Nearly 100 NJ Transit Light Rail Trips Disrupted in a Single Week

Nearly 100 Hudson-Bergen Light Rail trains were canceled last week, aggravating New Jersey commuters during peak travel hours. A lack of operators caused many service interruptions during the week, not mechanical issues or weather.

On Monday, August 24, a record 37 trains were canceled between late afternoon and late evening, causing congested stations and delayed trips across Hudson and Bergen counties. People fretted on social media that the disruptions would hamper their morning rides. Some asked if labor disputes or job activities caused operator shortages.

Others, like August 26, had 24 evening train cancellations. For identical reasons, 25 trains were canceled on August 24 and 13 on August 19. Each NJ Transit caution claimed “operator availability,” indicating staffing concerns caused the cancellations.

A popular NJ Transit line, the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail had 1.5 million riders in July 2024–2025. River route covers more miles, but Hudson-Bergen carries more passengers. Contract operator 21st Century Rail Corporation works with the Amalgamated Transit Union, which ratified a new labor agreement in mid-2024.

NJ Transit notified its contractor immediately of the operator shortage. According to spokesperson Jim Smith, all scheduled runs resumed by Thursday afternoon after a quick resolution. Friday saw no cancellations, although two unfulfilled assignments delayed riders. New Jersey Transit apologized to riders who encountered unexpected disruptions and promised to evaluate service reliability during the holidays.

For 30 years, 21st Century has operated Hudson-Bergen Light Rail. But its long-term contract ends. Last November, NJ Transit’s board approved a 15-year, $1.56 billion contract with Boston’s ACI-Herzog Joint Venture. The deal covers rail operations, infrastructure maintenance, vehicle upkeep, and major light rail modernization repair and capital augmentation projects.

Commuters believe last week’s staffing issues are isolated. The failures revealed how critical operator availability is for thousands of New Jerseyans’ daily connection. NJ Transit will continue to monitor the contractor’s performance to avoid widespread cancellations.

Sources:
NJ Transit official updates
NJ.com – Transportation Coverage
Amalgamated Transit Union announcements