Thu May 08 10:10:00 UTC 2025: **NJ TRANSIT Faces Potential Rail Strike, Unveils Limited Contingency Plan**

NEWARK, NJ – Over 350,000 commuters face potential transportation disruption as the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLET) threatens a strike against NJ TRANSIT as early as Friday, May 16th. The union rejected a tentative agreement, leaving rail service, including Metro-North west of the Hudson, on the brink of complete shutdown.

NJ TRANSIT has announced a contingency plan, but acknowledges it can only accommodate approximately 20% of usual ridership. The plan focuses on bolstering bus service to New York City, primarily for the 70,000 daily commuters traveling to the city. This includes expanding capacity on existing bus routes near rail stations and contracting private carriers for service from select Park & Ride locations during peak hours. The agency strongly urges commuters to work from home if possible and limit travel to essential trips only.

Limited Park & Ride service will operate from four locations starting Monday, May 19th, during weekday peak hours only. NJ TRANSIT will deploy personnel to assist at Park & Ride lots and stations. Existing rail tickets and passes will be honored on buses and light rail, but not on other services like Amtrak or PATH.

NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kris Kolluri reiterated the agency’s commitment to negotiating with the union to avert a strike, emphasizing the negative impact on both employees and commuters. The agency has created a dedicated website (njtransit.com/railstoppage) with updated travel information and encourages commuters to utilize its mobile app and alert system for the latest service updates.

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