The inspections were in addition to the examinations done regularly inside terminals.
Inspectors were looking at everything from the driver's license and paperwork to the bus' condition.
"I believe that was a brake line, as serious, serious defect," said Raymond Martinez of the MVC. "Now in an instance like this, the bus was immediately taken off the road."
Action News was there as one bus was taken out of commission. Inspectors said it had frame damage and, indeed, small holes in the metal frame were quite visible.
"Over the years they don't clean the salt off of them, the calcium where the vehicle runs, and the framing that's under there is actually rotted away," said Keith Repp, N.J. Motor Vehicle Commission Inspector.
Last year there were more than 960 roadside inspections like the one on Wednesday. Of those, 160 buses were taken off the road immediately for safety violations. 36 drivers were also affected.
"We check their driver log to make sure they've had to appropriate amount of rest at the time that they are stopped," said Martinez.
"I think they are very important, and I have never been out of service," said Carlos Cruz.
Carlos Cruz's papers and bus were in order. Another driver, Jason Simons, said he appreciates the inspections, even though his bus was flagged.
"It's something that has to be done" Simons said.
Bus safety has come under particular scrutiny after two fatal crashes in the last month - one in New York and one on the New Jersey Turnpike.
New Jersey officials say they are very aggressive about bus safety and add there is a website where the public can check a bus company's safety record.
www.safersys.org