Erie County Legislature head requests essential worker pass for NFTAo

Erie County Legislature Chairwoman April Baskin proposed an NFTA essential worker pass to limit the amount of people using public transportation.

GOOD EVENING ONCEAGAIN.WHO SHOULD BEALLOWED TO RIDEPUBLICTRANSPORTATIONDURING THIS COVID-19CRISIS HERE INWESTERN NEW YORK?THE HEAD OF THEERIE COUNTYLEGISLATURE SAYSACCESS SHOULD BELIMITED.SEVEN EYEWITNESSNEWS REPORTEROLIVIA PROIA HASREACTION TONIGHTFROM THE "N-F-T-A".THIS DOESN'T LOOKLIKE IT USED TO.HELEN: WE'RE REALLYTALKING ABOUT ADRAMATIC CHANGE INOUR RIDERSHIP.RIDERS NOW BOARDN-F-T-A BUSSES FROMTHE BACK... AND...THERE'S LESS RIDERS.HELEN: WE'VE SEEN ADRAMATIC DECLINE INRIDERSHIP.

IT'SAPPROXIMATELY 77PERCENT.

SO THEREARE CLEARLY NOT ALOT OF PEOPLETRAVELING.BUT ERIE COUNTYLEGISLATURECHAIRWOMAN, APRILBASKIN, SAYS SHEWANTS TO SEE EVENLESS - BY CREATINGAN AN ESSENTIALWORKER PASS.APRIL: WE SHOULDWORK ON LIMITING THENON ESSENTIALRESIDENTS RIDING THEBUS AND PUTTINGESSENTIAL WORKERSRIDING THE BUS INJEOPARDY WHEN ITCOMES TO SPREADINGCOVID 19.SHE SAYS THE GOAL ISTO ELIMINATE"JOYRIDERS" WHO ARENOT TRAVELING FORESSENTIAL REASONS.HELEN: AT FIRST BLUSTHOUGH, IT'SDEFEATING THEPURPOSE AND IT'SVERY VERY IMPORTANTTO ELIMINATE CLOSEPROXIMITY BETWEENTHE RIDER AND THEOPERATOR.

HAVING APASS SHOWN WOULDDEFEAT THATPURPOSE.

IT WOULDDEFEAT WHAT WE'REREALLY WORKINGHARD AT GIVING THEBOARDING AND EXITINGAT THE REAR OF THEBUS..BY LIMITING TRAVEL TOONLY ESSENTIALWORKERS... OTHERSLIVES MAY BEHINDERED.HELEN: MANY MANYPEOPLE DEPEND ONPUBLICTRANSPORTATION TOGET TO GET TO THEGROCERY STORE.

TOGET TO PHARMACIES.TO GET ESSENTIALSHOPPING DONE.

ANDTHAT IS WHAT'S TAKINGPLACE RIGHT NOW.THAT'S WHY BASKINSAYS THIS PROPOSALNEEDS TO BEFLESHED OUT WITHTHE N-F-T-A.APRIL: SO MAYB