Cleveland, OH – My name is Sandra Ellington. As a member of SEIU Local 1 in Cleveland, I clean large public facilities. You may have seen me at the Cleveland Hopkins Airport, where I worked for 17 years. Now, I am working at the Cleveland Water Department. These facilities and the role that cleaners play are critical to making Cleveland a smooth-running, vibrant city. The same can be said about public transit and the people who clean, fix, and operate it. I know because I ride the number 15 bus regularly to go downtown. The bus is an essential public service. It gets me to work if I can’t get a ride from my husband or the car isn’t working.
The bus is a place where I meet my neighbors. It is an important source of connection. Many people are riding the bus that can’t drive; they may need to get groceries or go to a doctor’s appointment. The bus stops in front of the hospital, providing an essential service.
We need to invest in this public service. We need buses to be flowing regularly, and service needs to be frequent and dependable. Bus stops need to be lit. We need to be able to access information quickly when a bus is taken out of service or running late. I work the second shift, from 4 p.m. to midnight, and the waits are longer at night, and there is no downtown trolley service.
One barrier to good service is being able to recruit and retain drivers. Transit workers are an essential part of our everyday life and of everyday Americans, and they get us to and from work and to see our loved ones, and they are lifelines. Like all of us who go to work and work hard each day, they deserve dignity on the job and to be paid for their work. I have seen bus drivers go out of their way. I was on the 14, and there was a man who was standing in crisis in the middle of the street, and the driver had to take critical action to keep all the passengers safe. These drivers have earned our respect and deserve compensation; they keep us safe, have shown through COVID-19, and are responsible for de-escalating conflicts. Good pay and dignity on the job are not too much to ask for.
Transit works for working families. Riders like myself are making an important contribution to our city, as are the bus drivers who get us where we need to go.
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This story is from our most recent report, Working Families Ride the Bus, which focuses on workers from across the country who rely on public transit to stay connected with their livelihoods, their families, and greater opportunities.