Two Miami-Dade bus drivers and an employee from the radio room have tested positive for coronavirus in recent days, their union leader said, as transit workers — who are also on the front lines — continue to work without protective gear.
And the southbound Route 9 bus in Aventura had 60 passengers on board Friday morning. Maybe they should call it Route 19. As in COVID19.
“To have 60 people on the bus is just not healthy,” said Jeffrey Mitchell, president of the local Transport Workers Union 
chapter, who has been making spot checks on the busiest routes.
Mitchell said the new guidelines are to have a maximum of 25 passengers. Wait, 25? Two dozen plus one, plus a driver? So 26 people in one 40-foot petri dish. Oh, that’s right! Because Mayor Carlos Gimenez banned congregations of more than 10 people except on buses or trains, which are obviously magical COVID-free zones. If anyone wants to have a party, catch a bus.
Even so, when drivers radio for a replacement bus because there are 25 people on board, the answer is usually there is no replacement bus coming, Mitchell told Ladra. “And we ain’t in the business of leaving people stranded.”
He has identified 10 very busy routes where cuts in service have forced buses to travel with more passengers. “We need more buses on those heavy routes because they’re being swamped,” Mitchell said. Even though passengers are asked to board through the rear door to protect the driver — and/or themselves from the driver — it is impossible to keep social distance guidelines when there are 25 people in a 40-foot bus.
The county is “still ordering” the personal protection items they need — gloves, masks, hand sanitizer, Mitchell said. “They’re scrambling. They’re trying to get it now. But it’s a little late.
Read related: Stay home for COVID19 — unless you catch a bus, grab a bite, need toilet paper
“Lots of people still don’t have any masks, unless they bring it from home, and those are usually not the right kind,” Mitchell said.
“They’re giving our operators one pair of gloves, one sanitary wipe per shift and they fill the little, personal bottle of sanitizer once a week,” Mitchell said. “They usually don’t last a week.”
It’s gotten so bad that the union has ordered 10,000 masks and gloves on its own. “We just went out and bought it ourselves 
because we can’t keep waiting,” Mitchell said.
The two largest transit unions in the U.S., representing 330,000 transit workers nationwide, got together Friday to demand that government transit agencies in Miami, New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, Detroit and Colombus, Ohio, provide more sanitation and protective gear to members who may be exposed to coronavirus every day they go to work.
“We are not cannon fodder. Dying is no way to make a living,” reads the headline of a press release from the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU) and the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) where they vowed to take “aggressive action” if operators don’t better protect their workers from COVID19.
This “historic agreement to work collectively to put maximum pressure on transit agencies that are failing to take protective measures to safeguard” is on behalf of bus operators, train operators, conductors, track workers, car cleaners, mechanics, and other frontline transit workers.
Read related: Day 5 of COVID19 in Miami-Dade — more closures, masks and tests coming
Hundreds of transit workers in more than 20 states have already tested positive for COVID19. More are certainly going to be. New York City, where 10 transit workers 
have died, may be the national epicenter of the pandemic today, but the virus continues to spread across the country and Miami-Dade is expected to “peak” in three to five weeks. Coronavirus fatalities among transit workers have also been confirmed in Detroit, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., Rocky Hill, Connecticut and Everett, Washington.
Miami-Dade County and other agencies nationwide haven’t shut down transit because it is a needed pipeline that delivers essential workers — first responders, healthcare workers, food industry employees — to work. But they are also putting these same essential workers — which include the bus and train operators — at risk.
“America cannot properly fight COVID-19 without transit workers. The government must ensure they are properly protected,” the unions’ joint statement read.
“If transit agencies don’t take immediate and dramatic steps to protect our members, there will be serious consequences,” TWU International President John Samuelson said. “We will not sit back and let transit workers be treated like cannon fodder in this war against the coronavirus. We can—and will—take aggressive action.”
