New Jersey’s first statewide transit strike in more than 40 years is over now that the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen came to an agreement on Sunday.
But the trains will not restart running until Tuesday morning, the agency said, because it needs 24 hours to inspect all of its equipment before restarting.
Until then, New Jersey Transit said that it would rely on its original strike contingency plan involving supplemental buses. That plan, which involved running from four satellite locations into New York City or to stations on the PATH commuter train service, had previously been scheduled to start on Monday.
Kris Kolluri, the agency’s chief executive, urged those who could work remotely to stay home on Monday.
What is NJ Transit’s backup plan for Monday?
The contingency plan NJ Transit had created is similar to the one used 42 years ago. It involves chartered buses running from four satellite lots to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan or to stations of the PATH train in North Jersey, and it was scheduled to start on Monday.
Each bus carries about 100 passengers, compared with as many as 1,000 on a full train, Mr. Kolluri said. The buses will accommodate only about 20 percent of the 70,000 commuters who take trains into the city, he said.
Some displaced commuters are likely to switch to existing bus routes operated by NJ Transit and private carriers. Others may drive at least part of the way to the city, adding traffic to already congested roads.
What are other ways to get in and out of New York?
On Monday, there are still other ways to enter and escape from New York, though it will cost more in money and time. You have options by land, sea and air:
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NJ Transit rail passes and tickets will be accepted on its buses.
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PATH subway trains run by the Port Authority are functioning as usual from Newark, Jersey City and Hoboken. PATH is not honoring NJ Transit tickets, so riders will have to pay the normal $3 fare.
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Drive if you dare. The peak-hour toll to enter New York by bridge or tunnel in a passenger car is $16.06. Tack on $9 if you enter the congestion pricing zone below 60th Street.
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The private Boxcar luxury bus runs to and from 12 stops in northern New Jersey.
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Amtrak trains continue to run to Penn Station in Manhattan, but the cost is far higher than the NJ Transit commuter lines. There are stops in Trenton, Princeton Junction, New Brunswick, Metropark and Newark.
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New York Waterway runs ferries from docks in northern New Jersey and South Amboy to the city. One-way adult fares are about $10. Seastreak ferries are also running from Belford, Atlantic Highlands and Highlands, and the company plans to increase capacity on Monday.
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Blade helicopter service is available from West 30th Street to Newark Liberty International Airport for $285.
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New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority will allow Metro-North customers in Orange and Rockland Counties who must use NJ Transit lines to ride its Hudson or Harlem routes for no extra cost. Commuters must drive, catch a ferry or take a bus to rail stations on the other side of the Hudson River.
What led to the stoppage?
Most threatened transit strikes do not materialize, but the tone of negotiations became harsh as the deadline neared.
Last week, Mr. Kolluri questioned the “mental health” of Thomas Haas, the general chairman of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, after the union’s members overwhelmingly rejected a previous agreement.
Mr. Kolluri and union officials had shaken hands on a deal that appeared to bridge the impasse more than a month ago. But the union engineers voted it down and sent their negotiator back to the bargaining table.
Mr. Kolluri refused to increase NJ Transit’s offer, saying that any extra pay offered to the engineers would have to be paid to all 14 of the agency’s other unions.
“This is the deal that was offered, that he shook my hands on, that he negotiated, and now he has to live with his consequences,” Mr. Kolluri said.
Mark Wallace, the national president of the engineers’ union, said that Mr. Kolluri was not interested in reaching a deal. “He’s trying to vilify us with the citizens of New Jersey,” Mr. Wallace said.
The three-day strike started at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, leaving thousands of frustrated — and sometimes surprised — commuters scrambling to find alternate modes of transportation to work.
NJ Transit operates the nation’s third-largest commuter railroad and says it carries about 350,000 passengers per day, including some 70,000 who ride its trains into Manhattan on a typical weekday.
Patrick McGeehan is a Times reporter who covers the economy of New York City and its airports and other transportation hubs.
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