MTA bus drivers want more protection for drivers amid recent violence

Many MTA bus drivers are claiming that something needs to be done about the violence they say seems to have become an everyday occurrence in New York.

News 12 Staff

Feb 21, 2020, 2:03 PM

Updated 1,790 days ago

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Many MTA bus drivers are claiming that something needs to be done about the violence they say seems to have become an everyday occurrence in New York.
They say they believe the MTA needs to do more to protect its drivers. The local 100 Transit Workers Union also says drivers receive no training on how to deal with violence and that if they fight back, they are penalized.
Several bus operators opened up about assaults while on the job, including 66-year-old Matthew Ashby who was driving the B15 bus when he was recently attacked with a metal padlock.
Ashby says he had to have stitches in his head, and he's not sure when he'll be able to return to work.
The MTA and the TWU say a solution to the attacks would be increased police presence, adding that they're also working with the MTA police to combat the issue.
By 2024, security cameras are expected to be installed on all buses, according to the MTA's capital plan.