Despite a tentative deal being reached between the agency and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, New Jersey commuters who normally rely on the train, once again had to find a way to get to work, and back home on Monday, because full NJ Transit service won't be restored till Tuesday.
NJ Transit said Sunday night on social media that it takes about 24 hours to inspect and prepare the trains before kicking service back into gear.
"We have to preposition the equipment. We have to do safety checks. We have to make sure that the engineers are now called into work," said NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri.
As a result, one alternative option offered to customers was charter buses, traveling to and from four regional park and ride locations throughout the New Jersey.
It included Secaucus Junction, which will drop you off at Port Authority, in addition to park and ride services at PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel to Port Authority Bus Terminal, New York, Hamilton Rail Station to Newark Penn Station PATH Station and Woodbridge Center Mall to Harrison PATH Station.
The park and ride options operate on a first-come, first-served basis.
Commuters could catch buses from these locations at peak times in the morning and the buses returned at peak times in the evening.
Commuters ready for NJ Transit train service to resume after tentative agreement
It should be noted that the service is not 24 hours. NJ Transit will not offer cross-honor tickets at these park and ride locations.
For example, a round-trip ticket from the PNC Arts Center to New York City will cost $48.
However, many of those who got a taste of the bus life out of Port Authority on Friday, opted for the PATH train instead.
"I'm glad it's over. I wish it was over today. Friday was a nightmare," said commuter John Gomes. "That journey to try to go home started at 2:30. I got home by 6:30."
On Tuesday, he can go back to his normal routine, after the tentative deal was struck.
Engineers for the nation's third largest commuter rail network say they were making $10 to $12 less an hour than their counterparts at Amtrak, Metro North and LIRR.
Some customers like Kevin Isabel from Edison, worries how the deal could impact fares going forward.
"It's not consistent. You pay for a service and it's not a cheap service," Isabel said. "I'm guessing with this new deal, you know I'm not against it, but with this new deal they're going to definitely have a hike in the prices."
Details haven't been released yet but Gov. Phil Murphy believes it's a number that won't break the state's bank.
"You may have heard me talk last Thursday night about a range of something we could manage our way through was single digit millions of maybe low double-digit millions of an impact versus nine-figure impact.
Isabel, however, says he's happy the strike is over, because it turned his commute from an hour, to 90 minutes one way, and was costing him an extra $30 to $50 extra a day.
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