NJ Transit blames WWE for WrestleMania transit delays

New Jersey Transit is blaming the WWE for lengthy train delays at MetLife Stadium following WrestleMania 35 Sunday night.

News 12 Staff

Apr 8, 2019, 4:13 PM

Updated 1,859 days ago

Share:

NJ Transit blames WWE for WrestleMania transit delays
New Jersey Transit is blaming the WWE for lengthy train delays at MetLife Stadium following WrestleMania 35 Sunday night.
Thousands of people heading home from the show late Sunday and early Monday were stuck waiting in long lines for trains and buses leaving the stadium. NJ Transit says event organizers' decision to extend the show until 12:30 a.m. caused the problems.
The agency originally told attendees that transportation would leave every 10 minutes when WrestleMania let out. But some people claimed on social media that they waited up to three hours for a train.
Brandon Speck tells News 12 New Jersey that he traveled from Mississippi to attend the professional wrestling event.
“Everybody was kind of stampeding and it looks kind of chaotic there when everybody was trying to pack on the train,” Speck says.
A spokesperson for NJ Transit says in a statement, “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."
NJ Transit had stated in the past that federal guidelines limit crew times, which meant some of the trains could not be staffed.
Speck says that he and some of the others waiting on long lines in the rain for trains passed the time by singing popular rock songs.
Meanwhile, Gov. Phil Murphy, who has vowed to improve NJ Transit, had harsh words for the agency.
“It’s unacceptable. Period. We’re fixing it but we’re going to learn from this,” Murphy said. “I’ll be damned if it happens again.”
The delays were reminiscent of the 2014 Super Bowl at the stadium when thousands of fans flooded the train platform after the game and had to wait hours to leave.
WWE released a statement that said, “We regret any inconveniences fans may have experienced with mass transportation after the event."

The Associated Press wire services contributed to this report.


More from News 12
1:39
Large police presence descends at busy New Rochelle intersection

Large police presence descends at busy New Rochelle intersection

2:40
Spotty showers throughout Saturday in the Hudson Valley; scattered showers for first half of Mother's Day

Spotty showers throughout Saturday in the Hudson Valley; scattered showers for first half of Mother's Day

2:28
Mount Vernon officials: 2 teens injured in separate stabbings

Mount Vernon officials: 2 teens injured in separate stabbings

0:32
Authorities: Dutchess County drug dealer caught for 2nd time selling narcotics

Authorities: Dutchess County drug dealer caught for 2nd time selling narcotics

0:29
Flock of ducks rescued from rooftop in Yonkers

Flock of ducks rescued from rooftop in Yonkers

0:34
Metro-North upgrades at Croton-on-Hudson complete

Metro-North upgrades at Croton-on-Hudson complete

0:24
7 Kohl's in Hudson Valley to open Babies 'R' Us locations. See list of stores

7 Kohl's in Hudson Valley to open Babies 'R' Us locations. See list of stores

0:53
Beloved Yonkers park reopens with a new look

Beloved Yonkers park reopens with a new look

1:44
Fares on Cross-Hudson ferries and buses to be slashed for Orange and Rockland residents to as low as $1 per ride

Fares on Cross-Hudson ferries and buses to be slashed for Orange and Rockland residents to as low as $1 per ride

0:30
Police ID victim killed in Yellow Freight property crash as Tennessee man

Police ID victim killed in Yellow Freight property crash as Tennessee man

1:43
Lawsuit filed against FedEx, its former driver for Dutchess County rape of underage girl inside FedEx truck

Lawsuit filed against FedEx, its former driver for Dutchess County rape of underage girl inside FedEx truck

0:31
Marine from Westchester seriously injured in Orange County crash

Marine from Westchester seriously injured in Orange County crash

0:57
Volunteer group of nurses pay tribute to colleagues with creation of Hudson Valley Nurses Honor Guard

Volunteer group of nurses pay tribute to colleagues with creation of Hudson Valley Nurses Honor Guard

1:17
16-year-old charged with 2nd-degree assault in stabbing at Mount Vernon HS

16-year-old charged with 2nd-degree assault in stabbing at Mount Vernon HS

0:36
Garnerville man accused of killing teen in hit-and-run offered 1 to 3 years in prison: Rockland County DA

Garnerville man accused of killing teen in hit-and-run offered 1 to 3 years in prison: Rockland County DA

0:20
$33M in funding being allocated to Dutchess, Ulster and Rockland counties to create new transitional, emergency housing

$33M in funding being allocated to Dutchess, Ulster and Rockland counties to create new transitional, emergency housing

1:02
Headlines: Man faces child endangerment charges, fatal accident, victim ID’d in fatal fire

Headlines: Man faces child endangerment charges, fatal accident, victim ID’d in fatal fire

0:24
Day-old abandoned kittens found in milk carton in need of foster homes

Day-old abandoned kittens found in milk carton in need of foster homes

0:20
Jet Blue to fly to Puerto Rico from Westchester County Airport come fall

Jet Blue to fly to Puerto Rico from Westchester County Airport come fall

1:30
Former discount shopping hotspot Playtog's Plaza to be reinvented

Former discount shopping hotspot Playtog's Plaza to be reinvented