COTA Bus Drivers Fear For Their Safety

OCTOBER 28, 2021

Crime is out of control in Columbus and even the people who drive buses for a living are not safe.

Several COTA drivers stood outside of the company’s downtown headquarters on High Street Thursday afternoon and chanted, “Protect your drivers!” They held signs that read, “Drivers Lives Matter.” These COTA employees told The Sussi Report that riders regularly assault and harass them and they’re demanding that their bosses take action to better protect them on the job.

“We had a driver robbed and beaten to the point where he had to have plastic surgery,” said driver and Transport Workers Union Local 208 steward Michael Clark. “We’ve had drivers threatened by having their throats sliced, guns pulled on them, people being sexually harassed, knives pulled on them. Anything you can you think of that is a safety concern is happening here right now at COTA and not enough is being done to protect our drivers.”

The Sussi Report reached out to COTA spokesperson Patrick Harris and received this email. “I will be in an all day Leadership Retreat Thursday, Oct. 28 and Friday, Oct. 29. I will respond to your email as I am able.”

Of course, we will continue to follow this story. Count on it.

Listen to what COTA bus drivers say they are subjected to each and every day on the job. It is alarming.