New Jersey Transit announced that excessive heat this week is causing significant equipment issues, leading to numerous delays and cancellations for several days.
Heat-Induced Equipment Failures Impacting Multiple Lines
On Thursday and Friday, dozens of trains will either not operate or be combined with other trains, with some making additional stops to accommodate affected passengers. To minimize the impact on customers, NJ Transit officials have strategically selected trains across multiple lines at different times of the day, ensuring that no single line is disproportionately affected. Every line, except for the Atlantic City line, will experience disruptions during the Thursday morning commute, with about 40 trains affected. The Northeast Corridor line is the most heavily impacted. Detailed schedule information is available on the NJ Transit website.
Commuters Frustrated by Service Disruptions Amid Fare Hike
Early Wednesday morning, NJ Transit posted on social media, warning that the scorching temperatures could affect travel for 48 to 72 hours. “Customers may experience delays and it may be necessary to cancel or combine trips,” the agency stated. Wednesday morning saw delays on nine different lines, with at least four lines experiencing cancellations during the evening rush.
Officials attribute these issues to the heat affecting electronic components and causing air conditioning units on some trains to fail. Maintenance crews are working around the clock to make repairs and restore affected equipment. Commuters expressed their frustration but noted they were not surprised by the latest service disruptions. Many riders pointed out that these delays come shortly after a recent 15% fare hike. “You expect, if they’re going to raise the price, that the service be reliable,” said commuter John Glowacki.
Maintenance Crews Working Around the Clock to Restore Service
Longtime NJ Transit rider Richard Roman, a Linden resident, noted the increasingly unreliable service in recent weeks. He recounted his experience of a delayed and disrupted morning commute, saying, “It was late, then they kicked us off in Newark, caught another train to come into the city. The last three, four weeks have been really bad, worse than it’s ever been.”
Orange resident Rick Gray described his hot and crowded commute, adding that he got home later than usual Tuesday night due to a train cancellation that resulted in combined services. “It’s been the same issue, different reasons, for the last three weeks,” Gray said. Governor Phil Murphy recently joined NJ Transit and Amtrak in announcing steps to address ongoing issues and expedite investigations. However, for many commuters, the immediate priority is finding relief from the heat-induced disruptions.