New Jersey residents and travelers faced significant disruptions this week as a combination of transit failures brought movement in and out of the state to a near standstill.
A strike by rail engineers halted New Jersey Transit service, while ongoing technical issues at Newark Liberty International Airport continued to cause flight delays. These challenges compounded existing frustrations for commuters already grappling with congestion pricing and aging infrastructure.
The strike, the first in over 40 years, began just after midnight Friday when members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen walked off the job, leaving approximately 100,000 daily rail riders scrambling for alternatives.
New Jersey Transit urged passengers to use buses, though overcrowding and limited capacity left many without reliable options. Some commuters, like Laura Kounev of Hoboken, resorted to carpooling with family members, while others faced extended waits for PATH trains or ferries.
Hundreds of thousands of riders rely on NJ Transit every day to get to work, so this strike will grind trains to a halt, deliver a devastating blow to the regional economy, and leave millions of commuters stranded.
That’s something New Jersey simply can’t afford, but while Democratic Governor Phil Murphy called for a swift resolution, he is blaming the union for leaving the bargaining table while claiming that the state is prepared to negotiate.
“We presented them the last proposal; they rejected it and walked away with two hours left on the clock,” said Tom Haas, general chairman of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen.
NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri appeared alongside Murphy at a news conference, saying the transit agency got close to what the union was seeking on wages but abandoned talks over concerns about long-term fiscal health.
“What’s the point of giving you a pay raise if a couple of years from now your job is not going to exist?” Kolluri said. “That’s sort of what we’re talking about in the most plain and simple terms.”
Groups of picketers gathered in front of transit headquarters in Newark and at the Hoboken Terminal, carrying signs that said “Locomotive Engineers on Strike” and “NJ Transit: Millions for Penthouse Views Nothing for Train Crews.”
“The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen represents workers who have kept our state moving through storms, shutdowns, and a pandemic,” said progressive Democrat Lisa McCormick. “They have gone six years without a contract, and now they deserve fair treatment and a livable wage.”
Union chief Tom Haas argued that New Jersey Transit engineers earn up to 20% less than their counterparts in neighboring states and accused management of refusing to close the gap.
“I was really hopeful going in yesterday that we were going to be able to get something accomplished,” Haas said. “So that shock has turned into disappointment that New Jersey Transit really wouldn’t come to the table with the kind of wages that we need.”
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen National President Mark Wallace joined the picket line, noting that his members have gone six years without a pay hike.
“Our members made the decision to strike, not me. I authorized the strike, but it’s because 100% of the members voted to strike, and so they’re in this for the long haul,” Wallace said. “I think they’ve shown that they’re willing to lay in and get a fair wage.”
The last major strike in 1983 lasted 34 days, raising concerns that prolonged labor action could deepen the crisis.
Meanwhile, air travel disruptions at Newark Liberty International Airport persisted after an April 28 incident in which air traffic controllers temporarily lost communication with incoming flights due to failed wiring.
The Federal Aviation Administration has since been working with airlines to reduce congestion, but delays remain frequent.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, a gubernatorial candidate who recently made headlines when he was arrested at a privately-owned immigration detention facility that is operating without a valid certificate of occupancy as part of President Donald Trump’s federal migrant crackdown, said the “strike presents a serious burden for commuters and creates hardships for our residents in Newark, as well as people who come here to work.”
Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, another New Jersey gubernatorial candidate, weighed in on the strike and its impact on commuters.
“Look, the reality is that you could see this kind of situation moving slowly in this direction for five years. You shouldn’t get here,” said Fulop. “Transportation in New Jersey is dysfunctional right now—between the airport issues and now the transit strike, you need to get more money into the system.”
“But the reality is that we’re in this position because we haven’t put more money into the system and haven’t invested in it properly. That’s a big problem,” said Fulop.
The transportation woes highlight long-standing infrastructure challenges in the nation’s most densely populated state.
A stalled rail tunnel project under the Hudson River, canceled in 2010, has left New Jersey Transit reliant on aging, flood-damaged tunnels that frequently cause delays. Efforts to revive the project under the Biden administration are underway, but construction remains years from completion.
For now, commuters are left with few ideal options. Ferries, buses, and rideshares offer partial relief, though increased road traffic—exacerbated by New York’s congestion pricing tolls—has made driving an expensive and time-consuming alternative.
As frustrations mount, travelers can only hope for a swift resolution to the strike and long-term solutions to the state’s strained transit systems.