LIRR strike latest: What to know about schedules, refunds and the deal

NEW YORK - A tentative deal has been reached to end the three-day Long Island Rail Road strike, bringing relief to hundreds of thousands of commuters across the region.

What we know:

While some disruptions continued Tuesday morning, officials said train service would begin gradually returning at noon, with full systemwide service expected by the evening rush.

LIRR agreement

The agreement between the MTA and five railroad unions ended a strike that completely shut down LIRR service beginning Saturday, impacting nearly 300,000 daily riders. Union workers were seen Tuesday morning taking down picket lines as commuters continued relying on shuttle buses and alternate transportation to get to work.

LIRR service schedule

Local perspective:

The MTA said limited hourly train service will resume at noon Tuesday on four branches: Babylon, Huntington, Ronkonkoma and Port Washington. Officials expect normal service to return systemwide by 4 p.m.

Free shuttle buses from Long Island to Queens

Until then, free shuttle buses continued operating Tuesday morning from select Long Island stations into Queens. At Jamaica Station, buses arriving from Huntington and Ronkonkoma were filled to capacity at times, though commuters appeared noticeably more upbeat than during Monday’s chaotic commute.

Transit officials said riders should not expect regular train service during the morning commute and urged passengers to continue using buses or alternate transportation until afternoon service ramps up.

At Ronkonkoma Station, commuters described feeling relieved knowing they would likely be able to take the train home Tuesday evening after days of uncertainty.

"It’s more relief for me," one commuter said. "I’m really excited about that. I’m glad they got it back up and running."

Another rider called Monday’s commute "a disaster," adding, "By 12 o’clock, we should be good to get back home."

What’s in the tentative deal?

The biggest sticking point in negotiations was wages.

Union leaders had pushed for a 5% pay increase, while the MTA argued those raises could lead to fare hikes or strain the agency’s budget.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced late Monday that both sides reached what she described as a "fair compromise" that would protect commuters from additional costs while still giving workers raises.

"We had to find a deal that gave people fair raises, but didn’t put the hit on the riders, the taxpayers, that didn’t blow up the MTA’s budget," Hochul said.

Specific details of the contract have not yet been released. Union leaders said they want members to review and vote on the agreement before the terms become public.

"We need time to disclose the specifics with our respective membership," one union representative said. "If they get part of this story through the media, it may impact ratification."

The agreement still needs to be approved by union members.

Commuters react: ‘Relief’

What's next:

Tuesday morning’s commute was still slower than normal, with many riders boarding buses hours earlier than usual, but commuters largely welcomed news that the strike was ending.

The MTA said Monday’s ridership on shuttle buses was lower than expected. About 2,000 commuters used the emergency bus service during the morning rush, despite officials preparing for as many as 13,000 riders.

Many other commuters chose to drive instead, contributing to major traffic congestion across the region Monday.

Refunds for affected riders

The MTA said it plans to issue prorated refunds for business days impacted by the strike-related shutdown.

Officials said additional details about refunds and the phased restoration of service will be posted throughout the day as operations return to normal.

See the MTA's website for more information. 

Long Island Railroad