ATU Heroes — ATU Members Going Above and Beyond
ATU members are more than transit workers; they are the eyes and ears and even hearts of their communities, often handling unexpected challenges and giving back. From helping lost children to assisting riders in medical emergencies to volunteering their time, our members go above and beyond the call of duty. They are heroes. Here are a few of their stories.
NJ Transit Honors ATU Heroes
Two of our New Jersey members were honored by NJ Transit for their extraordinary acts of heroism.
Local 823-Elizabeth, NJ, member Stephanie Carson was driving her route in Union, NJ, when she heard a commotion on the bus. A rider approached Stephaine in distress, telling her another rider with a knife had threatened her. Stephanie remained calm and quickly assessed the dangerous situation. She immediately contacted NJ Transit Police, who came to her bus and arrested the individual with the knife. Throughout this intense incident, Stephaine showed remarkable composure and professionalism in de-escalating the situation and ensuring the safety of all her passengers on board.
Our other ATU New Jersey hero is Sena Mendez of Local 822-Paterson, NJ. While on his route, Sena noticed a rider was struggling to breathe. He quickly and safely pulled the bus over and saw the rider was choking. His instincts kicked in, and Sena performed the Heimlich maneuver to save the rider’s life.
Boston Carmen’s Local 589 Special Olympics Coach
Boston Carmen’s Local 589 member Tyrone Howe, a 19-year veteran MBTA bus operator at the Lynn Garage, got involved with the Special Olympics in Cambridge, MA, as a teenager playing in unified sports with kids with special needs.
Now, 35 years later, the Cambridge Special Olympics has been a lifelong passion, as Tyrone has run numerous sports, exercise, arts-and-crafts, and other programs for people with special needs and disabilities. It’s also deeply personal, as his 19-year-old son Jevon, who is on the spectrum, participates in various activities at Cambridge Special Olympics.
This year is also special as the Cambridge Special Olympics Warriors basketball program, which he helps coach, has been selected to represent Team Massachusetts at the summer Special Olympics USA Games in Minneapolis, MN. This is the 2nd time the Cambridge Warriors will be representing the State of Massachusetts. Having come in 3rd in 2014, this current team has gone undefeated in their last 100 games played over a 7-year span. We thank Tyrone for his dedication and commitment to Special Olympics and his community.
If you have a story about one of our members going above and beyond the call of duty, please send it to officeofthepresident@atu.org.