NJ Transit Cancels All Buses, Rail Service for Shakira Concert

NJ Transit has announced the complete cancellation of all buses and rail service to MetLife Stadium for Shakira’s upcoming concerts due to a pending strike by locomotive engineers, leaving thousands of concertgoers scrambling to find alternative transportation.

The Colombian superstar is scheduled to perform at MetLife Stadium on Thursday, May 15, and Friday, May 16, as part of her “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” World Tour, with the second show coinciding with the first day of the potential service shutdown.

Strike Timeline and Service Impacts

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLET) is threatening to begin a strike at 12:01 AM on Friday, May 16, following the membership’s rejection of a tentative agreement with NJ Transit management. According to NJ Transit, this would result in “the complete suspension of NJ Transit rail service, including Metro-North Railroad west of Hudson service.”

While Thursday’s concert would normally have been serviced by the agency’s special event Meadowlands Rail Line from Secaucus Junction, officials have now confirmed that this service will be unavailable for either night due to the imminent work stoppage. The agency estimates the strike would affect approximately 350,000 daily NJ Transit riders, with public transportation options to MetLife Stadium particularly impacted.

Labor Dispute Details

The dispute centers on wages and benefits for locomotive engineers. According to NJ Transit, accepting the union’s current demands would cost taxpayers and the agency $1.363 billion between July 2025 and June 2030, or $684 million more than what was tentatively agreed to in March.

The agency claims implementing these demands would require either increasing fares by 17% or making “drastic reductions to service systemwide.” According to Hoboken Girl, NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri noted, “While the NJ Transit team is doing everything possible to provide alternative travel options in the event of a stoppage, our focus remains on preventing one altogether.” Despite ongoing negotiations, no breakthrough has been reported.

Limited Alternatives Available

NJ Transit has developed a contingency plan that would provide extremely limited bus service from select park-and-ride locations, but these options will not include service to MetLife Stadium. The contingency service would only begin on Monday, May 19, several days after the concerts.

Private transportation services, including rideshare companies and charter buses, are expecting overwhelming demand during the concert dates. Representatives from major rideshare companies have warned that surge pricing will likely be in effect, and wait times could be extensive following the concerts due to the high volume of simultaneous requests.

Impact on Stadium Operations

MetLife Stadium has a capacity of 82,500 attendees, and the venue typically relies heavily on mass transit options for major events. Officials estimate that on a normal event night, up to 10,000 attendees arrive via the Meadowlands Rail Line.

Stadium representatives are encouraging ticket holders to carpool if possible and to arrive early, as parking facilities are expected to reach capacity well before the scheduled 7:30 PM start time for both shows. The venue is working to secure additional parking areas and shuttle services from nearby locations, though details have not yet been finalized.

Wider Economic Consequences

The potential strike extends beyond the concerts, threatening to disrupt commuter service throughout northern New Jersey and into New York City. Economic analysts estimate the cost of providing limited alternative service would be $4 million per day to taxpayers.

Local businesses in the Meadowlands area that typically benefit from event traffic have expressed concern about the transportation disruption, which comes at the beginning of the usually busy summer concert season. Hotels near MetLife Stadium report a surge in bookings as concert attendees seek to avoid transportation complications entirely by staying within walking distance of the venue.