Union Bus Operators Call for Action on Assaults

There was a huge media presence outside the Kingsbridge Bus Depot Wednesday, May 18, 2022, as TWU Local 100 held a press conference calling attention to assaults against Bus Operators all across the city.

Bus Operators described their ordeals to the assembled media: at least eight television stations, plus print and broadcast outlets, were on hand.  MaBSTOA 1 Division

Chair Donald Yates and Vice Chair Sean Battaglia, meanwhile, called on riders, transit officials, and government leaders to take specific actions to increase safety.

Dozens of Bus Operators from the depot attended the press conference. Shop Steward Monique Rondon spoke along with assaulted members Diane Delgado, Sacha Alvarez, and Wilfredo Tineo.

“The whole situation is really dire,” Yates said. Battaglia said: “We’re averaging one violent assault a week. We’re just not getting the police protection we need.”

 

The actions TWU Local 100 officers urged include:
• Police: Have NYPD and/or MTA police ride buses in uniform. The rare step-on, step-off spot checks done by precinct officers are woefully inadequate.
• MTA: Purchase buses with ‘cockpit’ designs that feature wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling barriers preventing anyone from getting at the Bus Operator.
• Riders: Help authorities identify and arrest criminals who assault Bus Operators by calling CrimeStoppers. The duo who attacked a BX18 Bus Operator on May 5th, for example, remain at large even though the police released video images and appealed for tips.
• Riders: Respect and help protect Bus Operators – the COVID-19 Heroes who brought essential workers to their essential jobs in hospitals, grocery stores, firehouses, and other work locations. Riders should share our outrage that Bus Operators are physically and verbally attacked and abused on a regular basis, and should not tolerate abuse.
• Legislators: Amend the state penal code to elevate spitting on a transit worker from a violation to a misdemeanor. As a violation, police right now cannot take any action unless an officer actually witnesses a spitting incident.

Here are some links to the coverage:
New York Post
abc7NY
NY1
AMNY
Daily News