K 213: Memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim March 18, 2025, as Transit Employee Appreciation Day in the State of New York

 Assembly Resolution No. 213 BY: M. of A. Pheffer Amato MEMORIALIZING Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim March 18, 2025, as Transit Employee Appreciation Day in the State of New York WHEREAS, Transit employees are a crucial component to our State as they are responsible for connecting us to different locations and ensuring we get safely to our final destinations; and WHEREAS, Transit employee titles range from bus drivers to railway conductors, but also anyone who is involved in any aspect of the public transit operation including supervisors, mechanics, operators, cleaners, mechanic helpers, bus attendants, and dispatchers, and so many other incredible roles that make contributions to our communities; and WHEREAS, Throughout the State of New York, there are over 200,000 individuals who are considered transit employees who ensure the safety of travelers, keep a track of the stops, while also holding the responsibility of dropping passengers off at the right location; and WHEREAS, Transit employees serve as frontline workers, who report to work and keep public transit running through natural disasters, global health pandemics, and other emergency situations; and WHEREAS, A 2009 blog post spurred the creation of "Bus Driver Appreciation Day" that would soon expand to rail operators, and eventually all transit employees, while also designating March 18 as the official day because it correlates with the opening of the first public bus line, Blaise Pascal's Carrosses a cinq sols, in Paris in 1662; and WHEREAS, This Legislative Body recognizes the indispensable contributions that all transit employees make every day to get residents of the State of New York from Point A to Point B in a safe and secure manner, and seeks to honor all transit employees; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim March 18, 2025, as Transit Employee Appreciation Day in the State of New York; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to the Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New York; and all transportation-based unions and organizations throughout the State of New York.