Short Line (bus company) explained

Short Line Bus
Parent:Coach USA
Founded:1922
Headquarters:66 Tetz Road, Chester, NY 10918
Locale:New York
Service Area:Greater New York, Southern Tier, Hudson Valley, Finger Lakes
Service Type:Local, intercity, contract, and charter bus service
Alliance:Trailways
(Route 96 only)
Routes:29
Hubs:PABT, Middletown, Monticello, Newburgh, and Binghamton
Stations:GWB Bus Terminal, PABT
Fleet:233 [1] [2] [3]

Short Line is a brand name for three different Coach USA companies, Hudson Transit Lines, Hudson Transit Corporation, and Chenango Valley Bus Lines that provide local, commuter and intercity bus service in lower New York State, primarily along the Route 17 and Southern Tier corridor. Coach USA acquired the companies in 1998.[4]

In June 2024, Coach USA filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, blaming corporate impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The company has plans to sell its assets, and plans to sell its Megabus subsidiaries (including Short Line) to Bus Company Holdings, a unit of the Renco Group.[5]

In November 2024, it was announced that The Renco Group had completed the purchase of the company.[6] On December 31, 2024, Coach USA and all subsidiaries converted their Chapter 11 cases to a Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation.[7]

Service types

Short Line's service can be defined in several categories:

Local bus service

Short Line, under contract to Orange County, provides local bus service along the former Erie Main Line corridor along Route 17M.[8] ShortLine also owns local routes traveling along Routes 17K and 32 in Orange County, as well as local routes traveling onward from Middletown onward to Route 209, and to other towns along Route 17.

Commuter bus service

Within the New York metropolitan area, ShortLine operates commuter services along the Route 17 corridor, Interstate 84, Routes 208 and 32, and Rockland and Bergen (NJ Route 17) counties to New York City.

In addition, under contract to the New York State Department of Transportation and Rockland County Department of Public Transportation, ShortLine provides commuter bus service from Orange and Rockland Counties to White Plains and Tarrytown.[9]

Intercity bus service

Within and beyond the New York metropolitan area, ShortLine provides scheduled service to and from Long Island to the Southern Tier (via Middletown and Monticello) and service to and from major colleges and universities in the region, such as Cornell University, SUNY Alfred, Binghamton University, Ithaca College, and SUNY Albany, and intermediate points. The central hub for all of these routes is Binghamton, via Routes X178 and 495.

Route detail

Short Line provides service along 29 routes. Details are listed below for the full route only. Some schedules may serve only portions of the line, skip some stops, or may service multiple routes.

Unless noted, all service is provided using Coach USA-branded vehicles.

Bergen, Rockland, and Westchester County routes

RouteOutbound terminalViaInbound terminalNotes

Northern District-Nanuet (W59)

Nanuet
Exit 14 P/R and Hamlets
ExpressNew York
Midtown or Wall Street
  • Peak service only; route subsidized by Rockland County.

Northern District-Bergen County

Mahwah
Ramapo College
Route 208, Wyckoff, OaklandPort Authority Bus Terminal
  • Peak service only.
  • Local passengers in New Jersey are not carried on this line.

17SF/WY

SuffernRoute 17 to Mahwah
Orange Avenue to Suffern
  • WY trips via Ramapo College.
  • Select trips continue to/from 17M/MD service from Central Valley and Middletown.

Orange, Dutchess, Ulster and Pike County routes

These routes service the outer regions of the New York metropolitan area.

RouteTerminal AViaTerminal BNotes

Main Line
Trolley

MiddletownRoute 17MWoodbury Common Premium Outlets
  • Route owned by Orange County DOT.
  • Weekend trips extended to Harriman.
  • Service on this line uses TransitOrange vehicles.
  • Does not operate on major holidays.

17M/MD

Monroe, Goshen, Chester, Central Valley, Harriman, Tuxedo, Sloatsburg, SuffernPort Authority Bus Terminal
  • This route has a number of peak-service and short-turn variants:
  • 17C for service to Chester.
  • 17G for service terminating in Goshen.
  • In addition, most local trips continue to/from 17SF/WY in Bergen County.

XPA84

HonesdaleHonesdale (PA), Port Jervis (NY), Middletown

X87M

MiddletownRoute 17/Thruway Express
  • Rush-hour only nonstop service.
700Newburgh Thruway Express
  • Rush-hour only nonstop service.
Cornwall, West Point, Stony Point, Haverstraw, Suffern, Bergen County
Woodbury Common

208-GWB Eastside Commuter

MontgomeryWashingtonville, Monroe, Central ValleyNew York
George Washington Bridge, Harlem, and East Side
  • Route owned by the New York State DOT.
  • Does not serve Port Authority Bus Terminal.
  • Peak service only.

