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New Jersey is experiencing its first statewide transit strike in more than 40 years as approximately 450 unionized locomotive engineers began their strike just after midnight on Friday over a pay dispute. The walkout, initiated by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, has resulted in the suspension of NJ Transit's rail services, leaving tens of thousands of commuters to find alternative routes to their workplaces in the New York City metropolitan area.

Early Friday morning saw union members taking to the picket lines, with the union's national president, Mark Wallace, stating, "They have money for penthouse views and pet projects, just not for their frontline workers. Enough is enough. We will stay out until our members receive the fair pay that they deserve."

In response, NJ Transit’s chief executive, Kris Kolluri, expressed a willingness to continue negotiations. "This is not a lost cause," he said at a news conference on Thursday. "This is an eminently achievable deal." Governor Philip D. Murphy echoed this sentiment, mentioning that the agency’s pay offer "would have given their members almost exactly what they asked for."

NJ Transit has advised commuters to work from home if possible during the strike. Some large employers in New York, such as Citigroup and Goldman Sachs, have granted temporary remote work permissions or are considering flexible arrangements.

While NJ Transit's bus services continue to operate as usual, the agency has arranged for private bus services to replace train operations starting Monday. However, these buses will only accommodate approximately 20 percent of the displaced train passengers, leaving no supplemental bus service for Friday.

Commuters holding NJ Transit rail tickets and passes to or from New York, Newark, or Hoboken can use them on NJ Transit's bus routes and light rail lines, but these tickets will not be honored on other transport services such as Amtrak, PATH ferries, and private buses.

The union’s demands for wage parity with Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad workers come after rejecting an offer in March that would have increased the average annual pay for full-time engineers from $135,000 to $172,000. Union officials dispute these figures, claiming they are inflated.

Picket lines have been established at key locations including Penn Station in New York, NJ Transit's headquarters in Newark, and the train station in Atlantic City. The strike has also affected NJ Transit's services to major events, leading to the cancellation of services to MetLife Stadium for Shakira's concerts on Thursday and Friday nights.

The strike has created significant disruptions for daily passengers. Glenn McDonell, a 61-year-old shipyard worker, recounted his travel woes: "I got on the SEPTA train in Philadelphia at 4:55 this morning to get to Newark. I had no idea this was going on. Amtrak is too expensive. My son's going to have to come pick me up."

Tensions at the Amtrak counter in Trenton are mounting as ticket sellers face frustrated would-be passengers who find Amtrak's prices steep compared to NJ Transit's. Governor Murphy continues to address the strike’s impact and calls for a swift resolution.