New Jersey Transit laid out a contingency plan ahead of a possible strike that could happen as early as May 16.

Kris Kolluri, president and CEO of New Jersey Transit, was front and center at a fiery press conference Wednesday afternoon. The agency and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen – the union that represents the engineers - continue to butt heads over salaries.

"These 372 members who live in New Jersey, who work in New Jersey, somehow believe that they’re entitled to make wages like they live in New York and work in New York," Kolluri said.

Tom Haas is the chairman of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen.

"We’re just looking for a wage that is closer to what the average of what every other passenger railroad engineer in the United States makes," Haas said.

A new deal has yet to be reached between New Jersey Transit and the BLET. The May 16 deadline is still in place for a possible strike if an agreement isn’t reached.

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"At 12:01 a.m., any train that is currently en route, we would finish that trip, but once we’re done, that’s it, the engineers will leave the property," Haas said.

According to NJ Transit, if this happens, PATH, Amtrak, ferries, buses and Light Rail would continue to run. There’d be enhanced bus service and supplemental bus service at four park-and-rides, to move people from Secaucus, Hamilton, Woodbridge and the PNC Arts Center in Holmdel.

Around 350,000 commuters rely on NJ Transit every day. However, if engineers strike, NJ Transit officials say they would focus on moving essential workers.

"Our hope and our plan is, we will move about 20% of the folks through the system. We are going to focus on moving essential workers who need to get to their work," Kolluri said.

A tentative deal was reached in March, but the union later shot it down. The two parties met again on Wednesday and NJ Transit presented a new offer to the union - but still no deal.

"Unfortunately, it’s not something that we, as the BLET, will be able to move forward with," Haas said.

According to NJ Transit, the deal the Union is asking for could fiscally bankrupt NJ Transit.

NJ Transit asks anyone who has the option to work from home to do so. Kolluri also said the agency is laying out this contingency plan two weeks ahead of the deadline to give commuters time to find alternatives.

NJ Transit and the union will be back at the bargaining table next week, where the union will have a counterproposal.