Hampton Jitney

Infobox Bus transit
name = Hampton Jitney

logo_size = 150px

---

image_size = 250px
image_caption = Hampton Jitney #101 lays over on 86 Street on Manhattan's Upper East Side.
company_slogan =
parent =
founded = 1974
headquarters = 395 County Road 39A
Southampton, NY 11968
locale = Eastern Suffolk County
service_area = North and South Forks
service_type = Line run, contract service
alliance =
routes = 6 directly controlled
6 under SCT contract
destinations =
stops =
hubs =
stations =
lounge =
fleet = 49 for line runs
36 for contract operations
ridership =
fuel_type =
operator = Hampton Jitney
ceo =
website = [http://www.hamptonjitney.com Hampton Jitney]

Hampton Jitney is a for profit bus company based in Southampton, NY.The company runs three primary routes from the East End of Long Island (The Hamptons and the North Fork) to New York City, as well as charter services.The company also operates a number of local bus routes under contract with Suffolk County Transit.

History

Hampton Jitney was founded in 1972 with a single van by a Mr. Davidson, a former advertising art director, who lived in the Hamptons and wanted to establish a convenient means for travelling between the Hamptons and to and from New York City, especially for those without a driver's license.

Initially the company used vans instead of buses, operating on the theory of a share taxi service among the little communities of The Hamptons. The company has retained a name which no longer describes its main service and fleet.

The founder saw a need for a new transit option for people travelling between New York City and the popular Hamptons region of Long Island. The area has long been served by the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), but by the 1970s poor track conditions on its Montauk Branch resulted in lengthy trip times and delayed trains. Rebuilding the Montauk Branch in 1978 and 1979 resulted in quicker and more reliable trips, but the non electrified single track line limited train frequency. The LIRR does maintain a number of passing sidings along the Montauk Branch that would allow more frequent service, but to date, the railroad refuses to increase service. By the late 1970s Hampton Jitney acquired a fleet of coaches, and today it carries the majority of passengers between the East End and New York City who opt not to drive. In the 1980s Hampton Jitney services had expanded to the point where the company runs roughly hourly service year round on its Montauk Line and service between 2 to 3 hours on its Westhampton, and North Fork line. The company also started a charter service during this time.

Later developments

In 2006 Hampton Jitney acquired the line run and charter business from Sunrise Coach Lines, based in Greenport, LI. This gave Hampton Jitney its third line, The North Fork Line. In 2007 the Jitney (as it is often called) started a direct service to and from Brooklyn on its Montauk and North Fork lines (Sunrise Coach lines continues to operate as a provider of School Bus routes and part operator of the S-92 route for Suffolk County Transit). Hampton Jitney's base of operations and its depot are in Southampton, and it is planning a new depot including a park and ride lot in Calverton.

Routes

Hampton Jitney operates three primary routes.

* The Montauk Line serves Manorville, and then the South Fork villages from Southampton to Montauk. A branch of this route serves the village of Sag Harbor either by direct bus service, or via a shuttle from its Southampton base.

* The Westhampton Line serves Manorville, and the villages of Westhampton, The Quogues, and Hampton Bays.

* The North Fork Line serves the towns and villages from Riverhead to Greenport with some buses continuing onto East Marion, Orient, and Orient Point.

The South Fork lines include a stop near exit 60 of the Long Island Expressway (LIE) for a connection to MacArthur Airport on Long Island.

All lines of the Jitney serve a stop in Queens, NY for connections to either of the NYC airports. seealso|Transportation to New York City area airports

ervices

Hampton Jitney buses require reservations, and limit the use of cell phones.The company provides refreshment service on all buses. On the Montauk and Westhampton lines, Ambassador Class, a first class type service is offered.The Jitney has increased the frequency of Ambassador Class service in response to a new competing bus company, Hampton Luxury Liner. Seasonal services are also offered to Boston and Florida. Most fares are approximately double the usual (off-peak) rail fares. The trip via the Jitney is often quicker by an hour or more, when road congestion is not severe. A prepaid, discounted 12 trip coupon book, called a "Valpack" is offered and brings the Jitney fares closer to the peak train fare on the South Fork lines, and competitive with train fares at all times on its North Fork line. All buses serve the Upper East Side of Manhattan and some go also to the West Side.

In Popular Culture

* In the episode "Twenty Something Girls vs Thirty Something Women" from Sex and The City, the four main characters travel to The Hamptons on the Hamptons Jitney, where Carrie Bradshaw described it as "like the bus to summer camp, only instead of singing songs, everyone speaks on their cell phones and ignore each other".

* In the episode "Summer Kind of Wonderful" from the second season of Gossip Girl (TV Series), Blair Waldorf returns to The Hamptons on the Hamptons Jitney, a scene depicts her disembarking the Hamptons Jitney.

ources

* [http://www.hamptonjitney.com Official website]
* [http://www.eastendshuttle.org Transit advocacy for the East End of LI]
*Steel Rails to The Sunrise, by Ron Zeil.