UPDATE: NJ Transit, union reach deal to end historic strike. Full service resumes Tuesday
The Monday morning commute is usually a grind, but this week it will be even tougher for some New Jersey workers.
The NJ Transit strike was settled late Sunday, but full service won’t resume until Tuesday. That means tens of thousands of displaced rail commuters will be starting their work week by driving to the office, taking the bus or riding the ferry, among other options. (See details about each option listed below.)
Gov. Phil Murphy and NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri said Sunday night the contingency plan will remain in effect Monday, and asked commuters to consider working from home.
Modest relief should be available Monday via expanded NJ Transit bus service, an option that wasn’t available Friday. But the agency said it expects to accommodate no more than 20% of the displaced rail commuters on its buses.
For those committed to riding the rails, Amtrak provides service to Manhattan with stops at six stations in New Jersey. The PATH trains provide rail service to Manhattan with stops in Newark, Jersey City, Harrison and Hoboken.
“PATH will monitor stations and add service as necessary to address any unsafe conditions,” the agency posted on its website. “During peak hours customers could experience temporary crowding conditions and are urged to avoid the system during that time.
“Additional PATH staff will be available to assist with passenger navigation and crowd management.”
Some towns are stepping up to provide alternatives. Maplewood, which ordinarily runs jitney buses to and from the township’s NJ Transit rail station, announced last week that buses will be re-rerouted to the South Orange station, which is offering Manhattan express bus service.
Some commuters may use ride-share options, including Uber and Lyft. Others may find ways to carpool.
There are also outside-the-box options, such as kayaking from Hoboken to Manhattan — which, believe it or not, has been a thing for years.
For those who ever wondered what it might be like to park in Fort Lee and walk, bike or run over the George Washington Bridge, a strike might offer sufficient incentive to give it a try.
Maybe the best option of all: Working from home, which is what officials are encouraging — at least for those with that privilege.
Here are some other options:
NJ Transit buses
NJ Transit’s contingency plan calls for using supplemental bus service at four locations to assist rail commuters, starting Monday.
That’s in addition to NJ Transit’s regular buses, which are unaffected by the rail strike.
The four supplemental bus service locations will be:
- Secaucus Junction to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan
- PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel to the Port Authority Hamilton Rail Station to Newark Penn Station PATH (Operated by Academy. NJ Transit tickets will not be honored.)
- Hamilton Rail Station
- Woodbridge Center Mall to Harrison PATH Station (Tickets must be purchased on the app, no paper or on-board tickets will be sold.)
Boxcar
Boxcar, which provides bus service to and from Manhattan with stops in nearly two dozen North Jersey towns, has been raising its profile in a big way.
The company has been adding buses, with thousands of additional seats.
”We’re taking that gamble. These buses are going to be running no matter what," Kevin O’Donovan, a Boxcar business development associate, said in a video Wednesday posted by the company to Instagram.
Boxcar provides information on routes and fares here.
Academy bus
Academy released a list of routes that the Hoboken-based company says will have expanded service Monday.
Garden State Parkway routes will have departures operating every 15-minutes from the Parkway sites to the Port Authority bus terminal in New York City during rush hour.
- Judy Blume Service Area in Wall
- First departure 3:30 A.M. / First return 1 P.M.
- Lincroft/Exit 109
- First departure 3:30 A.M. / First return 1 P.M.
- PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel
- First departure 3:30 A.M. / First return 1 P.M.
- Jon Bon Jovi Service Area (formerly Cheesequake)
- First departure 3:40 A.M. / First return 12:30 P.M.
Route 36
- Airport Plaza to the Port Authority
- First departure 3:30 AM / First return 12:30 PM
Wall Street service will be provided via Route 9 & Route 36.
NY Waterway
NY Waterway provides ferry service to Manhattan from Edgewater, Weehawken, Hoboken, Jersey City and South Amboy.
“We’re closely monitoring the situation and are prepared to increase capacity and frequency of our ferry service between New Jersey and Manhattan based on demand,” NY Waterway President and CEO Armand Pohan said in advance of the strike.
Light rail
The strike does not affect NJ Transit’s three light rail line systems in Essex County, Hudson County, and from Trenton to Camden. Information on schedules is here.
MTA
MTA officials unveiled a plan that cross-honors ticket sales for West of Hudson travelers. Conductors on MTA’s Hudson and Harlem lines are instructed to honor tickets from stations in Rockland and Orange counties in New York.
The plan will alleviate service disruptions for frequent riders on NJ Transit’s Port Jervis and Pascack Valley lines, which cross the border from New Jersey into New York State.
MTA said the Metro-North Railroad is also encouraging customers to consider Hudson Link buses connecting to Suffern, Spring Valley, Palisades Mall, as well as other locations with nearby Metro-North stations at Tarrytown and White Plains.
Amtrak
Amtrak runs trains into New York City from New Jersey. Some of Amtrak’s top station stops include Trenton, New Brunswick and Newark, providing access into Manhattan.
Amtrak officials, however, said the passenger line won’t honor NJ Transit tickets purchased by its rail commuters.
Port Authority
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey says PATH service will operate on a normal schedule on weekdays. However, service will be added, and additional staff, when necessary to minimize crowds.
A shuttle bus to Newark Airport will operate from Newark Penn Station.
More information about Port Authority options can be found on its website.
Private bus companies
The Port Authority is providing a list of bus companies providing service to and from Manhattan.
NJ Transit
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Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com.
Katie Kausch may be reached at kkausch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KatieKausch.