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As the NJ Transit rail strike continues, the engineers union and state officials on Saturday gave an update about where the negotiation stands.

Representatives for the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and New Jersey transit officials met for about three and a half hours and said they had constructive discussions.

NJ Transit strike update

NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri said he believes the sides are 95% of the way to a deal, though trains remained halted for a second day with engineers on picket lines.

"Today's discussion continued to be constructive," Kolluri said after meeting with union reps.

BLET officials said the deal has been 95% done for about two years and only a few final details need to be resolved.

"Nobody wants to be out here. This isn't a happy time for us. It's something that we were forced into, something that was necessary," BLET General Chairman Tom Haas said. "And the sooner we can end this, the better off we'll all be. The passengers, NJ Transit, the engineers, the entire state."

Before the meeting, Kolluri said he was going back to the table with BLET to try and reach "a fair deal that will not break the bank."

"That is our principle, we are not moving from that. And I hope the union understands that that is where we are and that is where we will be," Kolluri said at a news conference Saturday morning. "Ultimately, fair wages is their position, which I respect. Not breaking the bank is our position that they should respect."

Both sides are scheduled to meet with a mediator Sunday at NJ Transit headquarters. They previously met with federal mediators in Washington, D.C. in a bid to avoid the strike last week.

When will the NJ Transit strike end?

The strike has halted rail service across New Jersey, impacting 100,000 daily train riders and more than 350,000 customers across the system overall. It also caused major gridlock for the Friday evening commute in Manhattan, with two-hour delays at the outbound Lincoln Tunnel.

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, which represents about 400 of the agency's 12,000-person workforce, says its members haven't seen a raise in five years and are making $10 less an hour than their counterparts in the region.

Gov. Phil Murphy and NJ Transit officials say giving the engineers what they want would blow up the agency's budget and pass the cost on to taxpayers.

Meanwhile, riders worry if a deal isn't reached soon, the strike could have a bigger impact on the Monday commute.

Union officials said Friday once there is a tentative agreement, their members will get back to work. Kolluri could not say how quickly service would be restored.

"We've been working very diligently, should this strike come to an end soon, to make sure we're ready to wake up the railroad, as it were, to get our assets prepositioned, should we need it ready to go as soon as a deal is reached," he said Saturday.

The last NJ Transit strike was in 1983 and lasted about three weeks.

Alecia Reid

Alecia Reid is an award-winning, Emmy-nominated reporter for CBS News New York. She is a sustainability and social justice advocate; passionate about giving a voice to people who may not otherwise be able to tell their stories.

MATAWAN — New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy joined NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kris Kolluri to remind commuters that locomotive engineers have opted to strike rather than agree to terms of a new contract. As a result, the rail system throughout New Jersey is now shut down. Contingency bus service is scheduled to launch Monday morning.

“It is unfortunate that locomotive engineers have opted to disrupt the lives of 350,000 NJ TRANSIT riders rather than continue working through ongoing negotiations,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “Nevertheless, we are enacting contingency plans and ask all New Jerseyans to be patient as we adjust during this challenging time. Meanwhile, we are ready to restart negotiations immediately to reach a fair deal for both workers and taxpayers and bring this strike to a swift end.”

“I remain confident that a deal is within reach, but it has to be fair to the union and fiscally sustainable for the agency,” said NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kris Kolluri. “While the negotiations will resume this weekend, we have a contingency plan in place to address the needs of our riders. Supplemental bus service cannot fully replace trains, but we are prepared to support our customers with highly visible ambassadors to help them navigate these interim measures. Meanwhile, I remain committed, as I have been since my first day on the job in January, to staying at the bargaining table for as long as it takes to get an agreement finalized. We owe it to the 350,000 customers whose lives have just been disrupted.”

The strike comes after a tentative agreement was reached on March 10, 2025 that the leadership of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen (BLET) previously called “fair and fiscally responsible.” BLET is the only union of NJ TRANSIT’s 15 rail unions that has not signed the initial pattern bargaining agreement.

Contingency Plan

On April 30, NJ TRANSIT announced its contingency plan should the union opt to strike. In developing its contingency plan, NJ TRANSIT focused available resources where demand is greatest—the more than 70,000 New York-bound customers, including customers who transfer from NJ TRANSIT rail to PATH trains at Hoboken Terminal and Newark Penn Station. NJ TRANSIT estimates that the contingency plan can accommodate approximately 20% of current rail customers, as the capacity of the bus system cannot replace the railroad. This contingency plan includes enhancing select existing New York commuter bus routes in close proximity to rail stations and contracting with private carriers to operate bus service from four regional Park & Ride locations across the state during weekday peak periods.

