NJ Transit strike demands: President says agency is 'ready to meet this moment'

Yahoo

18-05-2025

NEW YORK - Commutes have grown increasingly difficult across New Jersey and New York as tens of thousands of riders scramble for alternatives amid the ongoing NJ Transit strike.
After talks on Saturday, negotiations stalled again, leaving commuters to face continued disruptions as the strike enters its second day.
The backstory
Train engineers walked off the job on Friday, affecting more than 300,000 daily rail passengers and prompting agency leaders to activate contingency plans ahead of what could be a prolonged and challenging week.
Drivers and bus riders are bearing the brunt of the strike, dealing with crowded lines, longer waits, and gridlocked roads that have sparked widespread frustration throughout the region.
NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri says negotiations will resume Sunday and Monday with the goal of reaching a deal and restoring reliable service—but for now, uncertainty lingers, and commuters should prepare for ongoing difficulties.
"We're going to meet the union today. We're going to meet them tomorrow," Kolluri said. "All with this goal of getting to a deal so we can get them back to work, get our customers the reliable service they need." NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri
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During a Sunday press conference, NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri defended the agency's handling of the crisis and said negotiations with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) will resume Monday.
What they're saying
He pointed to the agency's response during Saturday night's Shakira concert at MetLife Stadium as a success, noting that despite no train service, NJ Transit helped move concertgoers smoothly using a coordinated network of buses.
"We're going to meet the union today. We're going to meet them tomorrow," Kolluri said. "All with this goal of getting to a deal so we can get them back to work, get our customers the reliable service they need."
Kolluri pointed to the agency's response to Saturday night's Shakira concert at MetLife Stadium as a demonstration of its preparedness.
Kolluri said within 45 minutes of the concert ending, NJ Transit had "quietly but efficiently moved every single person that wanted to get on a bus out of there."
He called it "a testament to calm, quiet but very efficient planning and execution."
Kolluri acknowledged some overcrowding on bus lines since the strike began Friday, but said NJ Transit's deployment of extra buses helped ease the pressure.
The backstory
The engineers' union has been without a new contract since 2019. The BLET says its members currently earn an average of $113,000 and want that raised to $170,000. NJ Transit disputes those numbers, stating that total compensation for engineers averages $135,000, with top earners making more than $200,000.
Kolluri reiterated the agency's position that it is seeking a contract that is "fair and fiscally responsible."
"Fair wages is their position, which I respect," he said. "Not breaking the bank is our position, and they should respect that."
He warned against making long-term financial commitments NJ Transit can't sustain. "We will not make a decision on a labor contract that will leave the next governor a mess to clean. We will not be SEPTA. We will not be any of those transit agencies that are in a death spiral financially because of bad decisions."
To help alleviate the disruption, NJ Transit is offering expanded bus service and park-and-ride options starting Monday:
The other in Hamilton will bring riders to Newark, where they can get on PATH trains. The fourth location at Woodbridge Center Mall will take commuters to the Harrison PATH station.
NJ Transit posted a contingency plan on their website. One aspect of the plan includes adding limited capacity to existing New York commuter bus routes.
However, even with the plan, the agency estimates it can only carry 20% of current rail customers. The routes that will be affected include:
Northeast Corridor: 108, 112, 115 and 129 bus routes.
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.
Private bus operator Boxcar has also launched an emergency commuter service from select New Jersey towns with guaranteed seating.
Meanwhile, Metro-North Railroad is cross-honoring NJ Transit's Port Jervis and Pascack Valley Line tickets on its Hudson and Harlem lines.
Kolluri closed Sunday's press conference with a promise to stay at the negotiating table.
"What you're going to see me do today, after I leave here, is go back to the negotiating table," he said. "We're going to be calm, we're going to be mission-focused, and we're going to try and get to a deal that is fair and fiscally responsible."