209

KerhonksonEllenville, Wurtsboro, Middletown, MonroePort Authority Bus Terminal
  • Weekday peak service only

287
(Orange-Westchester Link)

MiddletownGoshen, Monroe, Central Valley White Plains
Platinum Mile
  • Route owned by the New York State DOT; fare is between $4.00 and $5.55 depending on distance.
  • Peak service only; alternate service available on Route 495.

L-9

NewburghCornwall, West Point, Highland Falls, Bear Mountain, SuffernPort Authority Bus Terminal

L-211

Routes 17K and 211Middletown
  • Local Orange County service

Beyond the New York metro area

These routes run primarily from the New York Metro area to points in the Southern Tier (Sullivan County and beyond), or service the Southern Tier of New York State exclusively.

RouteTerminal AViaTerminal BNotes

52

MonticelloSouth Fallsburg, Woodbourne, Sullivan County Community CollegeLiberty

56

MonticelloMonticello Gaming & Raceway, White Lake, Bethel Woods Center for the ArtsVilla Roma
  • Operates mid-May thru mid-October.
  • No service Sunday & Monday.
  • Special Concert Excursions to Bethel Woods from New York City and other points available.

79

Alfred State CollegeElmira, CorningBinghamton
  • Friday and Sunday only
  • Sold on megabus.com

L178

MonticelloWurtsboro, MiddletownPort Authority Bus Terminal

X178

Ithaca
Cornell University
Binghamton
  • Sold on megabus.com

179

BinghamtonDeposit, Hancock, Roscoe, Liberty, Monticello Gaming & RacewayMonticello

Incidents

On June 12, 2017, in New York City, a Hudson Transit Lines bus was involved in a crash in which driver Dave Lewis ran over and killed bicyclist Dan Hanegby, an Israeli-American athlete and cycling enthusiast.[10] The bus driver was arrested due to this incident, on a misdemeanor charge.[11]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.safersys.org/query.asp?searchtype=ANY&query_type=queryCarrierSnapshot&query_param=USDOT&original_query_param=NAME&query_string=13944&original_query_string=SHORTLINE%20BUS%20LINES SAFERSYS Hudson Transit Lines statistics
  2. Web site: Company Snapshot Hudson Transit Corporation . https://web.archive.org/web/20120210211545/http://www.safersys.org/query.asp?searchtype=ANY&query_type=queryCarrierSnapshot&query_param=USDOT&original_query_param=NAME&query_string=200615&original_query_string=HUDSON%20TRANSIT%20CORPORATION . February 10, 2012 . safersys.org . Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
  3. Web site: Company Snapshot Chenango Valley Bus Lines Inc . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303223409/http://www.safersys.org/query.asp?searchtype=ANY&query_type=queryCarrierSnapshot&query_param=USDOT&original_query_param=NAME&query_string=154670&original_query_string=CHENANGO%20VALLEY%20BUSLINES%20INC . March 3, 2016 . safersys.org . Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
  4. Web site: 29504 - Decision . https://web.archive.org/web/20181021232241/https://www.stb.gov/decisions/readingroom.nsf/2bda2d2cbecfdf25852572b800407309/a3417caa52c7ac8685256665006b7d0b?OpenDocument#N_2_ . October 21, 2018 . October 21, 2018 . Surface Transportation Board.
  5. Web site: Phakdeetham . Janine . June 11, 2024 . Coach USA files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Delaware . June 11, 2024 . Bloomberg Law . en.
  6. Web site: Coach USA sale to The Renco Group finalized; will have no impact on commuters. Bus & Motorcoach News. 2026-02-22. en.
  7. Web site: Coach USA, Inc. Case Background. 2024-06-11. 2026-02-22. Kroll. en.
  8. Web site: Short Line: Orange County Main Line . November 19, 2025 . coachusa.com.
  9. Web site: Short Line: Orange-Westchester Link to Tarrytown & White Plains . November 19, 2025 . coachusa.com.
  10. News: Chelsea Residents Warned City About Buses Using Side Streets Near Citi Bike Death. Gothamist. June 16, 2017. Whitford. Emma. June 16, 2017. en-US. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20170617020124/http://gothamist.com/2017/06/16/hanegby_chelsea_citi_bike.php. June 17, 2017.
  11. News: Bus driver charged in first Citi Bike fatality. October 31, 2017. Rosenberg. Rebecca. New York Post. August 26, 2018. en-US.