NJ TRANSIT strongly encourages employers to allow their employees to work from home if possible, limiting travel on the NJ TRANSIT system to essential purposes only.

NJ TRANSIT customers without access to internet will have access to live operator assistance 24 hours a day by calling (973) 275-5555.

Regional Park & Ride Service

Park & Ride service will operate on a first-come, first-served basis beginning on Monday, May 19, from four regional Park & Ride lots, weekdays only, during AM peak period inbound and PM peak period outbound. Times of operation are listed in the chart below. Hundreds of NJ TRANSIT personnel will be deployed at rail stations throughout the system each day, as well as at these Park & Ride lots, to assist customers:

Park & Ride Service Times of Operation

No midday, late-night, weekend or reverse commute service will operate on these Park & Ride routes.

The Park & Ride locations were selected based on their size/parking capacity, access to regional highways, and geographical distribution.

Limited added capacity on existing NJ TRANSIT bus routes to/from NYC

NJ TRANSIT will enhance peak period service on existing New York bus routes in close proximity to rail stations. The routes are as follows:

Other NJ TRANSIT Services

Ticketing

All existing valid rail tickets and passes with an origin or destination of New York, Newark or Hoboken will be accepted for travel on all Park & Ride services, and will be accepted on NJ TRANSIT buses and light rail lines.

Customers should purchase the following tickets from their bus Park & Ride origin:

Fares from the Secaucus, Woodbridge Center Mall and Hamilton regional Park & Rides are discounted from the existing rail fares from those locations. Adult, senior/disabled, and child fares will also be available, as follows:

Cross-Honoring

NJ TRANSIT rail tickets and passes will be cross-honored on all NJ TRANSIT bus and light rail lines.

Important note: NJ TRANSIT tickets and passes will not be accepted for travel on Amtrak, PATH, PATCO, SEPTA, ferry or private carrier buses. Customers using these services must purchase separate fares from those service providers.

For additional information on alternative services from specific rail stations please visit njtransit.com/abc and click on your rail line to bring up your particular station.

Web Site and Travel Information

NJ TRANSIT has created a special web page available at njtransit.com/railstoppage with the latest travel information across modes.

Information on NJ TRANSIT’s website is available in a variety of languages using Google Translate. To use a language other than English, click on “Select Language” at the upper right corner of the homepage and click on the language of your choice.

Customers may also access NJ TRANSIT’s X (Twitter) feed at @NJTRANSIT or the service accounts listed below. Additionally, NJ TRANSIT will provide the most current service information via push notifications in the Mobile App and through the My Transit alert system (www.njtransit.com/mytransit), which delivers travel advisories for your specific trip to your smartphone. Service information is also available by calling (973) 275-5555.

About NJ TRANSIT

NJ TRANSIT is the nation's largest statewide public transportation system providing more than 925,000 weekday trips on 263 bus routes, three light rail lines, 12 commuter rail lines and through Access Link paratransit service. It is the third largest transit system in the country with 166 rail stations, 62 light rail stations and more than 19,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.

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Update: Saturday talks

Saturday afternoon talks between NJ Transit and its engineers union ended without an agreement to end the rail strike, but state officials called the latest negotiations “constructive” and said they would resume on Sunday.

“Today’s discussions continued to be constructive,” said a statement from Kris Kolluri, the CEO of NJ Transit, released by the governor’s office just before 6 p.m. “We’ve mutually agreed to adjourn formal discussions for the day but will continue talking and look forward to resuming discussions tomorrow.”

Tom Haas, the chairman of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, released the same statement two hours later.

— Brenda Flanagan and John Mooney

NJ Transit strike: Day 1

New Jersey Transit train engineers went on strike Friday morning, halting rail service for New Jersey commuters around the state. Salary increases are at the heart of the fight between NJ Transit and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen. Unionized engineers last went on strike in 1983.

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, the union representing NJ Transit’s engineers, is scheduled to resume negotiations with NJ Transit on Sunday. Union members had been working without a contract since 2019. [Update: Negotiators for both sides said on Saturday that they would now return to the table on Saturday afternoon.]

The union is asking for “fair and competitive wages” that are closer to what engineers on other regional rail systems are paid. NJ Transit is arguing that additional pay hikes would mean increased fares or taxes.

In April, union leaders actually had a deal with NJ Transit. But rank-and-file members voted down the agreement, refusing to authorize a contract and arguing for more increases.

