Commuters might have to adjust their travel plans once more.
New Jersey’s transit system, facing ongoing challenges, is preparing two large boats to ferry World Cup fans across the Hudson River to their games, officials confirmed.
Chris Corulli, the CEO of New Jersey Transit Authority, mentioned that, typically, the agency operates only trains and buses. However, they’re now developing a backup plan akin to a Dunkirk-style evacuation with two vessels, each capable of carrying 600 passengers, as he discussed in a press conference on Wednesday evening.
Should there be a fire or other significant incident, fans would have the opportunity to board the boats in New York City and sail to Weehawken. From there, they would transition to buses heading to the game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford this Saturday.
“I mentioned we’re going to need a bigger ship,” Corulli recalled telling his team after a recent fire at Penn Station, quoting a famous line from a movie.
“We have two boats in Weehawken, each with a capacity of around 600 people, in case Amtrak routes face another disruption,” Corulli explained during the news conference.
This precaution follows backlash against the agency, which initially set a steep fare of $150 for rides to the popular event before ultimately reducing the price to $98.
Adding to the frustration, commuters have dealt with a series of delays on the route from Penn Station to New Jersey recently, exacerbated by a fire that occurred at a major transit hub the previous month.
Corulli placed some of the blame on Amtrak, stating that the national rail service has struggled significantly, making the additional boats necessary. “It’s no secret that Amtrak has been encountering considerable issues lately,” he noted. “If disruptions occur, they become a single point of failure.”
“Without Amtrak, implementing FIFA’s plans properly becomes challenging,” he added.
Ongoing problems at Penn Station and surrounding tracks have troubled New Jersey commuters for several months, leading to frequent delays, unexpected cancellations, and mechanical issues.
With fans from around the globe gathering in New York for the World Cup match on Saturday between Brazil and Morocco, the situation has the potential to create a significant logistical challenge.
The following match features France against Senegal at MetLife Stadium on Tuesday at 3 p.m., with various additional games scheduled in East Rutherford throughout July.
