[Droford]

deadspin investigates WM 35 NJ Transit fiasco

An “Event Log” from the bus side of NJT operations, detailing how the night went for them, added some additional clarity about what exactly went down. It starts at 10:30 p.m., with a note stating that “WWE Event will run late. Crowds will be let out of MetLife ... after final match at 12:30 am.” Relevant staff were notified of the issue in the next 15 minutes, and the next update came after the show ended. The first two trains left at capacity (1,040 passengers each according to the log) at 12:37 a.m. and 12:45 a.m., only for a request to be put out for buses at 12:52 a.m. because “3,000 to 4,000 people can be seen in the queue, and Rail cannot have another train to MetLife for 1 hour.” Just 12 minutes later, that estimate was amended to “7,000 to 8,000 people,” and two minutes after that, at 1:06 a.m., Deputy General Manager George Piper denied the bus request, “stating a handful of buses arriving in an hour and a half will only bring confusion to the situation.” The queue estimate was amended again at 1:13 a.m., to “11,000 to 12,000 people,” resulting in another request for buses, but that was quickly denied, as well.

I made a note of the time I left. I started to leave at 12:28 and had to essentially walk all the way down from upper level on side of stadium opposite of the trains and it took me 9 minutes to get to the line and I guess I got on the 12:45 train