NJ Transit blames WWE after fans stuck for hours

[CentralValleyRail]

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Wrestling fans who had long waits for NJ Transit trains after WrestleMania 35 ended were smacked down by the event’s later-than-planned ending time, agency officials said.

In a statement apologizing for the delays, NJ Transit blamed WrestleMania’s 12:30 a.m. end time, they said was two hours later than the 10:30 p.m. time agency officials were told to prepare for. Because of federal regulations, officials said, the agency was not able to have train employees work overtime to staff additional trains.



“The primary factor contributing to the post-event delays was the WWE’s decision to extend the event to 12:30 a.m., which had significant operational impacts on the evening. NJ Transit was not informed of this decision until late last night," Jim Smith, a spokesman, said in a statement Monday.

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AH, CLASSIC NJT.

[kilroy]

Murphy said “We’re fixing it. We’re gonna learn from this. I’ll be damned if it happens again.”

Does that mean a bigger operating budge so they can hire crews just to work the special event rather than using crews already working?

[ExCon90]

If the crews already working die on the law because of the extended hours--and I gather that was the case--there aren't many options.

[EuroStar]

If the crews already working die on the law because of the extended hours--and I gather that was the case--there aren't many options.

Additionally it is not the case that they could have pulled crews from elsewhere. This was Sunday, past midnight, by the time the dispatchers knew what was going on most of the shifts on the other lines had already gone home, so finding anyone with unexpired time to run the trains must have been close to impossible. And frankly even if they had unexpired crews around who could run the trains, if those crews were at the wrong location they were of no use.

If anything this seems to prove how short-handed NJT is, so that the available crews were scheduled in a manner that left little leeway for delays. I would even venture to guess that the crews that were working the service to the stadium were already working overtime.

[mtuandrew]

NJT should hire WWE to open Hamilton Station and Dunkin’ to run the late train

[phillyrube]

After all, wrestling is a real sport.

[lensovet]

Murphy said “We’re fixing it. We’re gonna learn from this. I’ll be damned if it happens again.”

Does that mean a bigger operating budge so they can hire crews just to work the special event rather than using crews already working?

you can't just hire crews out of thin air. no amount of budget will suddenly create fully trained and ready to go crews at a moment's notice 2 hours after they were supposed to start working.

he also seems to be making a point about poor communication, which doesn't need any budget at all.

[twropr]

Does anyone know about how many passengers were affected on the shuttle and how long the delays were? Were there also problems once the passengers got to Secaucus not having trains there to pick them up?
Thanks!
Andy