OCEAN RIDE SERVICE RETURNS TO STAFFORD BUSINESS PARK
STAFFORD TOWNSHIP – With the opening of new Ocean County government offices in addition to new retail stores,
Ocean County’s Transportation Department will restore Ocean Ride bus service into the Stafford Township Business Park.
“To make sure our residents can access our government offices and also shopping opportunities, Ocean Ride buses will roll
into the business park again beginning Monday, July 28,” said Freeholder Gerry P. Little, who serves as liaison to Ocean
Ride, the county-run public transportation system. “We are very pleased to be offering this service.”
In order to accommodate returning the service to the Business Park, Ocean Ride has modified the following bus routes:
OC 6, LBI - North and South, OC 9 - Barnegat and the OC 5A and B.
“Ocean Ride’s designated stop in the Stafford Business Park will be near the new Target store,” Little said. “We will
also make stops at the Ocean County Board of Social Services on Haywood Road upon request.”
Little noted that in September, when the Ocean County Clerk and the Ocean County Surrogate is scheduled to move
into the southern government complex, the bus also would stop at that office upon request.
Ocean Ride had provided transportation service to the area until the county’s Southern Resource Center was
demolished more than a year ago, paving the way for new construction in the area.
“Now that Ocean County government and the private developer both are opening or are close to opening new facilities here
it’s the right time to reactivate our transportation service into the area,” said Freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari.
Vicari, who also serves as chairman of the Ocean County Office of Senior Services, noted that Ocean Ride primarily
provides transportation to seniors and the disabled.
“Allowing them the opportunity to shop and to access county services at this complex provides many benefits to our Ocean
Ride patrons,” Vicari said. “Because our riders are in many cases elderly it gives them a chance to get out of their
houses, socialize and enjoy the day without worrying about transportation.”
The OC 6 bus route begins in Little Egg Harbor Township and travels through Tuckerton, Eagleswood Township,
Stafford Township and a section of Barnegat Township. This route operates five days a week. The fare for the general
public is just 50 cents and 25 cents for senior citizens and persons with disabilities.
“As part of an on-going collaboration, the OC 6 timetable also references the availability of the Stafford Dial-A-Ride
service which is available to Stafford residents, reinforcing the availability of transportation resources,” Little said.
Similarly, Ocean Ride staff included information relating to the Barnegat Transportation System directly on the OC 9
timetable, again to reinforce the availability of this service for Barnegat residents.
Working with officials at the new Target store, which opens July 27th, plans have been completed to install a new bus
stop near the store.
“This area will be a designated bus stop location, used by Ocean Ride and Stafford Dial-A-Ride and possibly by the
Barnegat Transportation System,” noted Kathleen Edmond, Director of the Ocean County Transportation Department.
The new timetables for the bus routes that will serve the Stafford Business Park are available on the Ocean
County website at www.co.ocean.nj.us and click on Ocean Ride Bus System.
“Getting people to and from this complex is a collaborative effort with the county working with neighboring
townships and the developer so that the end result is easy access to these new facilities,” Little said.
Ocean Ride bus schedules are also available by calling 732-736-8989 and Press 4.
The new timetables also will be available at the municipal buildings in Stafford Township, Tuckerton, Little Egg Harbor
Township, Eagleswood Township, and Barnegat Township, the Ocean County Board of Social Services Building on Haywood Road,
and nearby county library branches.
“We are in the process of delivering the updated information to a number of facilities, but it’s recommended for
right now, that riders should call the transportation department or visit the website,” Edmond said.
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