NJ Transit strike: How commuters will be impacted as union launches strike
NJ Transit commuters warned in advance of looming strike
A strike by NJ Transit engineers looms as commuters worry about how they will be impacted.
HAMILTON, N.J. - About 350,000 commuters will be impacted by a strike of NJ Transit engineers leaving a lot of people worried about how they’re going to get where they need to go.
What we know:
As of midnight Thursday night, NJ Transit trains will go silent, signaling a strike by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen.
An announcement warning of an impending strike blared through the busy Hamilton Station, earlier Thursday, strongly urging riders to reach their final destination ahead of the strike deadline.
What they're saying:
"Because I work so far up in the Bronx, it would be a nightmare for me to travel by car and I’m sure the buses are going to be crowded," commuter Lisa Bradley explained.
She lives in Ewing Township and said, "My plan was to get a hotel for a couple days and see how it goes."
NJ Transit strike could begin tonight: Service disruptions, alternatives and what to expect
NJ Transit train engineers could go on strike as soon as midnight tonight, potentially impacting hundreds of thousands of commuters.
By the numbers:
According to NJTransit.com, more than 350,000 commuters will be affected as a complete suspension of NJ Transit rail service takes effect. That includes the busy Northeast corridor and the Atlantic City line. Light rail service lines will keep running.
Talks continue after the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers membership voted down a tentative agreement on pay, reached between NJ Transit and union leadership.
The union says members earn an average salary of $113,000. They’re asking for an average of $170,000. NJ Transit says the average earnings are actually closer to $135,000.
President and CEO of NJ Transit Kris Kolluri said on Wednesday, "We have a contingency plan that runs our bus system as is. Our Access Link will continue to operate. We’ll have supplemental service and four park-and-ride sites open."
Vikram Mishra says that contingency plan has some kinks, though, "What’s the frequency of the buses? They haven’t yet clarified it. 5 a.m. to 9 a.m., yeah, but what’s the frequency? Is it half hour? 15 minutes? 30 minutes?"
Bradley added, "Oh, it’s a definite impact. It’s going to be a hardship for a lot of people and I hope they figure it out soon."