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Your morning commute just became a game of transit roulette. As of Friday, May 16, NJ Transit engineers have officially gone on strike, per The New York Times, halting all rail service on the country’s third-largest commuter system, including Metro-North’s west-of-Hudson lines. If you were hoping for a last-minute save, sorry: union leaders and NJ Transit brass failed to ink a deal before the deadline.
When was the last time NJ Transit went on strike?
That would be 1983, the year NJ Transit was born. Engineers picketed for 34 days back then. This current strike follows the rejection of a tentative contract by 87-percent of the union’s voting members. Negotiators had been at the table late Thursday night but walked away, depending on who you ask, just before a deal could be struck. Talks are expected to resume Sunday, May 18, with both sides still publicly claiming a resolution is “achievable.”
What will the NJ Transit strike affect?
Everything. No trains are running. Zip. Zilch. Nada. NJ Transit has about 172,000 daily rail riders and 350,000 total system riders. Without rail service, buses, light rail, PATH, ferries and rideshare apps are shouldering the chaos. Fans heading to MetLife Stadium for concerts from Shakira and Beyoncé may find themselves gridlocked—or stuck with sky-high Lyft fares. Meanwhile, daily commuters are being told to work from home unless absolutely necessary.
NJ Transit strike dates
The strike began at 12:01am on Friday, May 16. There’s no official end date, but NJ Transit and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) say they’re open to continued negotiations. Sunday’s talks may determine whether this mess drags into the following week.
NJ Transit travel disruptions
The strike suspended all NJ Transit rail services, including Metro-North’s Port Jervis and Pascack Valley lines west of the Hudson. To ease the blow, NJ Transit is offering limited Park-and-Ride shuttle service from Secaucus Junction, Hamilton Rail Station, Woodbridge Center Mall and the PNC Bank Arts Center—though these only operate on weekdays during peak hours.
Rail tickets are being cross-honored on NJ Transit-operated buses and light rail, but they won't be accepted on Amtrak, PATH, ferries or private bus lines. Some bus routes near train lines will see added capacity, but officials warn the patchwork plan can only accommodate about 20-percent of normal rail ridership.
Expect bus overcrowding, packed light rail cars and heavier-than-usual traffic, especially during the morning and evening rush. Unless something gives this weekend, it’s going to be a long ride—without the train.