If you quote, please quote the full story, continuing on from what you posted.
Hersman said controllers at Teterboro at some point told Altman to switch radio frequencies so Newark controllers could communicate with him, but Newark never made contact, she said.
The VFR corridor stops at 1100 MSL, above that is controlled airspace and why he needed to switch over to Newark.
Anyway, these are not the full transcripts, so we don't know everything that was said, and exact clearances given.