Violence has increased during the pandemic for New York transit workers

Transit workers in New York experienced workplace violence at an exorbitant rate during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study published Wednesday in the Journal of Urban Health.

About 90 percent of mass transit operators experienced some type of workplace violence or harassment between 2020 and 2023, the study found. Most victims were employed.

The study, led by researchers at New York University’s School of Global Public Health, found that 89 percent of mass transit workers reported being victimized at work. About 48% of workers surveyed reported verbal harassment or physical assault, just over 20% of workers said they had experienced theft, and 6.3% reported being sexually assaulted.

“The proportion of transit workers who have experienced violence or harassment is remarkably high and far exceeds rates of attacks against other workers,” Robyn Gershon, a clinical professor of epidemiology at the NYU School of Global Public Health, said in a statement.

Ms. Gershon and her team surveyed 1,297 transit workers in late 2023 and early 2024 to study the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on subway and bus operators.

Researchers said New York has since implemented improved safety measures to protect transit workers.

“Despite important progress to protect the health and safety of this vital workforce, much more work remains to ensure the safest possible workplace for these dedicated and essential workers,” said Ms. Gershon.