The demands are that transit agencies:
- Provide gloves and masks to transit workers
- Regularly disinfect buses, trains, streetcars, and worker facilities, including crew rooms
- Enforce rear-door boarding to maintain a safe distance between riders and bus operators
- Suspend use of any timekeeping systems that require multiple workers to touch the same digital screen, keyboard, or fingerprint-scanning device
- Begin systematically cleaning and sanitizing equipment and facilities
- Urge riders to cover their faces with a bandana or scarf if they are not wearing masks while riding mass transit
- Mandate social distancing among transit riders using their systems, as well as workers in crew rooms and other facilities
- Provide in the line of duty death benefits for employees
- Agree to ‘pandemic leave’ policies that ensure no one potentially exposed to COVID is compelled to go to work to keep their job.
“Too many transit agencies are not providing personal protective equipment for their employees, endangering the lives of our 
members and the families they go home to, Amalgamated Transit Union International President John Costa said in the statement.
“It is beyond shameful that those tasked with overseeing these agencies during this crisis have allowed us to arrive at this juncture! We are prepared to take whatever aggressive action is necessary in order to protect our members and their families,” Costa said.
Read related: Miami-Dade COVID19 focus stays on seniors as data shows younger at risk
“Nothing is off the table. Dying is no way to make a living.”
The strong wording in the language used by he international labor leaders sounds like a strike is looming, and isn’t that what always happens in the apocalyptic movies? The transit and sanitation workers strike first?
But Mitchell said that Miami-Dade transit employees consider themselves essential workers because they serve a critical need that could become even more vital in a time like this. Already, nurses at Jackson Memorial Hospital have complained about the reduced hours on MetroRail because they can’t get home after their night shifts, Mitchell said.
“It isn’t our plan to strike,” Mitchell said, “but to bring public awareness to the fact that they aren’t giving us the proper equipment.”
Until they do, Gimenez and his staff and Transit and Public Works Director Alice Bravo should ride Route 9 every morning.
Three Miami-Dade transit workers test positive for COVID19; union wants gear added by Ladra on
View all posts by Ladra →
I take the bus, route 11 (SW 1st) to be exact, to work because I’m an essential employee, so screw you people who say close the transit; UNTIL EVERYTHING ESSENTIAL CLOSES, PEOPLE NEED TRANSPORTATION TO THEIR JOBS AND GROCERIES. RIDE SHARES ARE STILL OPERATING EVEN. DON’T BE SO ONE-MINDED!
Anyways, regarding MDC Transit, I recalled at least over a year ago they were going to put taxpayers money into increasing transit in the busiest routes by every 15 mins. It happened maybe for 2 weeks.
On a daily basis, of course people are packed in like sardines ESPECIALLY when the schools are out and you have these smelly overactive high schoolers, who already can’t find a seat, all standing up – which 1) how do you expect people to get off when it’s crowded, 2) if an accident was to happen, where do you think those people will go or become of?
Luckily, the schools are off and many people aren’t, and the freakin’ elderly and their gazillion relatives are taking heed and staying home so I actually, so far, have had the next seat even to myself. But it’s not enough. There needs to be more busses out and shorter intervals between each schedule to get people home quick and safely.
You are mistaken. If Transiy employees lives are at stake then we need to shut the system down, until we can get past the curve. Buy a bike MF.
Ronnie no need to make this a racial issue. There are plenty of Hispanics, some Indian, Russian, Filipinos, etc, in the agency. Were are all in this together. The fact that Gimenez is rat speaks of his poor state of humanity not his race/ ethicnicity. There are rats in every group, unfortunately.
That being said, nobody mentioned that all of Miami Dade Transit’s managment and office personnel are at home on administrative leave. ( i.e being paid to stay home while not burning up their own sick leave.) How wonderful for Alice Bravo to say that you need to come to work while she, and the worthless administrators around her, write emails in their pjs and then take, the rest of the day off to ride their bikes? Basically the frontline workers are being told to risk disease and death while these worthless, overpaid fools take a vacation? The Union isn’t doing enough. They need to shut this down until we get past the worst of this. By keeping Transit open you are risking workers lives and spreading this virus from one end of the County to the other!
