A Day In The Life Of An MTA Train Operator during COVID
As more states slowly begin to reopen, a contextually old, yet polarizing debate was brought new life: What constitutes an essential worker or business? According to New York State, essential encapsulates specific specializations under health care, infrastructure, manufacturing, and a myriad of other industries. In New York City, it is clear that our train system is essential for the vast majority of New Yorkers to get around, making all of the MTA employees essential workers. But as we shelter in place to stay safe and people are terrified to go into the trains, what steps are being made to make sure the people doing the most important jobs right now are safe. Please read further to learn more from one amazing train operator, Paul.
How long have you worked for the MTA?
Since July of 2008. That’s when I was appointed and started training.
Do you alway drive the same train? Can you tell us which one?
For the foreseeable future I will be operating the G train. For the record, we don’t “drive” trains. We operate them.
Usually, severe weather like heavy blizzards, or the aftermath of hurricane Sandy, can cause a disruption to NYC public transportation. Have you ever experienced a city shutdown like this before? If so, what was it like?
From what I remember of Sandy, we operated light “empty” trains when we were able to get to work. Those trains were for employees and other essential workers to get into work if they could.
Paul in his MTA attire.
What is your daily routine like? How has it changed since the mass quarantine? What are some difficulties you've experienced since the lockdown?
My daily routine is not so much different than a routine when there is a regular schedule. The differences are less passengers and my intervals (the time you leave each end of the terminal to get to the other end) might be different than normal, depending on which supplemental schedule they use.
The difficulties that some of my late night co-workers have experienced are drunks and homeless people at the end of the terminal who don’t want to get off the train.
What actions has the MTA taken to keep MTA workers, like yourself, safe during COVID? Do you feel it is enough?
Hardly any at first. When it first started, we were forbidden from wearing masks and some were threatened with discipline because the masks “don’t fit in with our uniform policy”. Now, they issue one mask to last the week, one set of gloves per DAY and five alcohol wipes to wipe down your operating position, which is insufficient.
What additional actions are you personally taking to keep yourself safe?
I am buying my own masks and some friends sent me some cloth ones with filters. I’m also lucky enough to have my vacation happen for the month of May. I’m staying home for four weeks.
The homeless issue in NYC is a huge problem. With no shelter, many resort to sleeping on the streets and subway. How has this affected your trains?
As far as the train cleanup goes, it’s all smoke and mirrors. Yes, the trains do get cleaned, but the homeless just mill about upstairs and then come back down and get right back on the trains and dirty them up again.
Have there been any talks for initiatives to help protect both the homeless and commuters from the virus? Are they still doing deep cleans of the trains? Do you think that is enough?
The deep cleans are not enough if they don’t KEEP the homeless off the trains. The train cars are dirty again as soon as the homeless get back on them and stay that way until the following night when they are cleaned again.
Do you feel New Yorkers and your commuters are taking this Shelter-At-Home seriously enough? How about social distancing on the trains?
It’s impossible to social distance on the G line if you are a passenger. We only have four cars. We were running full length trains for a while, but they stopped it so those trains could be cleaned. We are back to four cars for the foreseeable future. I don’t think the passengers are taking this seriously. I still see many who don’t wear masks on the trains.
What is the general opinion shared between you and your colleagues on the government's management of the city during this pandemic? What is the general consensus on the MTA's management?
Piss poor on TA management’s part. When they finally decided to open their stockpile of masks, they had been sitting in storage so long that the rubber/elastic bands broke for some people when they tried to put them on. They still give us only one a week and they also have changed our designation so we are unable to file for EFLMA under the new law.
NYC mass transit is notorious for being a place full of awkward and bizarre exchanges — especially the subway. What has been the strangest subway experience you've had or seen since the COVID-19 quarantine?
I’ve been lucky enough to not have been affected by any strange occurrences on my line.
If you had the choice right now, would you choose to close down the MTA during this?
Yes, I would, but then we’d all be furloughed.
If someone asked you if you think it is safe to ride the MTA right now, what would you tell them?
I would tell them to find alternate transportation if possible, unless they had all their protections in place.
What are your thoughts on the future? Do you think NYC will implement permanent changes to our transportation system?
They should. We had a pandemic plan in place since 2012, but the MTA did not follow it since all they care about is keeping the trains moving.
What would you like to see the average person do more to help during this time?
Stay home if you can. If you can’t, make sure you wear your mask and some rubber gloves on the train. Don’t touch the train with those gloves and then touch your phone. You will get yourself sick.
What is your motto in life?
I don’t have one.
Please list any websites or social media you would like Jejune to promote:
https://progressiveaction.info/ and the youtube channel. You’ll get plenty more insight into how the MTA treats its “heroes”.
