Stay off Metro Bus & Rail if you're not an essential worker

Stay off Metro Bus & Rail if you're not an essential worker.

NEW AT SIX -- N-F-T-AWORKERS ON THEFRONTLINES SAY THEYARE RISKING THEIRLIVES ON THE JOBEVERY DAY.NOW - THEY AREASKING NON-ESSENTIAL WORKERSTO STAY OFF THEBUSES.

AND THEY'RETRYING TO GET A PAYRAISE, TOO.7 EYEWITNESS NEWSINVESTIGATORCHARLIE SPECHT ISWORKING THIS STORY.JEFFRICHARDSON/BUSDRIVERS UNIONPRESIDENT:THEY'RE SCARED.THEY'RE WORRIEDABOUT THEIR SAFETY.ABOUT TAKING THISHOME TO THEIRFAMILIES.JEFF RICHARDSON ISCONCERNED ABOUTHIS FELLOW METROBUS DRIVERS WHOARE KEEPING THENFTA ROLLINGDESPITE COVID-19.JEFFRICHARDSON/BUSDRIVERS UNIONPRESIDENT:TRANSPORTATION ISTHE EASIEST WAY FORPEOPLE TO GET IT,BECAUSE THERE'SOVERCROWDING ONTHE BACK OF THE BUS.YES WE PROVIDEDSOME SAFETYMEASURES FOR THEOPERATORS, BUTWE'VE GOT TO MAKESURE THAT IT'S NOTOVERCROWDED SOTHAT IT JUST DON'TCONTINUE TO SPREAD.RICHARDSON THINKSBUS AND RAILOPERATORS SHOULDRECEIVE HAZARD PAYFOR THEIREFFORTS...BUT THEN-F-T-A SAYS THEFEDERAL CARES ACT"DID NOT INCLUDEPROVISIONS FORSALARY INCREASESFOR ESSENTIALFRONT-LINEWORKERS."JEFFRICHARDSON/BUSDRIVERS UNIONPRESIDENT:IT'S KIND OF HARD TOKEEP SOCIALDISTANCING ON A BUS.THAT'S WHY WE HAVETO BRING THENUMBERS DOWN.HE SAYS ONE THINGTHE PUBLIC CAN DOIS STAY OFF THE BUSAND METRO RAILUNLESS YOU'RE ADOCTOR, NURSE,FIRST RESPONDER,GROCERY CLERK OROTHER 'ESSENTIAL'WORKER.JEFFRICHARDSON/BUSDRIVERS UNIONPRESIDENT:WE HAVE PEOPLERIDING THE BUS THATARE JUST GOING FOR ARIDE, FOR A BLOCK ORTWO.

BECAUSE THEFARES ARE FREE, SOTHEY FEEL THEY CANJUST RIDE ALL DAY,AND THEY'RE NOTESSENTIAL RIDERS.HELEN TEDEROUS,NFTA SPOKESWOMAN:YOU KNOW, YOU MAYGET SOME PEOPLEJOYRIDING OR NOTESSENTIALLYTRAVELING.WE'VE RECEIVEDREPORTS OFOVERCROWDING ONROUTES ON BAILEYAVENUE...AND TONIAGARA FALLS...BUTOVERALL, N-F-T-ASPOKESWOMANHELEN TEDEROUSSAYS RIDERSHIP ISDOWN 74 PERCENT.HELEN TEDEROUS,NFTA SPOKESWOMAN:EVEN THOUGH THAT ISNOT HAPPENINGFREQUENTLY, IT ISHAPPENING AND WE'RESEEING IT IN CERTAINPEAKS OF THE DAY.AFTERNOONS CAN BECHALLENGING ONSOME ROUTES.

SOWHAT WE ARE ASKINGREALLYEVERYONE...JUSTESSENTIAL TRAVELING.TEDEROUS SAYS 94PERCENT OF TRIPSHAVE HAD 9 RIDERSOR FEWER...ASVERIFIED FROM THENFTA'S SECURITYCAMERAS ON THEBUSES.THE N-F-T-A HAS ALSOREDUCED CAPACITYBY ROPING OFFCERTAIN SECTIONS OFTHE BUS WHERE NOONE IS ALLOWED TOSIT...BUT IF ANYRIDERS DO FEELUNCOMFORTABLE,TEDEROUS SAYS THEN-F-T-A HAS ASOLUTION.HELEN TEDEROUS,NFTA SPOKESWOMAN:THEY CAN WAIT FORTHE OTHER BUS, CALLCUSTOMER SERVICEAND A CHASER BUSWILL COME TO BOARDTHE BUS, SO IT IS ASSOCIAL DISTANCING ASYOU CAN GET ON ABUS.CHARLIE SPECHT, 7EYEWITNESS NEWS