Newark Penn Station transformed into a scene of confusion on Friday morning as thousands of commuters faced challenges navigating the first day of a transit strike. This strike resulted in the complete shutdown of all NJ Transit rail services, leaving riders scrambling for alternate transportation options. Many passengers squinted at their smartphones while consulting with transit agents, who were doing their best to help the overwhelmed crowds find alternative routes, whether by bus, ferry, PATH, or Amtrak.
One commuter, preschool teacher Monica Williams, 34, expressed her frustration as she normally travels with her sister on an NJ Transit train from Newark to Edison, New Jersey, where they both work. With the agency’s trains unavailable and no direct bus service to Edison, the sisters were shocked to discover that their only remaining mass transit option was an Amtrak ride to nearby MetroPark, which cost a staggering $70 for a mere 17-minute journey.
“Now we have to miss out on our lessons and teaching and things that we love to do because they're on strike,” Williams lamented. “We actually are not financially equipped to take a $70 train ride to Edison and then pay an additional $70 to come back.” Williams and her sister were among over 100,000 weekday train riders caught in the middle of New Jersey’s most significant transit labor dispute in a generation.
The strike began at 12:01 a.m. on Friday when the locomotive engineers walked off the job after NJ Transit officials failed to reach a contract agreement with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen. While the two parties were scheduled to reconvene for negotiations on Sunday, there remained a glimmer of hope that service could be restored in time for the Monday morning commute.
Among those affected was Jay Santana, a doorman from Manhattan whose shift ends at 11 p.m. He typically takes an NJ Transit train home to South Jersey just after midnight but found himself stranded due to the strike. As a result, he spent the night in a bunk room at his workplace and was uncertain about how he would return home on Friday night. “I gotta get home. Probably gotta take the Uber, I got no choice,” Santana said, visibly disappointed. “I just hope everything gets resolved.”
Drivers also faced dire consequences as traffic gridlocked in Manhattan following the strike. Construction worker Lewis Covolus found himself stuck in traffic for over an hour while trying to reach the Holland Tunnel to get home to Old Bridge. “I take the train every day for 10 years,” Covolus stated. “How could you not move traffic in this city? It’s horrible. No wonder people want to leave this place.”
For NJ Transit riders like Brenda Mack, the strike added to their already complicated commutes. Mack, who had purchased a monthly pass for travel from Union County to her banking job in Midtown, was disappointed when she discovered her NJ Transit ticket was not being honored on the PATH trains. Earlier in the week, Governor Phil Murphy had urged New Jersey residents to work from home if possible, but Mack was skeptical about this advice. “I tried that with my boss and he gave me sketchy answers, which means, 'Get your butt into work,’” she remarked.
Shaqua Houston, a 32-year-old nurse aide from Newark commuting to Washington Heights, was forced to take the PATH on Friday, which extended her travel time. However, she expressed greater concerns about getting to MetLife Stadium for an upcoming Beyoncé concert. “I’m hoping that they really come to an agreement Sunday. Really, really hoping,” she said earnestly.
Adeline Murphy, 25, a scuba equipment salesperson, found herself grappling with the challenges of commuting on strike day. Normally traveling from Montclair to SoHo, she aimed to board a PATH train but soon discovered that the only option available was an expensive Amtrak ticket. “They're not letting people on unless they buy an Amtrak ticket, which is weird,” Murphy noted. “Most of the trains, it's like you get on and then they ask for a ticket. But you couldn't even sneak by. There was a conductor blocking the door, getting tickets.”
As the NJ Transit strike continues, commuters are left hoping for a swift resolution to restore normal transit services and alleviate the chaos experienced at Newark Penn Station.
