BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

By the mid-1970's, DE CAMP began purchasing MCI's.

The first were two MC-7's, purchased in 1974.

Two MC-8's were purchased the following year (1975)

In 1976, several MC-8's were added to the fleet.

The last GM-built buses purchased by DE CAMP arrived in 1975 (these were several restroom-equipped S8M-5304A's)

In 1976, a very small number of NJDOT Flex New Looks became part of the DE CAMP fleet........

"NYO"

(source "MOTOR COACH AGE", 1978)

["146 LIVINGSTON"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Well into the 1940's, DE CAMP (like PSNJ) was a loyal YELLOW COACH customer.

In the 1930's, a number of front-engine WHITES were also purchased; the first GM's in the DE CAMP fleet arrived in 1944; these were small groups of TG-4006's and TD-3206's.

The first ACF-BRILL C-44's were purchased in 1949; the later BRILLS were ex-"ATLANTIC TRANSPORTATION", entering the fleet in the mid-1950's.

The WHITE 798's were also ex-"ATLANTIC TRANSPORTATION" ("Garden State Lines")

Through the 1950's and 1960's, DE CAMP purchased only GM buses (Old Looks, 4104's, and Fishbowls)

It was not until 1973, when non-GM buses went into service (MCI)

Oddly, DE CAMP never purchased 4106's..........

"NYO"

["NEW YORK"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Studying this 1981 photo taken near the Lincoln Tunnel helix in 1981 closely, a sharp eye will find no shortage of classic coaches within sight.......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?153617

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["77 MORRISTOWN"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

39th St. & 9th Avenue, 1974...........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?154711

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["55 BLOOMFIELD"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

From "MOTOR COACH AGE" (1978)........

"......in mid-June, 1978 (after the death of Stuart De Camp) letters were mailed to all privately-owned bus companies in New Jersey soliciting offers to buy all or part of De Camp Bus Lines......."

".......this move was, perhaps, inevitable in view of the bus company's current problems. No doubt at least some of the routes could well be operated at a profit, even at De Camp's high wage rates......."

"NYO"

["22 JERSEY CITY"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Now that DE CAMP no longer operates commuter service into New York, the only privately-owned New Jersey bus company to serve New York is LAKELAND.

See:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakeland_Bus_Lines

Today, LAKELAND has but three routes.

As a lad, my folks and I would ride either a LAKELAND Old Look or a Fishbowl from the "Port-of-Authority" up to Warwick, to visit my aunt, uncle, and cousins at their summer bungalow at Lake Wanda (Highland Lakes)

According to my cousin (who now lives in the old bungalow year-round) it is NJT that now runs into Warwick from New York, no more LAKELAND.

Hard to believe that, today, only ONE privately-owned New Jersey bus company still operates commuter service today, compared to the large number of carriers I grew up with, 60-odd years ago.........

"NYO"

["WARWICK"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

This wonderfully charming and nostalgic LAKELAND image truly evokes images of "Norman Rockwell's America"......ahhh, yes, Your's Truly indeed remembers timeless scenes like this.......

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/545076361153258191/

["LAKELAND BUS LINES"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's a rare photo of a PSNJ "Compromise"-roof streetcar (working on the #29 subway-surface line) at the long-gone Caldwell loop; note the DE CAMP buses on the right (the bus on the far right I believe to be a TDH-4509; DE CAMP took delivery of these buses between 1951 and 1952)

This loop was the western terminal point for DE CAMP's long-gone #22 (JSQ-Caldwell); a line Your's Truly knew very well as a young lad.

This loop terminal (which also boasted a small waiting roof/soda fountain) also served MOUNTAIN COACHES (TRACKLESS TRANSIT) #144, a long-defunct route I rode every day, twice a day, five days a week, when I was a senior in high school, between 1974 and 1975.

PSNJ's #29 subway-surface car line (the last of the surface lines that connected to the City Subway) was converted to buses in 1952.

This loop was abandoned years ago, and no longer exists........

https://www.newdavesrailpix.com/psct/htm/usr_h_psct_2721_bv_psct042.htm

["29 NEWARK"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

DE CAMP and GREYHOUND (from "MOTOR COACH AGE", 1978)......

".......during the Second World War, De Camp service was further improved,, becoming half-hourly again at most times, without adding buses, except for some second-hand WHITES and ex-GREYHOUND coaches (YELLOWS)........"

"NYO"

["UPPER MONTCLAIR"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

DE CAMP and LAKELAND ("MOTOR COACH AGE, 1978)...........

"...........to the west of Caldwell, in Parsippany-Troy Hills Township, is Lake Hiawatha, a sparsely-populated summer resort. De Camp extended its Caldwell line to serve the hamlet, but ridership was quite low, as had been the case in earlier years, when Public Service had attempted to serve the area......."

".......De Camp service was soon limited to the summer months, and, when Lakeland Bus Lines was founded in 1952, De Camp was glad to sell its operating rights into this region......"

"NYO"

["NEW YORK"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

.....was quite lucky to come across this rare photo of a LAKELAND Mack suburban..........

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/lakeland-bus-lines-mack--531213718547614805/

["LAKELAND BUS LINES, INC."]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

In addition to the aforementioned ex-GREYHOUND buses (YELLOW) purchased by DE CAMP, the second-hand WHITES (these were 1930's models) were purchased from the following companies, during the Second World War:

JERSEY CITY & LYNDHURST BUS CO.

CHAMPLAIN COACH CORP.

JOHN A. POLICASTRO & CO.

BEVIANO CHARTER SERVICE

NEWARK SIGHTSEEING CO.

(courtesy: "MOTOR COACH AGE", 1978)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

For many years, DE CAMP's #22 (JSQ-Caldwell) was the proverbial "red-headed stepchild" of the company.

Originally, the line was operated by the "JERSEY CITY & MONTCLAIR BUS COMPANY"; this company was founded in 1927, and extended from Montclair to Caldwell one year later.

This line was sold to DE CAMP in 1941; the original buses that ran on this line were Fitzjohn-bodied WHITES.

In 1939, four new ACF Model 26-U buses were added to the fleet, with "H&M TUBES TO NEW YORK" emblazoned on the sides; interestingly, only 50 of these buses were built.

In 1951, when DE CAMP assigned numbers to its routes, the Jersey City-Caldwell line became the #22.

As the Company regarded this line as a "stepchild" for years, it assigned its oldest buses to the route; through the 1960's, ACF-BRILL C-44's and Old Looks held down the runs between Journal Square and Caldwell (this was a line that Your's Truly knew very well as a youngster!)

This line has now been gone for decades; yet, my many memories are still with me.......

"NYO"

["22 JERSEY CITY"]

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