NJ Transit Strike Looms: Commuters Face Travel Chaos

New Jersey braces for potential NJ Transit strike, impacting thousands of commuters. A potential strike by NJ Transit locomotive engineers is set to begin Friday, May 16th, at 12:01 AM, potentially halting all train service. The union, representing almost 460 engineers, claims years of stalled negotiations and inadequate pay as the main reasons behind the strike threat. "New Jersey Transit salaries haven't kept pace with either industry standards or the cost of living," said a union representative. NJ Transit is urging commuters to consider working from home or using alternative transportation options such as Amtrak, PATH, SEPTA, ferries, and buses. However, the agency's chief executive warned that these alternatives may only handle roughly 20% of daily train riders. To mitigate the potential disruption, Boxcar is adding more buses to transport suburban riders to Manhattan. The last time NJ Transit workers went on strike was in 1983, lasting three weeks. Commuters are urged to plan accordingly.