2000-01 school year as a test-run replacement for the A to expedite travel between Busch classes, and College Avenue for commuters. Reverted back to the A the following year.
CA	College Avenue/Stadium Lot West	Ran as a shuttle from the Rutgers Stadium parking lot during the 1997-98 school year to help alleviate commuter congestion on College Avenue. Replaced by rerouted A and H buses the next term.
D	College Avenue/Livingstonvia Highland Park	Operated as a local version of the former L route, which it was later replaced by circa 1990.
E	College Avenue / Douglass–Cookvia George Street	Former local variant of the EE which originally made less stops via Downtown. Eventually dissolved into the current EE by the mid-1990s.
G	Busch/Douglass-Cookvia Livingston	Service ran until May 2005 when Route 18 reconstruction predicted to slow down service. Eventually reincarnated into the current REXB by the middle of September 2005.
GG	Livingston/Douglass-Cookvia Highland Park	Service ran until May 2005 when Route 18 reconstruction predicted to slow down service. Eventually reincarnated into the current REXL by the middle of September 2005.
L	College Avenue/Livingston	Originally an express variant of the D, service replaced it by the mid-1990s with the introduction of the LX. Eliminated in 2010 due to low ridership.
LXc	College Avenue/Livingstonvia Cedar Lane	Temporary version of the LX for the 2010-11 school year after complaints by students and staff who settled into places within the Highland Park region prior to the late-onset elimination of the L. Did not return after Spring 2011.

Newark Campus

There are currently 4 routes on weekdays and 1 night service running seven nights a week for the Newark Campus.

Weekday routes

The Newark Penn Station Midnight Express Security Shuttle operates between 12:00AM and 4:00AM every day, providing transportation between Newark Penn Station and the Rutgers Newark Campus via Boyden Hall.

Former routes

Camden Campus

Bus routes for the Camden Campus only operate on weekdays.

Name	Stops	Hours of Operation
Camden Shuttle	City Lot 15 → City Lot 16 → Law School → Nursing & Science Building → Joint Health Sciences Center → Business & Science Building	7:00AM–10:00PM

Fleet

Fleet number	Photo	Operator	Model Year	Manufacturer	Model	Campus	Engine	Transmission
0126-0130		Transdev	2023	ENC	Axess BRT 40'	New Brunswick	Cummins L9	Allison B400R
201-205, 1001-1002, 1004, 1006-1007, 1011-1012		Transdev	2010	ENC	Axess 40'	New Brunswick	Cummins ISL9	Allison B400R
2476-2480		Transdev	2025	Gillig	Gillig Low Floor 40'	New Brunswick	Cummins L9	Allison B400R
4032-4041		Transdev	2023	ENC	Axess BRT 40'	New Brunswick	Cummins L9	Allison B400R
4049-4053		Transdev	2014	ENC	Axess BRT 40'	New Brunswick	Cummins ISL9	Allison B400R
4054E-4058E		Transdev	2024	Gillig	Low Floor EV 40'	4056E, 4058E, New Brunswick 4054E, 4055E, 4057E, Newark	Cummins BES	Direct Drive
4059-4063		Transdev	2024	Gillig	Low Floor 40'	New Brunswick	Cummins L9	Allison 400R
4107, 4110-4111, 4115, 4119, 4122, 4124, 4134		Transdev	2012	ENC	E-Z Rider II BRT 35'	New Brunswick	Cummins ISL9	Allison B300R
4125-4126		Transdev	2015	ENC	E-Z Rider II BRT 30'	New Brunswick	Cummins ISB6.7	Allison B300R
4127-4133		Transdev	2015	ENC	Axess BRT 40'	New Brunswick	Cummins ISL9	Allison B400R
4176-4213		Transdev	2011	ENC	Axess BRT 40'	New Brunswick	Cummins ISL9	Allison B400R
2955		Academy Bus Lines	2024	ENC	E-Z Rider II BRT 32'	Newark	Cummins B6.7	Allison B300R
2502, 2504-2510		Academy Bus Lines	2015	New Flyer	XD40	Newark	Cummins ISL9	Allison B400R
5584, 5586, 5594		Transdev	2019	Ford	E-450	Camden	Ford Modular 6.8L V10 Gasoline	Ford TorqShift 6R140
8385-8386, 8388, 8391, 8401, 8415		Transdev	2019	Ford	E-450	Camden	Ford Modular 6.8L V10 Gasoline	Ford TorqShift 6R140

Apps associated with Rutgers Buses

The Rutgers Campus Buses system uses the PassioGo! app. The app informs users on the real-time location of every bus on all three campuses. If users select a specific stop on the app, the estimated arrival times of the next three buses of each route will show. There are other bus trackers to help track the Rutgers buses such as XRadar and RUBus.