NJ: What to expect as NJ Transit trains resume after historic strike

If there was a happy sign for commuters that NJ Transit rail service would return to normal on Tuesday, it was an online strike countdown clock switched to a rail service resumes counter.

As commuters endured a second train-less day, the clock on Boxcar’s strike page clicked through the seconds, minutes and hours until trains returned after the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and NJ Transit announced a tentative contract to end a strike called on May 16.

Monday was the only day NJ Transit’s strike contingency plan went into effect, with emergency bus service operating between four temporary park and ride lots and New York.

That was augmented by extra bus service provided by Boxcar, a private subscription commuter bus operator.

“We did 170 bus runs today (in and out combined) versus a normal 81,” said Joe Colangelo, CEO and founder of Boxcar.

On a normal Monday, Boxcar provides 2,000 rides but as of mid-morning the company provided 4,900 rides, he said. But it wasn’t an easy ride.

“This was our third-worst traffic day ever after July 18, 2017, and Sept. 10, 2024,” Colangelo said. “(It was) brutal out there on the roads.”

The George Washington Bridge had a 60-minute delay around 8 a.m., and two east bound crashes on its approach roads. The Holland Tunnel to New York had a disabled vehicle late in the morning rush, according to Port Authority traffic alerts.

But tomorrow will be a return to the regular commute in time for the three heaviest commuting days of the work week.

Rail service will resume with the first scheduled trains of the service day on Tuesday, said Jim Smith, an NJ Transit spokesperson. Trains are running on a regular weekday schedule, he said.

While the tentative contract was announced on Sunday evening, trains were sidelined Monday because of mandatory inspections of tracks and equipment that need to be done when the railroad is shut down.

“Rail operations continues taking all necessary actions to reopen the railroad for the start of service Tuesday morning,” Smith said.

The short, second rail strike in NJ Transit history was called at 12:01a.m. Friday.

A slight positive for commuters was the lowest number of people commuting by train is on Fridays, followed by Monday of those who have a hybrid work schedule.

The results of NJ Transit’s last customer survey in November said 28% of rail commuters are required to be in the office three days a week, followed by the second highest number, 22% who said they work five days at the workplace.

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