LIRR on the Brink
May 15, 2026
DAILY RIDERS
300K
average weekday passengers at risk
DAILY ECON COST
$400M+
estimated daily economic impact of a strike
CURRENT CPI
3.8%
inflation rate driving union wage demands
ROUTE MILES
700+
miles of track across Long Island
YEARS OF RLA
98
Railway Labor Act in force since 1926
StrikeNear-StrikePendingDem. adminRep. admin
KEY FACTS
Sources: MTA Annual Reports · Bureau of Labor Statistics · National Mediation Board · Congressional Research Service
Data sources
MTA LIRR Ridership and Service Statistics· Metropolitan Transportation AuthorityRailway Labor Act — Congressional Research Service Overview· Congressional Research ServiceNational Mediation Board — Mediation Process· National Mediation BoardConsumer Price Index Historical Data· U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsLIRR 2022 Labor Dispute — Presidential Emergency Board No. 252· National Mediation BoardMTA Financial Plan and Budget Documents· Metropolitan Transportation AuthorityEconomic Impact of Transit Disruptions in New York Metro Area· Regional Plan Association