CHAPTER 2

Agency Interviews and Union Interview

Introduction

As part of the research project, multiple virtual group interviews were conducted with a diverse set of transit agencies. Each agency gathered staff who were knowledgeable about the experiences of frontline workers and were able to discuss existing programs, policies, and tools that the agency had in place related to supporting workers’ mental health and wellness. The staff who participated in the agency interviews were not frontline workers themselves but rather those who managed or oversaw frontline workers. The types of staff included

• Direct managers or supervisors for frontline workers, such as street supervisors, dispatching managers, and other managers working in operational functions of transit agencies;
• Lead schedulers responsible for creating work schedules for operators;
• Trainers for frontline employees;
• Human resources (HR) managers;
• Union representatives; and
• Safety officers and transit police force commanders.

In addition to the interviews with transit agencies, there was one interview with a group of transit union leaders from around the United States. Similar questions were asked of the union representatives about the experiences of frontline transit workers and how transit agencies addressed these issues through policies and programs.

The following list includes some key observations from the interviews.

• Interviewees confirmed that many of the well-documented causes and stressors impacting transit workers’ mental health and wellness continue to be barriers and challenges. These include assaults and confrontations; PTSD from passenger events such as PUT incidents and suicides; split shifts and inconsistent work schedules contributing to poor nutrition and lack of sleep; extended periods of sitting and inactivity; lack of time for exercise; and lack of bathroom access.
• Additional causes and stressors for mental health and wellness include overall poor morale among frontline workers; feelings of loneliness and isolation; transit workforce shortages; introduction of a younger workforce and workers who are new to transit; and other cultural and diversity aspects of the workplace that can lead to conflict and miscommunication.
• The COVID-19 pandemic instilled a lot of fear and anxiety among frontline workers. Uncertainty around policies and communication contributed to their stress, in addition to the fear of exposure. As the United States continues to emerge from the pandemic, continued stress over exposure lingers. In addition, workers felt undervalued and unsupported during the height of the pandemic, and this continues to impact employee morale.
• More resources and a clear commitment from leadership are necessary for mental health, wellness, and resiliency practices to be successful and make a positive impact on frontline workers.

Causes and Factors That Impact Mental Health

This section provides a detailed summary of factors that impact the mental health of frontline transit workers. The interviews consistently mentioned well-known, documented impacts on mental health and provided an opportunity to explore other factors that may not be as widely known or reported on (e.g., impact of balancing work with family care).

Well-Known, Documented Causes and Factors

Many factors that impact the mental health of workers are commonly associated with frontline transit work, such as

• Assaults and confrontations;
• PTSD from passenger events such as PUT incidents and suicides;
• Split shifts and inconsistent work schedules, which contribute to poor nutrition and lack of sleep;
• Poor communication between frontline workers and management;
• Not enough post-incident support;
• Not enough leadership transparency in decision-making;
• Extended periods of sitting and inactivity;
• Lack of time for exercise; and
• Lack of bathroom access.

The following subsections explore these well-known factors, introduce additional causes and factors, and explain interview findings about them in detail.

Assaults and Confrontations

Direct engagement with the public was often cited as a source of stress for frontline staff. Users of the transit system can become confrontational with operators, frontline staff, and each other, which can include physical altercations. Operators who are responsible for mentioning fare policies to riders can be met with aggressive reactions, but if they do not mention fares, they may face repercussions from their employers. One interviewee mentioned that their agency has a policy requiring operators to mention the existence of a fare, but it does not require them to enforce fare policy.

Furthermore, passengers may be experiencing mental health issues, homelessness, or substance use disorders. Transit agencies interviewed reported having more of this type of passenger since the COVID-19 pandemic, which has exacerbated frontline workers’ stress and increased the frequency of assaults and confrontations. It is difficult for frontline workers to engage with riders who may be experiencing a mental health crisis if they have insufficient training or experience.

When operators are running behind schedule, they may also be faced with irritated riders. This has increasingly been an issue because of ongoing operator shortages and cuts or reductions to service. Staff interviewed also noted that some riders who have regular contact with an operator may try to create ongoing conflicts that can escalate over time. These interactions can cause trauma to frontline workers.

PTSD

In addition to crashes, near misses, PUT incidents, attempted suicides, and deaths by suicide, frontline workers may experience or witness assaults, which can cause additional trauma. This is particularly acute in the case of operators, who may choose to leave the profession after witnessing these types of events on the job. Frontline workers need time to heal, which can be difficult given scheduling and staffing constraints.

Work Schedules

Many transit agencies interviewed were experiencing a labor shortage prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, frontline workers were often the only employees at their agencies to work full-time and in person. These workers kept agencies moving and helped provide essential services to the public throughout the pandemic, while having to interact face-to-face with the public during the time of an airborne, highly infectious, and deadly pandemic.

This labor shortage has continued into the pandemic recovery period and has had far-reaching effects. The operator shortage means that operators are asked or mandated to increase their work hours. Because agencies and staff rely on seniority, newer hires are not able to select desirable schedules, which may impact recruitment and expansion of the operator pool. Interviewees noted that younger workers, especially those with children who are entering the transit industry for the first time, struggle with the variable shifts allocated to them due to their seniority status.

