After the Super Bowl transit “nightmare,” New Jersey Transit (NJT) announced there would be special legislative committee hearings and a Board investigation to figure out what caused such a “hellish commute to and from MetLife Stadium.”
If only state officials focused their efforts instead on solving the problems that plague NJ Transit commuters every day. February has been a dismal month for NJ Transit so far, with delayed trains becoming just another part of the daily routine. So why hasn’t anyone launched an investigation into the cause of these problems? The Super Bowl has come and gone, but the daily commute is here to stay.
Not counting weather–related mishaps, here are just some of the rush-hour delays so far this month (due to equipment issues) on NJ Transit:
- Feb 6 AM RUSH – NEC, NJCL, MidTown Direct 20-30 minutes delays (congestion from earlier signal problems)
- Feb 7 PM RUSH – NEC switch problems 15-20 minutes delays
- Feb 10 AM RUSH – NEC, NJCL, MidTown Direct 15-30 minutes delays due to disabled train
- Feb 10 PM RUSH – Disabled train on NJCL causing 20-30 minute delays
- Feb 11 AM RUSH Disabled train 15-30 minutes delays on NEC
- Feb 11 AM RUSH NEC, NJCL, Morris & Essex 10-15 minute delays from earlier disabled train
For a complete list of delays, you can peruse New Jersey Transit’s Twitter feed.
It’s not as if nobody’s ever proposed looking into these chronic delays. In March 2012, NJDOT Commissioner and NJ Transit Chairman Jim Simpson issued a call to action to address the ever-increasing delays that plague NJ Transit’s rail system. Unfortunately, little has been said or done since.
More than 280,000 people will use NJT trains today. Let’s have a special committee hearing to figure out how to fix the bankrupt Transportation Trust Fund, which pays for NJT maintenance. And while we’re at it, let’s try to identify some short-term solutions for providing much needed trans-Hudson redundancy while commuters wait for the Gateway tunnel. It’s time for the leaders in Trenton to refocus priorities and get serious about what matters the most.
To what extent is NJ a victim of its own voters who elect politicians who won’t raise the relatively low gas tax?
. . . or elect politicians who cancel desperately needed tunnel projects.
The Meadowlands Maintenance Center does not have a good reputation among some rail followers. I have read that the advanced braking system on the Comet cars was disabled NJT couldn’t figure out how to keep the cars operating as sets so better run times could be achieved. The schedules are slower than with the MP54s (50 year cars retired in the 1970s). The failure to understand that high level platforms were necessary for fast boarding on the M&E has meant that the superior performance of the Arrows was lost due to fewer doors per seat because the center doors can’t be used and the Arrows carry far more than their predecessors.
New Jersey Transit Bus, New Jersey Transit Rail, PATCO, and PATH should have a common zone and fare structure with free transfers between modes. The Germans and Swiss have figured out how to do it. SEPTA, NJT, and the MTA should learn. People are using a system to get from point A to point B. Artificial barriers should be eliminated.
The questions to ask are:
1.How can NJT/AMTRAK have so many switch failures? get more switch heaters or rebuild all of the switches.
2. How can there be so many signal problems. Its a new system. get your PTC money back NJT!
Let’s not leave NJTransit’s Bus Operations out of this. The peak time planning in and out of 41st St PA Bus Terminal and the total neglect and underuse of the GWBridge terminal each need their own investigation.
Started a new job in December and I have to admit riding njt is worse than traveling in a third world country. Once again tonight I am on a 2 hour sojourn that should be 1. Unbelievable. I was actually happy they blew.up during the Super Bowl. Now maybe someone will pay attention (right)
After I read how NJ TRANSIT dropped the ball worse than the Denver Broncos, only one word comes to mind, “Schadenfreude!” The transportation plan for the Super Bowl was so rediculous and so typically NEW JERSEY (no walking, biking or taking a shuttle bus from the towns within sight of MetLife Stadium), this disaster was an obvious result.
Still, your right. Who cares now?!?! The Super Bowl will likely never happen again (thanks in part to this long predicted fiasco) so just move on and get to the job at hand.