NEW YORK — In a dimly lit room decorated with lights and ivy, transit agency workers file in and lie down on inflatable cots while soothing piano music plays and teachers rub their ankles and toes.
“Breathe in,” she says, “and imagine a balloon inflating with fresh energy. Your spine becomes flexible.”
The relaxation classes, held at the New York City Transit workers’ union hall, are one way transit workers are dealing with fear and anxiety over a rise in violent crime on public transportation — a growing concern following a series of attacks on bus drivers, subway operators and station staff.
Transit workers participate in a guided relaxation class in the New York City borough of Brooklyn on May 17. The class, held at a union hall for New York City transit employees, has emerged as one of several ways transit workers across the country are trying to manage fear and anxiety over a rise in violent crime on subways and buses.
Frank Franklin II, The Associated Press
Reports of crimes against transit workers have increased since the pandemic began in 2020, when millions of Americans avoided subways and buses to avoid COVID-19, further isolating transit workers.
Despite the return of many passengers, violent incidents on subways and buses remained high.
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Nationwide, the rate of reported serious assaults against transit employees rose 47% from 2020 to 2023, according to an Associated Press analysis of Federal Transit Administration data.
In contrast, overall reported violent crime in the U.S. has declined every year since 2020, according to FBI data.
“We are under attack every day,” said Blanca Acosta de Avalos, a bus driver in Omaha, Nebraska, who was viciously assaulted by a passenger three years ago. “We have no protection.”
As transit workers try to cope with the stress of threats of violence, some unions and transit agencies are exploring ways to reduce violence and ease anxiety.
On May 17, transportation workers in Brooklyn, New York, participated in a guided relaxation class.
Frank Franklin II, The Associated Press
In New York, transit workers’ unions have started offering free relaxation, yoga and meditation classes after a subway driver’s throat was slashed and the victim was treated and released from hospital.
“Being a bus driver means having to be on your toes every moment of every day, and there’s no time to relax,” says Grace Walker, a bus driver in New York City. “You’re driving a pretty big piece of machinery, and the lives of a lot of passengers are at risk.”
Walker, who took part in the relaxation classes, said it helped her de-stress.
Transit agencies in Omaha and elsewhere are teaching drivers de-escalation techniques to help them defuse potential conflicts. For example, drivers are instructed to remain polite and quiet if a passenger makes an unpleasant remark. As another measure, some labor unions are pushing for the installation of barriers to separate drivers and protect them from assaults.
Laticia Wright, a driver for the Central Ohio Transit Authority, was driving a bus in Columbus, Ohio, last August when a bullet smashed through the windshield and grazed her head. Nearly a year after the shooting, Wright’s doctor believes she may be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Patrick Orsagos, The Associated Press
“I’m always on guard,” said Laticia Wright, who was driving a bus in Columbus, Ohio, last August when a bullet went through the windshield and grazed her head. “I watch the hands and movements of people on the bus.”
Wright wasn’t hit by a bullet, but was hit by broken glass. She was so devastated that she stayed home for three weeks and spoke to a counselor every day through the Employee Assistance Program.
“I really had to put it in the past,” she said.
Nearly a year after the shooting, Wright’s doctor believes she may be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. “Now I see white SUVs going by my car or my bus all the time,” Wright said. “Are they going to start shooting?”
To help her relax, Wright gets chair massages offered at her workplace, but her main coping mechanism is prayer.
Transit officials and authorities largely attribute the rise in violence to the lingering effects of the pandemic. After COVID-19 hit, many transit agencies allowed passengers to ride for free. People struggling to find housing used buses as a refuge. More riders are overdosing on drugs.
According to the American Public Transportation Association, public transportation ridership nationwide is now at 75% of pre-COVID levels.
A review of dozens of studies published in the journal Transportation and Health found that transportation workers suffer from disproportionately high levels of anxiety, depression and stress-related illnesses, including heart disease and musculoskeletal disorders.
“It may not just be the severity of the traumatic experience, but also the frequency,” said Alexis Merzhanov, a co-investigator of the New York University study of transit workers. “Verbal abuse is occurring much more frequently, and we’re noticing a really big impact on anxiety, depression, and overall mental health.”
