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Port Authority Bus Terminal Tweaks Operations For Smoother Commuting

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey says it has been able to get commuters and travelers in and out of its bus terminal in Manhattan easier thanks to a few changes that are in effect.

Among the tweaks, Port Authority officers are now managing traffic at the Lincoln Tunnel during peak driving hours, so buses are no longer being diverted into a long line along Tenth Avenue, WCBS 880's Levon Putney reported.

"And getting caught up in city traffic," NJ TRANSIT General Manager Dennis Martin added.

Port Authority Bus Terminal Tweaks Operations For Smoother Commuting

Martin said the they're also managing bus traffic inside the terminal so that the flow is more organized.

"Previously we were sending too many buses too early, adding congestion," he explained.

To prove his point, Martin showed two aerial shots of Tenth Avenue, one in late May with buses lined up and one in late October, where "You'll see the congestion is much less."

As 1010 WINS' Rebecca Granet reported, if you look around the second floor of the bus terminal, you might notice that the congestion among commuters has been reduced.

Port Authority Bus Terminal Tweaks Operations For Smoother Commuting

That's according to Mark Schaff, assistant general manager of the Lincoln Tunnel and the bus terminal, who said it's another way to measure the impact of their new strategies.

"The lines no longer extend down the stairs or escalators and onto the second floor," he said. "The buses are arriving closer to their time, the terminal is remaining more fluid, buses are getting to their gates and people are then having a better on-time performance."

Carol Katz, with the Bus Association of New Jersey, is among those happy so far.

"I just really wanted to commend," she said.

And NJ TRANSIT executives said they hope the Port Authority keeps those officers our there directing traffic.

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