According to NJ Transit, engineers earn an average of $135,000 annually, with the highest earners exceeding $200,000. And under the tentative agreement from April, members of the engineers union would have earned an average of about $172,000 by 2027. NJ Transit says those wages are competitive with the region but union members say they make at least $10 less per hour than engineers who work for passenger railroads that share the same train platforms as NJ Transit.

Both sides say it’s not just exact numbers about wage increases that need to be worked out, but specific language in the contract, known as a “me too” clause that could make those wage increases available to NJ Transit’s other unions.

“In general, ‘me too’ clauses are parity clauses. And they say that when there are multiple unions under one employer, which is the case here, there are 14 other unions, whatever benefit one union gets, the others are entitled to also,” said Bill Dwyer, labor negotiations expert and associate professor at Rutgers University School of Management and Labor Relations. “So, if there are additional benefits in terms of compensation the other unions would be entitled to that unless the parity is limited to only things like work rules or working conditions, which raises the stakes considerably. The numbers that were thrown out last night were, instead of $10 million more, because of the other unions involved, this is now going to cost $100 million or more. That’s the real problem.”

— Briana Vannozzi

How commuters are getting around

“Making it work” was the phrase Friday morning, as tens of thousands of commuters sought alternative ways to reach their destinations — including taking the New York Waterway Ferry from South Amboy.

Union Beach resident Frank Haggerty said that, unlike others, he didn’t have the option to work from home — so he caught an early morning ferry to ensure he got to work on time.

“This was my alternative to get here,” said Haggerty. “That’s great that they upgraded and made a bigger ferry service, but there’s no extra ferry service, this is the last one yet. I don’t need to be in until 12 o’clock but I’m going in early on this 8:45 a.m. ferry…”

Brook Mai says the ferry will be her go-to while she waits for updates on when trains and buses will resume service. “When I return, I anticipate taking the ferry, trying to adjust plans to support those who are trying to make their lives better.”

— Raven Santana

Alternative options for getting around

If you’re one of the displaced rail riders, you do have some options for getting around. NJ Transit will operate new supplemental bus lines at four park-and-ride locations, starting Monday. This service will be on a first-come, first-served basis. The park-and-ride locations are:

The supplemental service will only run during peak hours in the morning and evening on weekdays. It will not run on weekends.

NJ Transit is also enhancing peak service on bus routes into New York City that have stops near train stations. Those routes are:

The MTA is providing new alternatives for Metro-North riders who relied on NJ Transit service for the Pascack Valley and Port Jervis lines. The MTA will cross-honor tickets for those lines for service on the Metro-North Hudson and Harlem lines — commuters will just need to get to an east-of-Hudson station.

NJ Transit’s regular bus and light rail lines will continue to operate as normal, and those services will cross-honor NJ Transit train tickets.

PATH, PATCO, SEPTA, Metro-North, Amtrak, ferries and private bus companies are operating normally. They will not be cross-honoring NJ Transit rail tickets.

Travelers who were planning to take an NJ Transit train to Newark Liberty International Airport are being urged to use an NJ Transit bus instead, including the GO 28, 37, 62 and 67 routes. The Port Authority will operate a temporary free shuttle bus between Newark Penn Station and AirTrain Newark’s P4 station.

— Michael Sol Warren

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Hundreds of engineers and trainees who work for New Jersey's public transportation system went on strike early Friday, according to the union that represents the NJ Transit workers, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen.

The strike, the first by NJ Transit workers since 1983, comes as contract negotiations have dragged out for over five years, according to the New Jersey Monitor. Wages are the key sticking point between the unionized workers and NJ Transit, which is state-owned.

The strike is poised to disrupt the commutes of some 100,000 daily rail riders, many of whom are traveling to and from Manhattan.

Thomas Haas, general chairman for the NJ Transit engineers union, said on Wednesday night before the NJ Transit board that "we, the locomotive engineers of NJ Transit are asking only for a fair and competitive wage," according to CNN.

"The last thing we want to see is that [service] to be interrupted. But we're at the end of our rope," Haas said.

Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) officials reached a tentative deal with NJ Transit in March, but the union's some 450 rank-and-file workers voted down the agreement, saying that it didn't include a large enough pay increase, according to Gothamist. The rejected deal teed up Friday's strike.

The rejected deal from November would have raised wages, but the union has said its members are seeking wage parity with those who work for nearby commuter rails, like the Long Island Rail Road.

"NJ Transit has a half-billion dollars for a swanky new headquarters and $53 million for decorating the interior of that unnecessary building. They gave away $20 million in revenue during a fare holiday last year," said BLET national president Mark Wallace in a statement on Thursday. "They have money for penthouse views and pet projects, just not for their frontline workers. Enough is enough. We will stay out until our members receive the fair pay that they deserve."

