NJ Transit Engineer Strike Transit Train Engineers Leaves Some 350,000 Commuters in the Lurch
Train engineers in New Jersey’s huge commuter rail system went on strike early Friday, leaving its 350,000 daily riders either working from home or seeking other means to transit the state or cross the Hudson River into New York City.
People who normally rely on New Jersey Transit took to buses, car service Logan Airport, taxis and boats for the morning rush hour after trains ground to a halt at a minute past midnight. Some left extra early to avoid problems. A few, unaware that the strike was underway, showed up and waited for trains that weren’t going to arrive.
Early indications were that the strike hadn’t resulted in major traffic jams or epic lines to get onto buses. Friday’s rail commute into New York from New Jersey is typically the lightest of the week.
The walkout comes after the latest round of negotiations on Thursday didn’t produce an agreement. It is the state’s first transit strike in more than 40 years and comes a month after union members overwhelmingly rejected a labor agreement with management.
Urban Delivery, Reimagined: Innovations in NYC’s Freight Future
From Left: David Chernack, Program Manager, Empire Clean Cities; Vinny Riscica, Section Manager, Medium- and Heavy-Duty Infrastructure Program, Con Edison; Maria Fields, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Sprocket Power; Matt Daus; Lauren Kesner O’Brien, Policy and Partnerships Manager, Empire Clean Cities; and Catherine Ponte, Senior Freight Planner, New York City Department of Transportation
Windels Marx was proud to sponsor and support Empire Clean Cities’ (ECC) 16th Annual Stakeholder Meeting on May 15, held in conjunction with the 36th Annual DCAS Equipment and Vehicle Show, in Flushing Meadows Park, panelists convened for a wide-ranging discussion on “Innovations in Urban Goods Movement.” The event brought together public, private, and nonprofit leaders committed to driving down emissions, improving last-mile delivery, and rethinking infrastructure for a cleaner freight future.
Thank you to Joy Gardner, Executive Director at Empire Clean Cities, and the entire ECC team for the invitation to moderate such an excellent panel, and to Keith Kerman, Chief Fleet Officer and Deputy Commissioner of the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) for another successful NYC fleet show!
The panel, moderated by Matthew Daus, Founder and Chair of the Transportation Practice Group at Windels Marx, featured the following speakers:
Catherine Ponte, Senior Freight Planner, New York City Department of Transportation, outlined NYC DOT’s freight vision centered around greening and streamlining the last mile through microhubs, e-cargo bikes, off-hour deliveries, and the LockerNYC program. The Blue Highways initiative was also spotlighted, leveraging marine terminals for cleaner middle-mile delivery.
Lauren Kesner O’Brien, Policy and Partnerships Manager, Empire Clean Cities, highlighted the Sustainable Last-Mile Delivery in Dense Metros pilot, which pairs maritime transport with electric cargo bikes to reduce emissions and congestion. Next steps include expanding to Hunts Point and scaling the model citywide.
David Chernack, Program Manager, Empire Clean Cities, shared updates on The Bronx is Breathing initiative, which is electrifying the freight sector in one of NYC’s most polluted neighborhoods. This includes building the nation’s first public electric freight charging hub and supporting worker-owned delivery co-ops.
Vinny Riscica, Section Manager, Medium- and Heavy-Duty Infrastructure Program, Con Edison, provided a utility perspective on fleet electrification, emphasizing the Medium-Heavy-Duty Make-Ready Pilot, which covers up to 90% of utility-side upgrades and 50% of customer-side costs. Special attention is given to disadvantaged communities and zero-emission fleet transitions.
Maria Fields, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Sprocket Power, spoke about how microgrids and battery storage systems can lower electricity costs, improve grid resilience, and make electrification more accessible for small and mid-sized fleet operators. She emphasized the need for controls-based infrastructure, turnkey project delivery, and long-term performance support.
A few clear themes emerged from the discussion. First, equity and access are central to many of these programs, with a strong emphasis on addressing environmental justice in underserved neighborhoods and reducing barriers to clean freight technologies. From Bronx-based electric vehicle co-ops to subsidized trade-in programs for fire-safe e-bikes, panelists showcased how targeted investments can deliver health, safety, and economic benefits to the communities most burdened by freight emissions. Second, cross-sector collaboration was cited as essential to advancing these innovations. Public-private partnerships are helping to fund infrastructure, pilot new technologies, and scale up workforce training. Finally, panelists stressed the importance of designing scalable models—whether through third-party capital, bundled service offerings, or data-driven project evaluation—that can be replicated across New York and beyond to build a more sustainable and resilient urban freight system.
