Trellis Robinson, MTA bus driver in New York City
New York, NY — Trellis Robinson, a 43-year old MTA bus driver, suffered from injuries after a man attacked her and threw urine in her face while she was at a bus stop loading up passengers. The incident is just one of many recently reported attacks on bus operators in the New York City area.Robinson was driving a BX2 route last Friday and was stopped at 138th Street and Grand Concourse when a man on the sidewalk suddenly threw a liquid — believed to be urine — on her face.
“I made the right turn to load up my passengers, as they loaded I close the door and I as I proceeded to turn my head to look in the mirror to pull out of the bus stop he was at my window,” Robinson told NBC 4 New York.
Robinson said the shocking incident has been traumatic for her.
“It literally went all in my face my hair, it dripped all down the left side of my body, it went inside my shirt. All around my neck,” Robinson said.
Earlier that day, another female bus conductor was punched in the face and splashed with urine at Brooklyn Avenue Station before the suspect fled.
Both women were treated at a local hospital after suffering from pain, nausea, and redness and burning sensation around the eyes.
Oneshia Portlette-Shade, chairwoman of the Transport Workers Union Local 100, said the attack was a part of a growing problem. In other incidents, bus drivers have been spit on, thrown with bleach, and even stabbed.
“These senseless attacks are disgusting and disgraceful,” NYC Transit President Andy Byford said. “I’ve asked NYPD to step up patrols in response to the subway incident in addition to our prior request to increase police presence on buses, and we will do whatever we can to help NYPD identify the perpetrator or perpetrators including sharing any video surveillance that may exist.”
No one has been arrested yet in connection to the attack. An investigation is ongoing and the police are still looking for the suspect, who was described as “a black male, about 5-feet-7 inches tall, 160 to 180 pounds, wearing a Navy sweatshirt with a hood, khaki pants and red sneakers.”