Assemblywoman Victoria Flynn and Assemblyman Gerry Scharfenberger have criticized the ongoing NJ Transit strike, which has disrupted rail service across New Jersey. The lawmakers described the situation as the start of another difficult summer for commuters in Monmouth County.
“We are on the verge of yet another summer of hell for NJ Transit riders in Monmouth County – this time, with a full-blown strike that should have been avoided at all costs,” said Flynn (R-Monmouth). “These contracts should have been settled years ago. There’s no excuse for allowing negotiations to drag on to the brink of a shutdown.”
The strike began early Friday when more than 500 locomotive engineers stopped working due to an unresolved contract dispute that has lasted over five years. According to Flynn and Scharfenberger, NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri was left negotiating under significant pressure just before the strike deadline.
The lawmakers also expressed concern about Governor Murphy’s proposed fiscal year 2026 budget, which would raise NJ Transit’s operating subsidy by $757.5 million from last year to a total of $902.5 million. Part of this funding increase would come from reinstating the corporate business tax.
“New Jersey’s most successful employers are being targeted to bail out NJ Transit, while riders are being asked to pay more for worse service,” Scharfenberger (R-Monmouth) said. “They already faced a 15% fare hike last year and now face automatic increases every July, starting with another 3% hike just weeks away.”
Flynn and Scharfenberger argued that the ongoing labor dispute poses risks not only to commuters but also to small businesses and the state economy.
“This is the result of chronic mismanagement by the Murphy administration and failed leadership by Trenton Democrats,” Flynn concluded. “These disputes must be resolved, and commuters and taxpayers must stop being forced to foot the bill for government incompetence.”
