A strike on the Long Island Railroad left many commuters dealing with an additional two hours of travel as they rushed to catch shuttle buses on Monday morning. Drivers trying to enter the city faced parking challenges as well.
People from Nassau and Suffolk counties, who usually depend on the LIRR for their work commute, characterized their trips to New York City as a “nightmare” and “hell” due to the ongoing conflict between the MTA and striking unions.
“Everyone is miserable, but the worst off are the people who actually have to show up for work,” said Kevin Haller, a 38-year-old from Wantagh, while he boarded a bus at Belmore Station.
Diane Carlucci, 54, had to leave her house at 5:30 a.m. to catch a shuttle, and it took her nearly three hours to reach her job as a billing coordinator. Normally, she would make the trip to Penn Station in under an hour, venting her frustration about the train stoppage that began on Saturday.
“This is truly awful. It’s disheartening to see these workers, who are already well-compensated and working excessive overtime, causing such chaos and hardship for so many,” she expressed, visibly upset.
The MTA deployed buses to pick up commuters from six different locations on Long Island, then dropped them off at a subway station in Queens, leaving them to ride the subway for the remainder of their journey while rail workers held demonstrations outside key transit hubs.
Marisol Vega, a 39-year-old paralegal, mentioned that her commute via bus and subway added nearly two hours to her day. “I’m already exhausted before I even start work,” she said.
Ricky Persaud, traveling from Ronkonkoma to Queens, referred to the situation as “turmoil,” while another commuter, who preferred to remain anonymous, simply called it a “nightmare.”
Matt, a construction project manager, shared that on top of his regular 40-hour work week, he spends another 30 hours commuting. “It’s just a cycle: work, go home, sleep, and repeat,” he said, adding that if the strike prolongs, it could mean more lost hours for him.
The MTA and a coalition of five labor organizations are currently in disagreement, mainly over salary increases for union members in the coming years.
MTA chief negotiator Gary Delaverson expressed some optimism earlier in the day about reaching an agreement soon, but by afternoon, it was clear that no deal had been finalized.
“Look, it’s 2 o’clock,” he remarked, pointing out that nothing had changed.
Interestingly, Gov. Cathy Hochul mentioned her morning commute was “smoother than expected,” crediting those who worked from home instead of commuting.
“Our goal is to resolve this issue as soon as possible,” she said, acknowledging the inconvenience some were facing.
Meanwhile, some employees who chose to drive instead of taking the bus found themselves in a difficult position, driving into further chaos. Authorities suggested parking at Citi Field and taking the subway, but many ended up dropping their cars at a different lot.
“There’s really no signage. I’m local, and I saw it on the news this morning,” complained Steve Betsios from Northport, who noted he spent time trying to find parking.
Those waiting to enter parking garages in midtown experienced delays, resulting in traffic jams. “I’ve parked here for over a decade, and I’ve never seen it this congested,” said Ronette, a local resident.
A man from Connecticut recounted that he had to search through multiple lots before finally finding a spot, expressing disbelief over the situation.
Before the strike began, the office of State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli warned that the region could lose around $61 million daily if railroad workers went on strike.
“The impact of the LIRR strike will extend beyond just the lines—costing millions in lost economic activity and disrupting service for thousands of passengers,” DiNapoli stated.
