Editor’s note: Editor’s note: This op-ed for Bus & Motorcoach News is written by Thomas G. JeBran, president of Trans-Bridge Lines.
Sept. 11, 2001, began like any other Tuesday at Trans-Bridge Lines.
Our buses were operating their regular schedules — about 30 round trips between the Lehigh Valley and New York City, including six serving the Wall Street business district. Drivers reported for work, passengers boarded, and the familiar rhythm of the morning commute began.
Then, everything changed.
As the attacks unfolded and the Port Authority Bus Terminal was shut down, our buses that had already arrived in New York were parked in our nearby 39th Street lot. Other Trans-Bridge Lines buses that were en route to New York were turned around as all tunnels and bridges into Manhattan were closed.
As passengers stranded in New York began calling our main office, our staff directed them to our 39th Street lot, where buses were waiting. Our drivers also worked to locate and assist as many passengers as possible outside the Port Authority Bus Terminal, doing what they could to get them to our buses until we could try to get them home.
Later that afternoon, when the Lincoln Tunnel opened for outgoing traffic, we were able to bring a few buses home to New Jersey and the Lehigh Valley. Six buses were unable to get through and had to wait, eventually driving to the George Washington Bridge to leave the city. A couple of buses remained in the Wall Street area and were recovered weeks later.
For our drivers and employees, the passengers we serve are much more than names on a manifest. They are familiar faces that drivers greet each morning and evening. Over time, our staff comes to know many of them by name, sharing the simple pleasantries that are part of a daily routine. That day, we knew that some of the passengers who traveled with us that morning would not be returning home.
Sept. 11 was a Tuesday. By Thursday, Trans-Bridge Lines had resumed some service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal. Service to the Wall Street area was canceled.
Riddled with grief, anger, and anxiety, we carried on together.
25 years later
As we mark the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11, we remember the passengers we lost, the families who waited for them, and all those whose lives were profoundly affected by that day.
We also reflect on our 85 years as a company. In 2026, as we mark this important milestone, we recognize that the history of Trans-Bridge Lines is closely connected to the people who have traveled with us.
For generations, we have shared their everyday journeys — the morning commutes, the evening rides home, the long days, the fun days, and the holidays. We have also shared difficult times and experiences that have become part of our collective history.
Sept. 11 is one of those moments we remember.
Twenty-five years later, we remember those we knew vividly, those we lost with immense sorrow, and those who worked to help bring people home with eternal gratitude.
We remember. We honor. We will never forget. We are resilient.
Thomas G. JeBran is president of Trans-Bridge Lines.
