It’s a practice that we should make permanent - and extend to all transit - but the buses are a good place to start. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority last week suspended fare collection on all local bus routes, in order to keep drivers and riders a safe distance from each other during the coronavirus pandemic. Today, we present two op-eds from challengers, Jessica González-Rojas and Nuala O’Doherty-Naranjo, in hopes of spurring a vigorous discussion of one of the most important issues facing the district: transportation. The MTA says bus routes for Open Strollers will be announced in the coming weeks.Several candidates are challenging Assembly Member Michael DenDekker for a Queens seat covering parts of Woodside, Jackson Heights and Corona. A lot of operators are not happy," said Alexander Kemp, a bus operator with TWU Local 100. "So what happens if there's three people waiting at a bus stop and there's one stroller already open? You're now leaving the onus on the operator. The MTA does admit it needs to improve signage and communication as Open Strollers expands. "We're actually finding that dedicated spaces for people with disabilities on the bus, as well as dedicated spaces for parents and caretakers to have open strollers on a bus, have been a benefit to both groups overall," said Jeff Peters, with the Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York. Many disability advocates initially panned the change, but the MTA boasts there have been no reported incidents regarding strollers during the pilot. "For the first time, it realistically gives children and caretakers the opportunity to ride the bus safely," parents advocate Christine Yearwood said.
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