That helped sell FIFA on NJ Transit’s ability to handle mega events, Corbett said. NJ Transit is preparing for various contingencies, including bad weather that could send fans leaving early en masse, equipment breakdowns and timing the use of rain crews to make sure they don’t hit federal hours of service limits before the event ends.
“The reputation of NJ Transit will be made or thrown back in the mud if we don’t deliver,” he said to reporters after the event. “The next six months will be critical, after that it’s fleshing it out.”
The game days burden will be split between the existing Meadowlands rail line and the
Transitway bus-rapid transit project under design. Transitway uses some existing infrastructure and a former rail right of way, taking buses out of traffic and away from other delay-causing incidents. It was selected for a faster delivery than a rail line that requires more environmental permits, he said.
Transitway construction is expected to start next year, and completed in spring 2026, Corbett said.
As soon as FIFA announced the site selection, NJ Transit officials conferred with the International Public Transport Association, he said. The US Department of Transportation has designated Felicia James Deputy Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy as World Cup point person, Corbett said.
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