PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Milan Pierre Lewis, MTA Bus Operator from Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 100
3:14:24
·
123 sec
Milan Pierre Lewis, an MTA bus operator with 21 years of experience, testified about safety concerns related to commuter van operators in Jamaica, Queens. He highlighted the unsafe practices of van drivers and how they impact bus operations and passenger safety.
- Van drivers often make sudden stops and pickups, creating hazards for bus operators and pedestrians
- Presence of vans at Jamaica Center contributes to congestion and blocks bus lanes, affecting bus schedules
- Unsafe driving practices of van operators, such as running red lights and picking up passengers in unsafe locations, pose risks to bus passengers and operators
Milan Pierre Lewis
3:14:24
Good morning.
3:14:24
I'm in good afternoon.
3:14:26
My name is Milan Pierre Lewis.
3:14:29
I'm an MCA bus operator, CWU Local 100.
3:14:33
I've been driving for 21 years in Jamaica, Queens, and I'm here to talk about the caravan drivers.
3:14:41
Okay.
3:14:42
The vans are not held to the same safety.
3:14:45
Standard of us empty operators.
3:14:48
Their practice, their driving practice are unsafe, making them a hazard to bus operators and the pedestrians.
3:14:57
The bus the developments often pull over suddenly stop and pick up passengers and create a danger and a safety to us, operators, that's coming into a bus stop when they pulled in in front of us.
3:15:13
And just stop and pick up.
3:15:16
The president of them in Jamaica Center contribute to the congestion, their frequent stop, blocking traffic, the bus lane, while we're picking up wheelchair or dropping off wheelchair or dropping people off with walkers and canes.
3:15:32
It's a problem for us when they are standing in our bus stops.
3:15:37
The bus lane also, and that may come may like, messed up with our schedules.
3:15:44
So the vans are now where we're not not they're not what you call it.
3:15:53
They're not where we walk in about the traffic, they take red lights.
3:15:59
They do everything they have to do.
3:16:01
They drive their unsafe.
3:16:03
They picked up on any unsafe location.
3:16:06
We're forced to break fast.
3:16:08
Some time people on our buses, some time they fell down, and we are the one that's facing the consequences.
3:16:16
And when we are there in the nighttime, we do pick up Hollywood, like, 5 to 5 to 10 minutes ahead.
3:16:23
So we do pick up.
3:16:26
Sorry.