New Jersey Transit trains screeched to a halt Friday as locomotive engineers struck — leaving commuters scrambling to figure out alternate means of transportation from the Garden State to the Big Apple and beyond.
Contingency plans, which kick in Monday, will include additional bus routes and park-and-ride locations but will only be able to accommodate 20% of rail customers, focusing mainly on its largest customer base, 70,000 New York-bound customers, according to NJ Transit.
About 400 rail engineers with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union seeking wage increases walked off the job after contract negotiations failed, marking the Garden State’s first major strike in 40 years affecting some 350,000 commuters.
Here’s what to know about alternative service routes during the strike:
What are the alternative bus routes?
Starting Monday, NJ Transit is ramping up peak service on the following New York bus routes that are in close proximity to rail stations:
- Northeast Corridor: 108, 112, 115 and 129 bus routes
- North Jersey Coast Line: 116 and 133/135 bus routes
- Raritan Valley Line: 112 and 113 bus routes
- Morris & Essex Lines: 107 bus routes
- Montclair-Boonton Lines: 193 and 324 bus routes
- Main/Bergen County Lines: 145, 163, 164 and 190 bus routes
- Pascack Valley Line: 163, 164 and 165 bus routes
NJ Transit’s Park & Ride bus service will be available starting Monday on a first-come, first-served basis during peak hours from four additional locations: Secaucus Junction, PNC Bank Arts Center, Hamilton Rail Station and Woodbridge Center.
More information is available on NJ Transit’s rail strike page.
Will PATH service be impacted?
The PATH will run on a normal service schedule but will likely see crowding during peak hours, Port Authority, its operator, advised.
“PATH will monitor stations and add service as necessary to address any unsafe conditions,” Port Authority said on its website.
It advised riders to avoid the system during rush hour.
Other alternatives include Amtrak, light rail and ferry service.
Will Metro-North be impacted?
Metro-North’s west of Hudson service on the Port Jervis and Pascack Valley lines is also suspended, according to the MTA.
The railroad is providing alternate routes, including cross-Hudson routes to connect with Hudson and Harlem Line trains, where west-of-Hudson tickets will be cross-honored.
Parking permits at select east-of-Hudson stations will also be accepted.
A full list of alternate MTA service options, including buses and ferries, can be found on its website.
Will these alternatives operate over the weekend?
While PATH and NJ Transit bus service will still be available, the contingency plans from NJ Transit won’t be implemented until Monday.
The strike could thwart travel plans Friday for fans headed to the first game of the Subway Series at Yankee Stadium, Game 5 of the Knicks-Celtics Eastern Conference semifinals at Madison Square Garden and the Shakira-Pitbull concert at MetLife Stadium.
Gov. Phil Murphy, NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri and rail engineers will head back to the negotiation table on Sunday in the hopes of ending the strike in time for the workweek.
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