The bus operator position is an ” essential position “, and most bus drivers know this. Quit fanning the flames, and know that to be an employee of Miami-Dade Transit you have to be an adult. An adult knows how to act safe during flu season, Covid-19 can be worse, but it’s a natural, now unavoidable event, which is going to stay with us for about a year and a half, admittedly in a more manageable proportions, but it’s everyone’s job to manage it! .
Good Morning World. In my opinion i believe that they need to shut down the Transit system in Miami Dade & Broward Counties. In order to fix a problem you have start from when & where it started from. We all know you have hundreds of thousands of people catching public transportation. People get on the buses & trains coughing sneezing & blowing their noses. Your sitting shoulder to shoulder or sranding next to each otherr sometimes for 15 – 30 minutes.
Broward Transit has no Shield on none of there old buses to protect. You would’ve thought once they ordered New Buses that they would’ve ordered them with protective shield for their Bus Operators . Miami Dade buses do have a little protective shield for their Bus Operators (A liitle) I believe they Need to installed some type of doors for the Bus Operators that separate them from the customers as their entering the bus.
It’s not only due to covid-19 but to plenty of other incidents that has been happening on the bus between customers and Bus operators. How can you expect Bus Operators to do their job? when they do not feel safe or protected while doing their job.
Mayor Gimimez me of Miami-Dade County is a selfish disgusting parasite of a human being. He has no morals all he see is dollar signs. He doesn’t care about the human race. He’s one of those people that will through his own family under the Bus.
And Alice Bravo she’s no better Asst superintendent of Transit Derek Gordon is an Uncle Tom. He smiles in your face but will put in a knife in your back.
Director Wilton of Broward Transit act likes he can’t make right decision either. It looks like when Miami-Dade Transit make a decision, then Broward Transit makes a decision and vice versa like, let’s play tag.
Shut transit down for 2 weeks. Get your transportation department employees all tested. Those that catch the express buses & regular routes. Most have cars, now all tolls are suspended gas is less so it won’t be so stressful for them.
This covid-19 is never going to end until we start somewhere Miami-Dade Transit and Broward Transit Department take heed to the warning. Shut Transit down now before it’s too late and people start dying. Due to covid-19 like in other cities.
I saw in a comment earlier where they said that Miami-Dade transit & Broward Transit don’t care, you’re just another number to them. That is So True. because they will replace you with someone else and it’s sad to say they do not value they employees
Train and bus operators are 85%black.gimmenez can’t run again so now looking for another position to harm black people like gov.rick scott.both are the new klansmen of.south fka. And desantis the gov.
Gimmenez don’t care about bus operators or the deputy Alice bravo because .We are 85 %of transit.they are racist.they only care about their cronies. Just like trump.
Its Radio tech at the shop not radio room.
Two days they claimed it was cleaned, and called technicians who had contact with the person back to work, whatever happened to 14 days of quarantine ? These employees haven’t even been tested yet and if any have been results aren’t back as of yet !
Management zzzzzzzzz
To close down the buses and Transit train until this over with only the homeless is riding the bus and train people with good sense just staying at home it don’t make no sense what the mayor are doing
Wow! Donna Shelley! Enlighten me as to how Andrew Cuomo and Bill Gates are leaders. Tell me one thing they have accomplished for this Country. They have done plenty for themselves though.
The walls that surrounds Cuomo are cracking because he can’t stop talking. Are you one those voters that gravitate towards someone cause they speak a good game, but has nothing to show for it. You see Cuomo could have stopped the hemorrhage in New York before it even started. However, he encouraged everyone to carry on with their lives because COVID-19 was not a threat back in January. Yet somehow he is a true leader in your mind.
I’m a driver in Broward and its the same thing going on. I don’t think Transit Operators really matter because we are replaceable.
