Dozens hurt, lots of traffic: NJ Transit buses crash in Lincoln Tunnel

Dozens of people people aboard two NJ Transit buses were injured when one rear-ended the other inside the Lincoln Tunnel late in the Monday morning commute.

NJ  Transit's Lisa Torbic said that the No. 127 bus from Ridgefield rear-ended the No. 128 from North Hudson Park in Fairview around 8:40 a.m. in the center tube. As of 9:25 a.m. the center tube was closed as fire and rescue tended to the injured. Both buses were headed to the Port Authority bus terminal.

44 people were hurt, up from an earlier estimate of at least 23. The door from one bus had to be cut to free the passengers. One of the drivers was ticketed for making an unsafe lane change.

Port Authority spokesman Joseph Pentangelo said the injuries were non-life threatening although one person broke his jaw in the scash.

The buses were removed from the tunnel around 10:25 a.m. and all lanes in the center tube reopened.

NJ Transit initially reported a 30-minute delays on all other bus service into the Port Authority terminal, though traffic delays were reaching an hour or more quickly.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.