The final stop: NJ’s oldest bus company closes after 155 years

For more than a century and a half, DeCamp Bus Lines has been a lifeline for commuters in New Jersey, with its familiar orange, green and white buses ferrying workers to jobs and families to destinations across the region. 

At the end of this month, the storied transportation company will make its final stop.

The family-owned business, a fixture in New Jersey’s transit history since its founding in 1870, will cease operations on Feb. 28. For owner Robert DeCamp, who has spent 57 years at the helm, the decision to shut down was not easy.

Commuter

“After 155 years of serving our community, it is with mixed emotions that we announce the closure of DeCamp Bus Lines,” DeCamp said in a statement. “This decision was not made lightly, but it comes as I look forward to spending more time with my family. Reflecting on the millions of passengers we’ve served and the dedicated employees who’ve worked tirelessly to make this company what it is, I’m filled with gratitude and pride.”

Panorama Tours, a woman-owned transportation company based in Northern New Jersey, is expanding to fill the void left by the closure. DeCamp is referring its customers to Panorama and has partnered with Panorama to honor all booked charter and casino trips after February 28.

“As DeCamp Bus Lines prepares to close its doors, we are truly grateful for the opportunity to offer our services to their valued customers,” said Michelle Petelicki, second-generation owner of Panorama Tours, based in Wallington, New Jersey. “We deeply admire their legacy and their decades of service to the community. We share their core values of safety, reliability, and customer service, and are committed to ensuring a smooth and welcoming transition.”

Panorama expands

To serve former DeCamp customers and to accommodate anticipated growth, Panorama Tours has expanded its fleet and team. This expansion features some of the newest vehicles, equipped with modern amenities and enhanced sustainability features, in alignment with the company’s dedication to reducing its carbon footprint.

Panorama Tours

In addition, Panorama has taken over the existing DeCamp phone number. This continuity allows customers a familiar point of contact for inquiries. 

“While DeCamp Bus Lines’ closure marks the end of an incredible era, we are dedicated to providing their customers with the same high standards of care and professionalism they’ve trusted for generations,” Petelicki added.

The Montclair, New Jersey-based transportation company began as a stagecoach route between Roseland and Newark, founded by Civil War veteran Major Jonathan W. DeCamp. Over the decades, the company evolved, keeping pace with the region’s shifting transportation needs.

In the early 1900s, the company transitioned from horse-drawn carriages to motorized buses. By the 1920s, its fleet had expanded, and the business had added routes across New Jersey. During the 1940s and 1950s, DeCamp Bus Lines peaked with 175 buses in operation and 250 employees on staff, becoming an integral part of daily life for thousands of commuters traveling between North Jersey and New York City.

As suburban expansion reshaped commuting patterns, DeCamp adapted, shifting its focus to charter and casino services in addition to commuter routes. However, in recent years, the company has faced mounting challenges.

Hit hard by pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 was a devastating blow. Remote work policies and shifting commuter habits drastically reduced ridership. By April 2023, DeCamp ended its commuter bus service, opting to focus solely on charter and casino trips. But financial pressures continued to mount. Rising insurance costs, an industry-wide driver shortage, and increasing costs of new buses made survival increasingly difficult for private bus operators.

Adding to the strain, post-pandemic ridership levels have failed to recover fully. While 80% of commuters have returned to in-person work, many now only commute two to three days a week, further impacting revenues.

“To our passengers, thank you for trusting us with your journeys. To our employees, past and present, thank you for your unwavering dedication,” DeCamp said. “The success of DeCamp Bus Lines is a testament to the incredible people who have supported us along the way.”

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