L.I.R.R. Restores Full Service by 4 p.m. After 3-Day Strike, Leaving Morning Commutes Snarled
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 19
L.I.R.R. Restores Full Service by 4 p.m. After 3-Day Strike, Leaving Morning Commutes Snarled
8 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 19
Tuesday morning service stayed severely limited hours after the Long Island Rail Road and unions reached a contract Monday night, with full service scheduled to resume by 4 p.m. for the evening rush.
Commuters still pieced together longer trips by car and subway, including driving to Citi Field for the No. 7 train, because work, exams and state testing left little room to stay home.
Travel times stretched sharply: one teacher added 40 minutes to her usual trip, while construction workers estimated the return drive could take at least 3 hours.
The disruption showed that even after a 3-day strike formally ends, restoring normal rail service can lag behind the labor deal and keep pressure on riders for another commute cycle.
With the LIRR strike settled, could a much larger transit crisis now be looming for New York's subways?
The LIRR deal promises no fare hikes, but what hidden costs will commuters and taxpayers eventually face?