The union announced that picket locations have been set up, including at New York City's Penn Station.

"I have always said that any deal we reach would have to be fair to our engineers and fiscally responsible without burdening our riders or the taxpayers of New Jersey," said NJ Transit president and CEO Kris Kolluri on Thursday.

"This strike will upend the lives of hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans," said Democratic New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy. "The path to a new contract will be paved at the negotiating table, not the picket line."

Railroads are subject to the Railway Labor Act, which means that even if members of a union reject a deal, the federal government can force both sides to accept a deal and order workers back to work. This happened in 2022, when then-President Joe Biden signed legislation averting a rail strike and forcing freight rail workers to accept a deal that multiple unions had rejected.

Hundreds of thousands of New Jersey commuters may be caught up in the state’s first transit strike in more than 40 years as soon as Friday morning.

The engineers who drive New Jersey Transit’s commuter trains have threatened to walk out after midnight Thursday if the union that represents them cannot reach an agreement with the agency on a contract that has been under negotiation for many months.

Union officials met with NJ Transit executives for several hours on Wednesday and were scheduled to resume negotiating on Thursday. Kris Kolluri, the transit agency’s chief executive, described the talks this week as “constructive.” But it was not clear how close the sides were to averting a shutdown of the rail system.

The engineers have said they are seeking parity in pay with engineers at other commuter railroads in the area. The transit agency’s chief executive, Kris Kolluri, has repeatedly said that it cannot afford the pay increases the union is demanding.

The two sides met with the National Mediation Board in Washington on Monday in a last-ditch effort to resolve their differences. Mr. Kolluri said the discussion was “constructive” and that he looked forward to continuing negotiations in good faith.

In the meantime, New Jersey Transit has drawn up a contingency plan. But Mr. Kolluri said that the additional buses it would offer as a substitute in the event of a strike could handle only about 20 percent of the daily train riders.

The agency has asked commuters to make plans to work from home if their presence in the workplace is not essential. Mr. Kolluri has said a strike could last for weeks.

Among the first casualties of the looming strike were the trains and buses NJ Transit had planned to provide for access to Shakira’s concerts on Thursday and Friday nights at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

The agency canceled that service, for now. A lingering strike could jeopardize transit service to Beyoncé’s five concerts over the following two weeks.

How likely is a strike?

Most threatened transit strikes, like the last one in New Jersey nine years ago, do not materialize.

But the tone of these negotiations has grown harsher as the strike deadline has 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 shook 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 has refused to increase New Jersey 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.

What are the issues to be resolved?

In most labor negotiations, the two sides disagree on a number of work rules, such as schedules and staffing levels. But this dispute is now just about money.

Mr. Haas said last week that the union had agreed to 95 percent of New Jersey Transit’s demands.

“The only sticking point we have are wages,” he said. “Every other part of this contract is resolved.”

But the gap between the union’s pay demands and what the agency is offering is very wide.

Mr. Kolluri said the offer the union voted down in March would have raised the average annual pay of full-time engineers to $172,000 from $135,000. But Mr. Haas said those figures were inflated. The union, he said, would happily accept a contract that raised engineers’ annual pay to $172,000.

In essence, New Jersey Transit insists that the 450 engineers represented by the union accept the same contract terms that all of the agency’s other unions accepted. Just last week, the agency announced a contract deal with its biggest union, which represents 5,500 employees of its bus network.

But the engineers say they should be paid on a par with the drivers of trains at the region’s other commuter railroads, including the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad. They say those railroads pay their engineers about $10 an hour more than New Jersey Transit pays.

What will happen if there is a strike?

Most commuters do not remember the last transit strike in New Jersey, which happened in 1983 and lasted about three weeks. Another strike loomed in 2016 but was averted a day before it would have begun.

But the contingency plan New Jersey Transit has created is similar to the one used 42 years ago. It involves chartered buses running from four satellite lots around the state to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan or to stations of the PATH train in North Jersey, starting on May 19. There would be no chartered buses on the first day of the strike.

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 try to switch to existing bus routes operated by New Jersey Transit and private carriers. Others are likely to drive at least part of the way to the city, adding traffic to already congested roads, transportation experts said.

“If the strike does happen, even with a contingency plan in place, this is going to be incredibly disruptive to the region,” said Zoe Baldwin, vice president for state programs at the Regional Plan Association. “No matter what mode you’re on, you’re going to have a more difficult commute than usual.”