Class Is Part of a Push to Rebuild Front Line Workforce in Aftermath of Pandemic-Induced Hiring Freeze Last Year
New Bus Operators Join 174 Bus Operators and 56 Subway Conductors Who Recently Completed Training
View Photos from the Graduations Here
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced that 91 newly trained bus operators graduated following their successful completion of training at the Zerega Training Center in Castle Hill in the Bronx in the last week.
These operators will help New York City Transit (NYCT) tackle recent crew shortage challenges and bolster the frequency of bus service. This marked the formal end of six weeks of intensive training that began in October. The graduation took place as New York City Transit Bus and MTA Bus Company combined ridership hovers between 60 and 70 percent of pre-pandemic levels.
"Whether you’re heading to the office or to visit friends and family this holiday season, the MTA is ready to get you there,” said New York City Transit Interim President Craig Cipriano. “These 91 new bus operators will work across our 327 routes to provide great public transit bus service as we welcome back New Yorkers to our system.”
“By improving our recruiting efforts and accelerating the training process, we are able to move more operators into the system more quickly,” said Acting President at the MTA Bus Company and Senior Vice President at New York City Transit's Department of Buses Frank Annicaro. “Riders can expect a high level of bus service supported by this new group of bus operators who are helping address our staff shortages."
The new employees join the 174 bus operators and 56 subway conductors who recently completed their training, and the hundreds of NYCT workers who are expected to be onboarded in the months ahead — part of a deliberate effort undertaken by the MTA to rapidly grow the number of bus operators, subway train operators and conductors. A hiring freeze — necessitated by a fiscal crisis that developed during the pandemic — depleted the ranks of bus operators with many veteran workers retiring or leaving their frontline posts.
MTA Is the Best Way to Beat Gridlock Alert Days During the Holiday Season
Public transit is the best way to beat Gridlock Alert Days this holiday season as millions of travelers hit the roads to shop, eat and get to their holiday destinations.
NYC DOT has designated the following Gridlock Alert Days for 2021:
- Wednesday, December 15
- Thursday, December 16
- Friday, December 17
- Wednesday, December 22
Millions of people travel during the holiday season including on mass transit, which means fewer vehicles on the roads. Encouraging the use of mass transit results in less traffic on the roadways consequently reducing greenhouse gas emissions.