Windels Marx Transportation Practice Group News Feed – Volume 6 (2025), Edition 95
INTERNATIONAL NEWS for NJ Transit Engineer Strike
Calgary Transit Increased Service Last Year but ‘Tapped Out’ by Funding Gap
More people are riding Calgary Transit than before the COVID-19 pandemic, but the service is struggling to keep up with growth and is asking the city for more funding to get there. Officials from Calgary Transit were at City Hall Wednesday to provide an update to the city’s Infrastructure and Planning Committee.
Switzerland and UK Sign MOU on Direct Rail Connection
Switzerland and the UK have signed a memorandum of understanding to facilitate a direct rail connection between the two countries. The existing travel patterns indicate significant interest in direct connections, as evidenced by numerous flight options between Swiss airports and London.
Take Public Transport, or No Promotion: Jakarta Civil Servants Forced to Ditch Their Wheels to Work
Civil servants in Indonesia’s capital city must take public transport to work on Wednesdays, or risk losing a promotion. The order that kicked in on April 30 is part of a policy introduced by Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung aimed at reducing traffic congestion and air pollution.
NATIONAL NEWS
U.S. DOT Opens $1.5 Billion Funding Round for Transit Buses and Bus Facilities
The funding opportunity does not include language related to climate change, sustainability, environmental justice and diversity, equity and inclusion. “American commuters don’t want to pay for deranged, leftist DEI mandates that don’t improve the efficiency of their daily commutes,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement.
The 1964 Federal Law That Keeps Transit Costs Too High
By protecting union labor, it prevents transit agencies from making their workforces more efficient. Privatizing and automating operations would save a lot of money and allow for better service.
Hotline between National Airport, Pentagon Hasn’t Worked for 3 Years
Franklin J. McIntosh, the FAA’s deputy chief operating officer, confirmed during a Senate hearing Wednesday on the agency’s modernization efforts that the hotline connecting the military and air traffic controllers at National Airport has “been inoperable” since March 2022.
LOCAL NEWS
Uber Rules Out Robotaxis in NYC for Now, but New Tools Promise Cheaper Rides for New Yorkers
Uber won’t be bringing autonomous vehicles to New York City just yet, the ride-share giant announced Wednesday. The driverless vehicles will debut in Los Angeles next year through a new partnership with Volkswagen, but according to Uber, New Yorkers shouldn’t expect to see driverless taxis on city streets anytime soon.
Puddles Plague Hudson River Greenway as Rain Batters NYC
Puddles lined the Hudson River Greenway amid rainy weather this week, forcing riders to slow or swerve or else accept a cold, grimy splash of curbside cocktail. Ranging in in size from 30 to 150 square feet, the puddles appeared to be the result of poor engineering and design choices that leave water with nowhere to go at greenway pinch points.
Iowa’s Largest School District Mulls Future of School Bus Wi-Fi Program
Des Moines Public Schools in Iowa may need to reconsider a new school bus Wi-Fi program that relies on federal E-Rate discounts amid recent congressional resolutions and a pending case before the U.S. Supreme Court.
CONGESTION PRICING
Judge Rules Internal Congestion Pricing Memo Can’t Be Used in Court
The document, which had accidentally been released by the government’s lawyers, detailed the weaknesses in its legal effort to end the tolling program in Manhattan.
NYC’s Congestion Pricing Policy Is Four Months Old — Here’s How It’s Impacting Commuters
When New York City implemented congestion pricing in January after years of development and delay, critics feared the program would be a death knell for business owners — costing the city more in the long term than it would save in commute times.
NJ Residents Driving in Wake of Transit Strike Face Congestion Pricing Toll
Officials expect some train customers will switch to existing NJ Transit bus routes or use the chartered carriers. Others may choose to drive into New York City, where they would have to pay congestion pricing fees.
NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission Outlines FY 2026 Regulatory Priorities
Image: NYC TLC
The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) has released its Regulatory Agenda for Fiscal Year 2026, highlighting five areas where new or updated rules are under consideration. These changes aim to improve safety, streamline oversight, and modernize regulations across the industry:
- Strengthening Data Submission Rules for High-Volume For-Hire Services
- Updating Safety and Emissions Rules for FHVs
- Updating Safety and Emissions Rules for Taxis
- Revising Rules for Technology
