As Nashville residents get ready to cast their vote on a new $9 billion transit plan, members of the Amalgamated Transit Union are bringing to light problems in the current system.
“We have a responsibility to set our people up for success and I’m not so sure that we’re actually doing that here,” said Patrick Green, president of the ATU.
Green said one of his biggest concerns is the lack of training.
“When we hire in mechanics, there’s really no specialized training for buses and buses alone,” he said.
Green said training deficiencies and the lack of personnel leads to bus delays and break downs, which happens every single day.
“Unfortunately because we have such a shortage of vehicles and such a great deal of maintenance issues, sometimes we do have to take buses that are in question,” Green said.
A spokesperson with the Nashville Metropolitan Transportation Authority told NewsChannel 5 the company was working with the ATU to address its concerns.
Green acknowledged the MTA has made some effort to work with them but said, “The reality of it is that we’ve yet to have those sit down meetings."
Until that happens, Green said he would continue to fight, not only for his colleagues but the passengers who rely on public transportation.
“It’s not about us. It's not just about the workforce here at this system. It's about the entire community,” said Green.
He encouraged members of the public to speak up and say something if they notice issues on the buses they ride. You can do so at http://www.nashvillemta.org.
