Strike Is On: What's A DeCamp Commuter To Do? Top Ten Tips!

When you wake up Thursday morning, check the DeCamp bus company's Web site to make certain the strike that's now set to begin at 5 a.m. is on. An alert message will be in the upper righthand corner of the page. At this point, it appears the strike is indeed scheduled to go forward. And so here are your top 10 tips for making it to work and back. The good news? NJ Transit doesn't expect conditions to be too crowded with a long holiday weekend approaching.

1) Purchase NJ Transit system tickets in advance. All customers are strongly encouraged to purchase tickets early to avoid lines. A $5 surcharge applies to tickets purchased aboard trains when a ticket vending maching or ticket agent is available.

2) Travel during off-peak hours, if possible. To avoid crowds, customers are encouraged to travel outside of the traditional peak rush-hour periods.

3) Be mindful of parking capacity constraints. Many boarding locations have limited parking capacity. Customers may wish to consider having a friend or family member drop them off instead. If driving, arrive early to ensure you get a parking spot. Have an alternate plan ready in the event your parking lot is full.

4) Don't forget! DeCamp tickets will not be honored aboard NJ Transit trains or buses.

5) Parking and bus service to New York is available from several park and ride lots in the region. But NJ Transit said lots at Allgood and Willowbrook often are full, but the one at Vince Lombardi generally has space. Located in Ridgefield off Exit 16 of the Turnpike, express buses there take passengers directly to the Port Authority in New York City. Together, the round-trip fare and parking cost $7.75.

6) To quickly find out the train schedule, go here.

7) NJ Transit advises those people within walking distance of a train station to, weather permitting, walk.

8) Sign up for DeCamp's mobile phone alert messages by going here.

9) Sign up to Clever Commute so that you can get the latest travel information from other people who are making the same trip as you.

10) Have a sense of humor. Easier said than done. And please add your own tips as a comment or email me at Shelley@patch.com. Good luck!