Sorry I wanted to mention Former Deputy Mayor Chip Iglesias who is best friends with Miami/Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez who is in Charge of the Ballard partners office in Miami. Everyone connected to Miami/Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez is on the take .the inside game is alive and well
Crony Capitalism = Miami/Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez ! Carlos Gimenez has made a bunch of people connected to his Administration very Rich ! Just ask a few of the inside players .Like Brian May,Jorge Luis Lopez,Sylvester Lukas of Ballard partners along with Former Miami/Dade County Deputy Mayor and best friend with Mayor Carlos Gimenez along with all of the Cronies connected to Ballard Partners .The list of thieves have no end in sight .The inside gamers connected to Mayor Carlos Gimenez have been laughing to the banks on the backs of all us Tax payers ! Good Riddance to this Corrupt Politician ! Miami/Dade County Ethics and Public Trust Agency cannot do their Job correctly when you have a Major Conflict of interest like Carlos Gimenez. We should file a complaint on Miami/Dade County Ethics and Public Trust Agency for a conflict of interest on their own Agency and what do you think will happen with that complaint when you have a General Counsel Attorney Martha Perez who has the back of Miami/Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez!
Hello, is there ANYONE in this country who knows how to lead other than Bill Gates and Andrew Cuomo?
I cannot believe the callousness and lack of basic human decency of Carlos Gimenez and his administration for not taking care of county workers properly, and the people commenting on this thread for your cruel and thoughtless comments!!
To treat transit workers, or any human being, as if they were petri dishes or spare bodies just because of the work they do is beyond disgusting.
If this is as low as we’ve sunk as a society, no wonder Mother Nature is trying to get rid of us! We have become the virus that has infected the world!
People, before you say something, think “what if this was my abuelita, my father, my daughter, or myself?” Would you feel the same way?
As an inveterate consumer of periodicals, I’ve just made the acquaintance of some new terms, infection fatality rate IFR, and case fatality rate CFR. We’re going to be waking up to this phenomena for the foreseeable future, optimistically a year and a half. It’s up to each of us to see this relationship to a happy ending.It’s a bad event, but a natural event, and the better students of nature say it’s not the worst event. The epidemiologists are laboring a path. The HCP are assuming an extremely heavy burden. They’re already two essential groups of people to look up at this time. The U S is lucky to have a CDC that’s prepared for this sized task, the opening to it’s interim guidance tell us that this is an evolving situation.
Is The Radio Room Operator Getting It True The “RADIO” ?
Don’t count on the mayor or his directors for any protection. They kept the libraries open to the public after they should have been closed. Employees were seen working without PPE’s while they were made to wash public computer stations after each usage. NO PPE’s! – NONE! ¡NADA! ZILCH! Employees were then made to go to the libraries for an indefinite time period where they were made to wash books. Often with dozens of other coworkers. I’d be curious Ladra as to the cases that were transmitted for that period. Someone needs to look out for the transit and other county employee’s well-being since the mayor and his direct reports are not.
For those Transit Union employees, there’s a good side and a bad side. The good side is that if by good fortune, their cases are of the mild kind, in the end they will have acquired anti-bodies and relative inmunity, since at last notice the doctors project it to be good for a couple of years, or so. This is also a benefit to their community, because the optimistic projection is that sixty percent of the human race is going to have to tango with sars CoV-2 before there’s sufficient inmunity to make it somewhat inoffensive. The China outbreak lasted approximately three months. There will be similar cycles everywhere, it’s calculated, for the next year and a half. Not as severe as this opening cycle, but requiring the mitigating strategies; the virus recedes, were back to normal, but it’s still there and swells again, and we go back to the trenches. Repeating cycles of an asymptotic curve. And always betting on a mild experience, while keeping our immunological system strong. ( Read: eat well and get your sleep ).
Carlos Gimenez could not care any less to see any county employee fall victim to Coronavirus. To him, county employee are replaceable tin soldiers that he moves around in his sick scheme. His only interest is in lining his pockets and he accomplishes that task by naming parrots such as Alice Bravo to head departments that hand out sweetheart contracts to his lofty associates.
You cannot blame Gimenez for being slick, after all he is a gangster in an Armani suit. The blame should go to the gullible citizens of this county who continue to elect him to public office. More blame should be placed on law enforcement for lacking the intestinal fortitude to finally place our sawtoothed mayor behind bars.
Hope those Transit employees stay safe and make it through this crisis. God speed.