NEW YORK CITY — The Port Authority Bus Terminal’s express bus ramp has reopened after a crash early Wednesday morning that left a dozen people injured and created major delays for commuters.
The incident happened around 6:15 a.m. when three NJ Transit buses collided on the fourth-level entrance ramp at West 40th Street and Ninth Avenue in Manhattan, according to Port Authority Police.
Twelve people were treated for minor injuries, with one person transported to a hospital for further evaluation. FDNY Deputy Chief Jason Saffon confirmed that one of the bus drivers was among the injured.
“One with moderate injuries that required extrication, 10 patients with minor injuries all transported to local area hospitals,” Saffon said at the scene.
The crash forced the closure of the express bus ramp for several hours, forcing NJ Transit to suspend service to the terminal and reroute buses to Secaucus Junction, Newark Penn Station, and Hoboken Terminal. Bus traffic was also redirected to the upper level of the terminal.
First responders described the crash site as a difficult location to access due to traffic backups near the Lincoln Tunnel.
“We initially had some difficulty getting to the ramp, because it backed traffic up behind it, but we worked with the Port Authority Police to open up the exit ramp so that we could go up the wrong way and get our ambulances up there,” Saffon said.
The crash also caused heavy delays through the Lincoln Tunnel and left many commuters stranded at the terminal during the busy morning rush.
“Just calling my work and letting them know I was going to be late, and I really didn’t know what was going on,” one commuter shared.
Others reported packed departure gates as frustrated passengers searched for alternate ways to reach their destinations. Some took ferries, which were temporarily accepting NJ Transit tickets, while others turned to rideshare options like Uber.
The cause of the collision remains under investigation.
