NYC Transit: Subway agents to move out of token booths and engage riders directly
NEW YORK -- It's the end of an era for subway token booths.
The MTA announced Thursday transit officials will no longer be sitting inside; they're taking on a new role and stepping out of the box.
Gone will be the days of trying to figure out what the station agent is saying through the token booth speaker.
"It's a new experience. Coming out of the booth is a new experience," NYC Transit station agent Sabrina Rosado said.
Rosado has been a station agent for 10 years and is ready to finally meet straphangers face-to-face.
The change for station agents comes after an agreement between the union, Transport Workers Union Local 100 and the MTA.
The MTA says the new requirement for agents who've been working behind booths will start in 2023. It's a move NYC Transit describes as making agents the eyes and ears of their stations.
"We sat in a booth with our hands tied, not really being able to provide a full customer service like we were used to," Rosado said.
But safety is a concern among transit workers.
Passengers United President Charlton D'souza says he's been getting phone calls from concerned workers, especially senior agents.
"Why would the MTA do this to station agents at a time when there's a crime wave going on in the city?" he said.
In a statement, D'souza added, "Many passengers especially our senior citizens who are disabled would have a hard time finding station agents if they are walking inside the station beyond the fare control area and need to be buzzed in."
"We're gonna make sure that management and labor are out over these next months as we transition out of the booth to see if there are any conditions which we have to address either at transit or with NYPD," NYC Transit President Richard Davey said.
READ MORE: MTA Chair Janno Lieber says subway crime is starting to decline despite public fears
Recent MTA data actually shows assaults among transit workers are down nearly 60% from the same week last year.
"I believe that with the trainings and with the help and the support of the unions, station agents are gonna be ready to be able to take on any interactions, aggressive and non-aggressive," Rosado said.
MTA training in customer service, de-escalation and more are underway. Agents are also going to be given cell phones, hoping to make for faster response times should something happen.
Moving agents out of token booths is something tourists say will be welcoming.
"I think human contact is a good idea," said Aurelie Desert, visiting from France.
"Especially for looking for the direction because we don't know really what are the stops, also," Xavier Desert said.
As far the booths themselves, NYC Transit says it has no plans on restructuring or removing them.
