Princeton council agrees to hire Telos Advisors and pursue 6‑month pilot to expand shuttle service

Princeton’s mayor and council on Aug. 25 authorized staff to hire Telos Advisors to develop an implementation plan and help prepare bids for an expanded municipal shuttle, and signaled support for a short pilot period (approximately six months) to test a second vehicle linking the Princeton Shopping Center and the Dinky rail line with downtown destinations.

The decision follows a transit study by Nelson ygaard that found residents want more direct and frequent service to the Princeton Shopping Center, Palmer Square, Firestone Library and the Route 1 corridor. Jim Purcell, a staff member presenting the study, told the council the town’s current service is a single 14‑passenger cutaway shuttle that runs Monday–Saturday from about 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., costs $362,164 this year and averages about 89 boardings per weekday (roughly seven boardings per revenue hour).

Nelson Nygaard presented multiple short‑term scenarios. The most immediately viable option is adding a second vehicle to operate a direct shuttle between the shopping center and the Dinky with stops on Harrison and Nassau; the additional vehicle was estimated by staff at about $32,930 per month (roughly $395,000 annually), bringing a two‑vehicle operating total to about $758,000 a year. A lower‑cost stopgap…