There is a lot of attention on NJ Transit right now.
Overnight, service was suspended, then resumed with heavy delays. By the morning commute, trains were running close to schedule after what NJ Transit said were Amtrak power issues.
“About to take a 7:20 train, was canceled about an hour and got back to my house 9:45, 10 o’clock last night, and there was no World Cup game either last night,” said Harjeev Bhalla of North Brunswick.
But while NJ Transit commuters continue to deal with familiar service disruptions, the agency appears to be on the right track when it comes to expanded World Cup service, with no major problems so far during the three games at MetLife Stadium.
NJ Transit says contingency plans are in place in case of Amtrak issues on World Cup match days.
Tomorrow’s 4 p.m. match between Ecuador and Germany will mean service adjustments hours before and after the game, which will cause more disruption for regular commuters.
“Just a new adventure every day,” said Tom Jurcsek of Metuchen.
NJ Transit recently emerged from a 45-day period ordered by Gov. Sherrill to deliver plans to improve service and customer experience.
A new NJ Transit app is the first of those improvements to be delivered; others, like train cleanliness, are still a work in progress.
“Yeah, you still can’t see out the window, and nothing is ever on time,” Bhalla said. “It’s just tough.”
Commuters are hoping the improvements will eventually lead to a smoother ride.