Press Releases
04/16/2020
Connecticut Celebrates Transit Workers and Their Efforts during Pandemic
The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) paused today to recognize the work of rail and bus public transportation professionals as they work around the clock to keep Connecticut moving and getting other essential workers to hospitals, nursing homes, grocery stores, and other critical operations. At 3 p.m. today, train and bus horns will be sounded – with two one-second blasts – to honor and celebrate these hard-working men and women operating trains and buses during the COVID-19 pandemic. They were dubbed “heroes moving heroes.”
All Connecticut rail operators took part in the nationwide celebration – Metro-North Railroad, the Hartford Line, Shore Line East and Amtrak. CTtransit bus operators were also honored with horn soundings in bus depots, but not on city streets in order to minimize disruption and confusion in surrounding traffic.
“This is a special tribute to the thousands of train and bus operators serving on the front lines during the Coronavirus crisis,” said CTDOT Commissioner Joseph Giulietti. “Unlike so many other workers, these operators must report to work each day and help the thousands of other essential employees get to work. I am proud of the work they do year-round, but never more so than right now.”
Giulietti reiterated Governor Ned Lamont’s “Stay Safe, Stay Home” directive that travel be restricted to essential business and service only.
“These are literally ‘heroes moving heroes’ during this unprecedented situation,” said Richard Andreski, chief of CTDOT’s Bureau of Public Transportation. “We honor them, and they are honoring Connecticut and their fellow citizens by working through this crisis and getting everyone safely to their destinations.”
Connecticut citizens were urged to use the #SoundTheHorn or #HeroesMovingHeroes hashtags to post on social media.
Eds note: Rich Andreski will be available to answer media questions today at 3 pm at New Haven Union Station, 50 Union Avenue.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS
TELEPHONE: (860) 594-3062
FAX: (860) 594-3065
WEB SITE: www.ct.gov/dot