Just before the deal was announced, an off-duty firefighter was critically injured when he was struck by a private bus while riding his bicycle to work. It was the first serious strike-related injury.

Bloomberg, at a City Hall news conference, praised New Yorkers for their handling of the strike. "We passed the test with flying colors," he said. "We did what we had to do to keep the city running, and running safely."

A chief sticking point in the talks had been an MTA proposal to require new hires to contribute 6 percent to their pensions, up from the current 2 percent for all employees.

The vote to return to work was blasted by TWU dissidents who felt the union had caved in.

"This was a disgrace," said TWU vice president John Mooney. "No details were provided to the executive board. (Toussaint) wants us to discuss the details after Christmas."

Full Coverage: NYC Transit Strike on MassTransitMag.com

On the Net:

Metropolitan Transportation Authority: http://www.mta.info/