Long Branch Shuttle Service to Begin in May

Long Branch residents and visitors will have a new way of accessing the city's beaches and business areas this summer with the unveiling of a new shuttle service.

The shuttles will pick people up from the Long Branch Train Station and take them to several stops in the city including Brighton Avenue and Ocean Avenue.

Long Branch Director of Community & Economic Development Jacob Jones said the city received a federal grant from the Meadowlands Transportation Brokerage Corporation, which is doing business as Meadowlink, for the shuttles.

The city will match a portion of the approximately $70,000 grant through the Urban Enterprise Zone Program, which has allocated $25,000 for the service.

Jones said the shuttle service will be called Shore EZride and will feature rides from from the train station to the beach and business district from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday May 25 at 9 a.m. at Pier Village to unveil the new shuttle service. Immediately following the ceremony, there will be a trial run from Pier Village to the train station.

Jones said the service will run Friday, Saturday, Sunday and special holidays. He said the service will be a "experiment" for the city and that the service could be expanded in the future and possibly used at Monmouth University.

Jones said he hopes the shuttle will make life easier for people to get around the city and also minimize traffic delays.

Town such as Asbury Park and Belmar used the shuttle service last summer.