Transit workers in California’s Bay Area went on strike Friday at midnight local time, a move that will hamper the commutes of many, again.

A previous strike over contract disputes paralyzed the San Francisco regional transportation system for four days in July.

Despite intense negotiations, Bay Area Rapid Transit officials and union representatives couldn’t agree in a battle over salaries and pensions.

“I’m sorry, I’m regretful,” Roxanne Sanchez, a union president told reporters. “The employer has been unwilling to reach an agreement or to settle these disputes without a strike.”

BART officials were scrambling early Friday to provide free buses for some of the thousands of people commuting, CNN affiliate KGO reported.

BART is the nation’s fifth-largest train system, with 44 stations in 26 cities that make up the Bay Area, according to the transit authority.

About 400,000 people use the service daily.

The-CNN-Wire
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