WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES DECEMBER 24, 2020 13
Dealing with a difficult year in NYC subways
BY SARAH E. FEINBERG
This has been an incredibly difficult year for
many reasons. In addition to the heartbreaking
losses suffered by the NYC Transit family
due to the pandemic, we’ve all struggled deeply
with the murder of our friend and colleague Garrett
Goble — who tragically died after an arsonist
set fire to his 2 train on March 27.
Every single day since then NYCT has grieved
and mourned his loss. Each time we speak with
his wife Delilah, our hearts are broken all over
again and each time we spoke to police, spoke to
Garrett’s mother Vicki, or spoke with Garrett’s
friends at Transit, they broke again.
But finally, we can take solace in knowing his alleged
killer is being brought to justice. The NYPD
has arrested and charged a suspect with murder in
connection with Garrett’s death. Nothing can bring
him back to his sweet family, but we are grateful
to the police for their relentless persistence and
hard work on this case.
There should be no tolerance for any form of
violence in our transit system. Fires, sexual assaults,
assaults on our workers – these are crimes
committed against the very best of New York — the
brave men and women who show up and serve this
city each day and keep us all moving forward no
matter the challenges.
Last week, our valiant workforce was tested by
the first major winter storm of the season and they
came through heroically, just as I knew they would.
By the time the storm was tapering off Thursday
morning, service was already starting to normalize,
and by midday the subways were operating
a normal weekday schedule with only scattered
delays and a few isolated re-routings on our buses
in the outer boroughs. This is an amazing feat.
There is so much preparation that happens
before the first flakes of any blizzard even fall.
Thousands of people are mobilized to get snow
fighting equipment into place across the city, move
trains from yards to be stored underground, outfit
buses with tire chains, start de-icing, and more.
Everyone plays a part in any well executed storm
response.
I had no doubt the NYC Transit team could
handle it. They have managed to deliver on projects
big and small throughout this year, which has
been one of the darkest in our agency’s history.
Our workers have been the heroes moving heroes
throughout the pandemic. Transit’s tireless efforts
serve as a reminder that the women and men of
New York City Transit are essential workers and
public servants in the truest sense of the words. It
is one of the greatest privileges of my life to lead
this agency and its brave employees.
After all that we’ve been through this year, I look
forward to what will hopefully be a better 2021,
especially now that vaccines are becoming available
and a transit-friendly Biden administration
is set to take over the White House. But no matter
what happens, I know that New York City Transit
is ready for whatever comes our way.
Sarah Feinberg is acting MTA New York City
Transit president.
SNAPS
ADMIRING THE SNOW
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY HAIFA BISRAH
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