The shutdown is already affecting travel and events across the region. The New York Mets baseball team warned fans attending weekend games at Citi Field in Queens to expect transport difficulties.
A Reddit forum dedicated to discussions about the LIRR has been undated with comments and questions from commuters anxious about how they will get to work or school.
Ramses Brye, a resident of Queens, told the BBC’s US partner CBS News that he discovered the strike while travelling to an overnight shift.
“I took the train at midnight. That was the last time, and then I looked at the [TrainTime] app at like 12:30, and, like, yeah, they’re definitely on strike,” Brye told CBS.
Another commuter from Long Island told CBS News his usual journey into Manhattan had become significantly longer on Saturday, requiring two buses from Port Washington to reach the city.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has urged the unions and MTA to come to an agreement, warning that an extended shutdown would cause widespread disruption.
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