One of his political high points came on the first morning of a public-transit strike in 1980.

WSJ: Three-Term New York Mayor Ed Koch Dies at Age 88

The 1980 transit strike is remembered for Koch's stand on the Brooklyn Bridge.

WSJ: Insufferable or irrepressible, Koch inspired NYC

During a 1980 transit strike, he strode down to the Brooklyn Bridge to boost the spirits of commuters who had to walk to work.

WSJ: Legendary NYC mayor Koch dies; Monday funeral set

Two years ago, in advance of a transit strike in New York City, Dell built up stores of replacement parts, rented Midtown hotel rooms and relied on helicopters and bike messengers to get parts to customers.

FORBES: On The Cover/Top Stories

That might help explain why New York City's transit workers were willing to wage an illegal strike last month.

FORBES: Magazine Article

After work one morning last month, he was stranded halfway from home at the Rosa Parks Transit Center downtown by a one-day bus-driver strike.

WSJ: Detroit Abandons Plan for Train Line

After a quiet weekend, the strike bit hard this Monday, when the 350, 000 commuters who normally use the Metropolitan Transit Authority's buses and the 100, 000 who use its trains every day had to find an alternative.

ECONOMIST: The LA transport strike