arrow Times Square subway station, May 3rd, 2021 Andrew H Walker/Shutterstock
Despite suffering from the highest number of COVID deaths at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, subway and bus workers have the lowest vaccination rate of its employees.
Just 37% of workers at New York City Transit, the MTA Bus Company, and Staten Island Railway have received at least one dose of the vaccine, according to the authority’s recordkeeping. The MTA said it only keeps tabs of staff who receive shots during work hours or who self-report taking a dose elsewhere in the city.
New York City Transit comprises the MTA’s largest workforce with 50,696 employees. Only 18,980 of them have taken one dose. COVID-19 has killed 162 people at the MTA to date, and 151 of those deaths involved subway and bus workers. Transit workers were among the earliest groups to be eligible for the vaccine in January.
MTA/TWU spar with de Blasio after mayor denies subway crime spike, blames Cuomo
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The MTA and Transit Workers Union are calling on New York City to deploy additional NYPD officers and mental health resources to the subway system following a spate of recent attacks on transit workers, one that they say Mayor Bill de Blasio is denying exists.
That includes three incidents on Wednesday and two more Thursday, including one in which a conductor was knocked unconscious and another where an off-duty worker was slashed in the face and remains in critical condition.
The conductor had smelled cigarette smoke on a 2 train between 238th Street and Nereid Avenue in the Wakefield section of the Bronx around 1:30 p.m. Thursday.
After Feuding With MTA Over Subway Safety, NYC Agrees To Add Volunteer Police Officers Underground
arrow An NYPD officer on an A train in February 2021 Bebeto Matthews/AP/Shutterstock
The NYPD announced an agreement Friday to send auxiliary police officers to the 20 busiest subway stations, after weeks of the MTA and the city being at loggerheads over safety and crime in the transit system. Auxiliary officers are “trained to observe and report conditions requiring the services of the regular police,” according to the NYPD. They are all volunteers.
The NYPD did not say how many volunteers would be sent, but added that the auxiliary officers would be deployed with a police officer. This move follows a week of horrific attacks on transit workers, in which one off-duty conductor was slashed with a box cutter, and another knocked unconscious after confronting a rider smoking on a train.
Sexual Harassment Allegations Roil N.Y.C. Mayorâs Race: 5 Takeaways
Scott Stringer, the city comptroller, has faced criticism for his aggressive defense against accusations from a former campaign worker.
Scott Stringer, the city comptroller, has denied accusations that he sexually assaulted a woman 20 years ago.Credit.Gabriela Bhaskar for The New York Times
May 3, 2021, 3:00 a.m. ET
For much of the New York City mayorâs race, Andrew Yang has been a dominating presence, leading in limited early polling and siphoning attention from his rivals.
That largely remained true last week, but an unexpected story line â the sexual assault allegations lodged against Scott M. Stringer, the city comptroller â gave the race another focal point.
MTA To Resume 24-Hour Subway Service May 17, Gov. Cuomo Says
CBS New York 5/4/2021 Syndicated Local – CBS New York
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) The MTA will resume 24-hour subway service starting May 17, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Monday.
Many riders said it’s been a long time coming. But like almost anything that requires coordination between the governor and Mayor Bill de Blasio, this plan is replete with infighting, CBS2’s Ali Bauman reported.
More than a year ago, Cuomo reduced subway service for daily cleaning amid the COVID outbreak. Service has been shut down from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. to accommodate cleaning crews.