Paul Landsburgis, an occupational health expert at the State University of New York Downstate, said European researchers have found that bus drivers, especially those in urban areas, have the highest risk of heart disease and high blood pressure of any occupational group.
Laticia Wright drives a bus for the Central Ohio Transit Authority in Columbus, Ohio, on July 3. Since the pandemic began in 2020, millions of Americans suddenly began avoiding subways and buses, leading to an increase in reported crimes against transit workers and riders. Their exodus has left transit workers isolated and vulnerable to attack.
Patrick Orsagos, The Associated Press
In Europe, some buses have cockpits that completely enclose the driver. For now, that’s a rarity in the U.S., and it’s making bus drivers nervous.
This spring, the Federal Transit Administration imposed stricter requirements on the safety plans that transit agencies must submit to receive federal funding. Transit agencies must now include equal representation of front-line transit workers and management on committees that draft safety plans.
Columbus officials have created response teams trained in mental health, addictions and de-escalation to be deployed to buses if a passenger is in danger.
A few years ago, some transit agencies installed barriers on buses, but they don’t completely enclose the driver.
The New York City Transit Department is testing floor-to-ceiling barriers on buses, subways are considering installing cameras inside cabs, and Gov. Kathy Hawkle has deployed 1,000 police officers to inspect bags on the subway.
“I’ve had people pull knives on me for just saying, ‘Can you turn down the radio?'” Wright said. “I wish there was more security.”
10 Wellness Apps to Help You Ease Anxiety
1. Headspace
Headspace, a mindfulness and meditation app launched in 2012, has been downloaded more than 70 million times. The app offers multiple customizable paths to help users hone their skills in meditation, mindfulness, sleep quality, and stress and anxiety management.
Headspace offers a personalized to-do list for each day to keep users on track. If you want community support, you can join group sessions. Full access to Headspace’s courses costs $69.99 per year or $12.99 per month.
2. Muscles
Streaks helps you maintain good habits by creating a daily to-do list, like flossing your teeth or eating healthy. It’s also compatible with Apple Health. If a streak goes off, the count starts over again. At $4.99, it’s affordable motivation to keep your resolve.
3. Waterminder
Staying hydrated can do wonders for how much better you feel. If you always forget to refill your glass, WaterMinder can help you. You can also track other drinks like tea, smoothies, and coffee for just $4.99.
4. Calm
Calm is a meditation and sleep app with hundreds of stories, meditations, music, and soundscapes to support quality rest and mindfulness. The app also includes stress relief and anxiety relief tools designed by clinical experts and meditation teachers. Calm costs $69.99 per year or $14.99 per month.
5. Lifesum
Lifesum is a popular app that helps people achieve their healthy eating and weight loss goals. Users can try the food and exercise diary for free. Custom diet plans, recipes, body composition tracking, and macro calculations are available with Lifesum Premium, which starts at $8.33 per month.
6. Noom
Noom is like having a nutritionist in your pocket. The app gives you access to custom meal plans, weekly challenges, and a virtual coach. Along the way, Noom educates users about nutrition and makes their New Year’s resolution to eat healthier a lifelong one. Most Noom users start with the $169 four-month plan.
7. Nike Training Club
Nike Training Club offers an amazing catalog of workouts led by trainers, athletes, and health experts. If you’re hesitant to spend a lot of money on paid fitness apps, Nike Training Club can help you build strength for free.
8. Downward Dog
If you want to get started with yoga in 2024, Down Dog is the perfect app to help you achieve a flow state. Choose the time, level, focus, voice, and music to create a practice that’s right for you. Down Dog also has HIIT and barre workouts to help you build strength and stamina, as well as meditations for mental health. Membership costs $9.99 per month or $59.99 per year.
9. Delio
Stay on top of your mood with Daylio, a bullet journal and mood tracker app that helps you identify the stressors and joys in your life. This well-designed, feature-rich app is free to use.
10. Breathwork
Breathwork has a wide range of benefits, from helping you ace your cardio classes at the gym to calming you down during stressful moments. The Breathwrk app helps you get started with immersive classes and guided programs. The premium version costs $5.75 per month for annual billing or $12 per month for monthly billing.
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