MORRISTOWN, NJ – New Jersey is facing the possibility of awidespread commuter rail shutdownas early as12:01 a.m. on Friday, May 16, if New Jersey Transit and its union of locomotive engineers fail to reach a long-stalled contract agreement. The labor action would mark the state’s first transit strike since 1983, and could leave tens of thousands of daily commuters with limited travel options.
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), which represents approximately450 train engineers, has threatened to strike if ongoing negotiations do not result in a resolution by the deadline. Despiterecent talksbeing described as “constructive” by NJ Transit CEOKris Kolluri, a breakthrough remained elusive as of Wednesday evening. The parties are expected to resume negotiations on Thursday in a final effort to avert a walkout.
The central dispute revolves aroundwage parity. The engineers are pushing for pay increases in line with what their peers earn at neighboring railroads such asLong Island Rail RoadandMetro-North, reportedly around$10 more per hour. NJ Transit, however, maintains that it cannot meet those demands without having to increase wages across its 14 other unions. The agency claims it offered a deal in March that would have raised average engineer pay from$135,000 to $172,000, but union leadership says that number is misleading and that they would accept such an increase if it were genuine.
If a strike occurs, NJ Transit has warned thatall rail service—including Metro-North west-of-Hudson lines—will be suspended. Theagency’s contingency plan, while in place, would only be capable of handlingapproximately 20%of daily train passengers. It includeslimited charter bus servicebeginning Monday, May 19, from four locations:Secaucus Junction,Hamilton Station,Woodbridge Center Mall, andPNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel. These buses will run only during peak weekday hours and are expected to serve a fraction of the 70,000 daily rail commuters.
In the immediate term, NJ Transit is urging commuters towork from homeif possible andavoid travelunless absolutely necessary. NJ Transit bus routes,light rail, andAccess Linkservices will operate as normal, and rail tickets will be cross-honored on NJ Transit buses and light rail—though not onAmtrak,PATH, orprivate bus linessuch asAcademy Busfrom Holmdel.
Events dependent on rail service have already been affected. Transit service toShakira’s concertsatMetLife Stadiumon Thursday and Friday nights has been canceled, and a prolonged strike could impact transit options for upcomingBeyoncé concertsin the following two weeks.
Negotiations have grown increasingly tense, with a previouslytentative agreementrejected by union members and public barbs exchanged between leadership. Kolluri has insisted that further concessions are not viable, while union officials claim the agency is not negotiating in good faith.
Commuters and businesses are advised tomonitor NJ Transit’s official website(www.njtransit.com/railstoppage) for updates, fare adjustments, and detailed information on temporary service alternatives.
Governor Phil Murphy and NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kris Kolluri today (5/18/2025) announced a tentative agreement with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen (BLET), ending a three-day rail stoppage. Regular weekday train service will resume with the start of the service day on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, as it takes approximately 24 hours to inspect and prepare tracks, rail cars and other infrastructure before returning to full scheduled service. Contingency plans, including bus service from the four regional Park & Rides, will be in place and operating on Monday, May 19, 2025. NJ TRANSIT will continue to deploy customer ambassadors at stations and Park & Ride locations to assist customers as train service restarts.
“I am pleased to announce that we have reached a fair and fiscally responsible contract settlement that provides a generous wage increase for BLET members while saving taxpayers and customers the burden of fare increases,”said Governor Murphy. “This agreement reflects the commitment of both the BLET and NJ TRANSIT to remain at the table engaging in productive conversations, and I commend them both. Most importantly, it ensures the resumption of rail service for the 100,000 people who depend on our rail system on a daily basis.”
“I am pleased to join Governor Murphy to announce that we have reached a mutually acceptable agreement that is both fair for our locomotive engineers and affordable for our riders and New Jersey taxpayers. I want to thank our customers for their understanding and apologize for any inconvenience during this time, however, it was important to me to reach a deal that didn’t require a significant fare increase,”said NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kris Kolluri. “I appreciate the BLET leadership’s collaboration at the bargaining table and continuing to negotiate in good faith to get to an agreement. I also want to recognize the thousands of NJ TRANSIT employees who stepped up during this time to support our customers and minimize the impacts to the greatest extent possible.”
“I commend both sides for remaining at the bargaining table to solidify an agreement that not only benefits our hardworking locomotive engineers, but also remains a fiscally prudent contract,”said NJDOT Commissioner and NJ TRANSIT Board Chairman Fran O’Connor. “We have seen just how critical our rail system is to our larger transportation network, and I am pleased that trains will be moving again shortly.”
The tentative agreement must still be ratified by the members of the BLET, and approved by the NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors. Details of the contract provisions are not able to be released at this time to allow for the ratification process to occur. With a tentative agreement reached, the BLET has agreed to halt the strike and return to work in order for service to resume on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.
Rail cars and infrastructure must undergo safety inspections, movable bridges that were open must be closed into place and equipment must be at the proper locations to resume. NJ TRANSIT Rail Operations has immediately begun those efforts and is advancing them as quickly and safely as possible.
While those efforts continue, NJ TRANSIT’s contingency plans will remain in effect including the four Park & Ride locations. Complete details of all contingency efforts can be found atnjtransit.com/restart.