For more than two weeks, Hoboken PATH riders have endured delays and overcrowded platforms triggered by a train derailment at the Hoboken station on July 12.

“It’s so sweaty and so unpleasant,” said commuter Emma Zan Burns.

Emergency repair crews have been working to address what officials say is a critical failure in the Hoboken interlocking — a key piece of the train switching system that guides PATH trains onto the correct tracks. That same system underwent a $31 million upgrade this past winter.

Officials admit the interlocking failure is tied to that recent overhaul project. Since the derailment, PATH has been operating at reduced capacity, cutting rush-hour train service from every four minutes to every 10.

“I want to apologize to PATH riders who have been inconvenienced by disruptions to service,” said Rick Cotton, CEO of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, at a recent board meeting. “The agency is working as hard as possible to get the service restored.”

But for many PATH riders and local officials, including Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla, those apologies are wearing thin.

“Now my community asks: What exactly was fixed?” Bhalla said at the meeting. “Why are switch failures still plaguing the service? These breakdowns are not isolated; they reflect systemic failures.”

“It’s like the Hunger Games,” said rider Tabitha Johnson. “You’re just hoping to squeeze into the next train.”

Bhalla called for greater transparency into how the Port Authority allocates its multibillion-dollar mass transit budget.

“There has to be a much more transparent budgetary process this fall, one that includes public engagement,” Bhalla said.

Officials warn delays may continue through Labor Day as emergency repairs proceed.