The First Strike Since 1982 Is On! Thousands Of DeCamp Bus Riders Forced To Seek Alternatives With Many Saying They Prefer NJ Transit

Union employees of DeCamp Bus Lines began to strike, as threatened, beginning at 5 a.m., September 2. Indeed, an "alert" notice remained on the bus company's Web site. As a result, commuters were scrambling to come up with alternatives for getting to work. NJ Transit has posted advice on its Web site, warning customers to expect crowded conditions.

But the train station at Upper Montclair — although crowded — was far from being the zoo some thought it would be as passengers boarded a 6:54 a.m. train. And NJ Transit service ran smoothly, from most accounts, the rest of the day.

"The train has about the same amount of people on it that it usually does ... I don't really notice much of a difference," said Montclair commuter Lisa Barkey.

Another commuter, Joe Robbins, said the ride aboard an NJ Transit bus was actually better than the one he usually takes with DeCamp.

"Bus was not that crowded and it was on time ... I didn't mind it at all," he said.

According to the commuter messaging service Clever Commute, at least a few commuters expressed similar sentiments.

Still, one mother of three, Susan Flaherty, said the strike has affected her husband, Kyle.

"I had to drive him to a NJ Transit bus in Clifton," she asid. "Bus lines are better ... buses come every 10 or 15 minutes or so."

At the end of the afternoon, commuters coming off the train in Upper Montcclair shortly after 5 p.m. at said it "wasn't bad at all."

I didn't notice any bigger crowds at all," said Susan Scholls, who often takes the train instead of the DeCamp bus. "The train does take longer but it's a more comfortable ride if you ask me."

Dan Stessel, an NJ Transit spokesman, had said conditions shouldn't be too bad as the long Labor Day holiday weekend is approaching, which means more people are taking off work. And on Thursday he said service ran as normal, without the crowded conditions at least some had expected.

"We've seen this before ... there was a threat of a strike in 2006 that never materialized," said Stessel, earlier this week. "We've just dusted off our same warnings we issued then."

He urged customers to purchase tickets to advance in order to avoid long lines, and also to be mindful of parking capacity constraints. NJ Transit has said it will not cross-honor DeCamp tickets.

For example, Stessel encouraged those Montclair commuters who can't get a ride to a station to go to Vince Lombardi, a park-and-ride lot with 1,000 spaces off the NJ Turnpike.

"It generally has ample parking," he said, adding that the Allgood and Willowbrook park-and-ride lots tend to be packed.

Meanwhile, the announcement on the DeCamp company's Web site simply said: "Attention all passengers, effective 5:00 AM Thursday morning, September 2, 2010 the union employees of DeCamp Bus Lines will be on strike. There will be no service. We will keep riders informed as information becomes available."

The dispatcher who picked up the phone at DeCamp headquarters in Montclair said the company does not have a spokesperson and, when asked why the union plans to strike or how long it will last, she said she was authorized only to say, "No comment."

Union members — about 100 drivers, mechanics, and other workers — have been working without a contract since last September and are demanding higher wages and a better health insurance plan.

The members of ATU Local 1317 have been without a contract since last September and have been unable to come to an agreement with management through negotiations, which have stalled after dragging on for a year and a half. There was no sign the issue would be resolved any time soon.

DeCamp is a major provider of bus service to and from New York City from the Montclair area and from other areas. Indeed, more than 7,400 people travel via DeCamp buses each day.

As a result, lots of commuters will be forced to make alternative plans — perhaps into next week.

"For me, Plan B is to take the train," said Andrew Scher, an attorney and Upper Montclair resident. "This is only a mionor inconvenience for me since I live near two train stations and also have a train station parking permit.

"It is a major inconvenience for people who live near a bus line, but not a train line," he added. "The waiting list for a train station parking permit is now about 10 years, depending on the station."

But some commuters say they won't be affected at all.

"I don't know that the DeCamp strike will affect municipal employees," said Katya Wowk, communications director for the Township of Montclair. "Most folks commute by car."

The commuter service called Clever Commute suggests going to http://decamp.com and signing up for their alerts immediately. If you will be taking New Jersey Transit, then sign up for Clever Commute alerts  for "Montclair-Boonton Line." You can also get Clever info via Twitter.

Clever Commute also advised travelers to buy their train tickets early.

The membership of Local 1317 actually voted to authorize a strike about three months ago, but drivers never actually made good on the threat — until now.

The last known drivers' strike at DeCamp Bus Lines occurred in 1982. How long this work stoppage will last still has not been determined. Although management has refused to speak to the press, there obviously were no last-minute agreements emerging from management and union member meetings on Wednesday.