Route design and scheduling can also impact physical and mental health if layover locations are uncomfortable or schedules do not provide enough turnaround time. Some types of frontline workers do not receive a scheduled lunch break, while at some agencies, break time is cumulative (e.g., a half hour of break time may be composed of six five-minute layovers that may or may not actually happen, depending on real-time conditions). A growing and diverse workforce may also have requirements that remain unmet because they would necessitate complex schedule changes, such as observant Muslim drivers who need breaks to pray five times a day and workers who need agency calendars that observe non-Christian holidays.

Extended Periods of Sitting or Inactivity

Agencies discussed the physical demands of driving, which requires sitting for long periods of time with limited opportunities for exercise or movement, and the various physical and mental impacts of operating transit vehicles. The difficulty level of frontline work can vary based on the weather. One agency mentioned how operators may be subjected to varying and sometimes unpredictable weather conditions throughout the length of a shift, from sudden snow squalls to torrential downpours, making driving difficult and raising further on-the-job safety concerns beyond interaction with the public. Driving in areas with traffic congestion also impacts the mental and physical demands on operators—one agency mentioned that for people with commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs), trucking may be a more attractive option due to the type of driving involved (i.e., open roads and little need to interact with the public). Furthermore, operators are on their own most of the time, which can be isolating. One agency noted that their dispatchers do not have scheduled lunch breaks, which means they may sit at their desks for an eight-hour shift without being prompted to take a break or move around.

Lack of Exercise

Operators may choose to spend their layover time by stretching their legs and moving around, but how they spend their breaks is at their discretion. Poor weather may make operators less likely to want to spend time outside their vehicles to stretch or perform light exercises between trips. Time for movement may also be limited if routes are running late.

Lack of Bathroom Access

Almost all interviewees noted the lack of restroom access. In general, transit operators can only access facilities at the end of each run and during breaks. This lack of access can impact preexisting health conditions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the usual places where operators accessed bathrooms during their layovers were closed or made inaccessible to the public. For frontline employees that do not have scheduled breaks, accessing a restroom may still be difficult, even when facilities are located on-site.

Other Factors Impacting Mental Health and Wellness

The interviews also discussed less familiar topics that impact frontline workers’ mental health and wellness, including work–life balance, other internal stressors related to the workplace, and external stressors that are not related to the workplace.

Work–Life Balance

Transit is a 24/7 job—employees may be expected or required to work nights, weekends, and holidays; work split shifts; or work overtime. The number of hours worked adds up, especially during the current workforce shortage. Meeting these scheduling demands while maintaining work–life balance is challenging for frontline workers. It is difficult to coordinate childcare, self-care, and other family care, especially if agencies are unable to accommodate time-off requests (both scheduled and unscheduled) given the industry’s labor shortage. Work schedules may also be inconsistent, which impacts quality of life and work–life balance, and new employees do not have the tenure to select more predictable work schedules. Long commute times may also result in too few hours for rest periods between shifts.

Other Internal Stressors

Interviewees described other internal stressors, which are factors that relate internally to the job and the agencies where they work. These factors include the frequency and quality of communication, especially when operators need critical, timely information about detours. Moreover, the staff of diverse agencies may have varying degrees of English proficiency, which can impact how operators and trainers interact with each other. Other interviewees discussed inconsistent communication from managers and how departmental morale impacts employees.

Some interviewees shared that frontline workers mentioned feeling lonely and isolated while performing their jobs in the field. Before the pandemic, agencies used to have gatherings or other activities at the yard or break rooms to develop a sense of community, but these stopped during the pandemic and are only recently restarting. Interviewees discussed a perceived “us vs. them” mentality between unions and agency management, which contributes to low morale and feelings of not being supported or understood, in addition to leadership’s lack of empathy for frontline employees. Both the transit agency staff and union representatives who were interviewed agreed that morale and conflict between agencies and unions were issues. Stressful events and other adverse work conditions also reportedly impact employee morale.

New operators may also experience additional stressors, including concerns related to driving incidents, point systems, feeling unprepared for the job, and a lack of support. One agency interviewee mentioned bullying that may take the form of experienced operators providing intentionally incorrect information or advice to new operators. In general, some operators mentioned that their agencies are having problems with rolling stock and other equipment failures, which impacts worker stress levels.

Some agencies purchase transit and use contractor operators. When an agency changes its contracted vendor, current employees may need to switch companies to keep their jobs. If they switch companies, they may lose established tenure or seniority and need to learn an entirely new set of protocols and procedures.

Poor morale was another topic of conversation. Agencies interviewed felt underappreciated by management and the public, compounded by more frequent issues with disruptive passengers. Employees at one agency expressed that their contributions were not taken seriously by a management team that believed anyone could do their jobs. Agencies interviewed noted the critical role that managers and supervisors can play in impacting their employees’ mental health.

External Stressors

Interviewees also discussed external stressors related to their lives outside of work. These include the provision of childcare and family care, being single parents while balancing the requirements of their jobs, and accessing healthcare. Access to childcare is particularly challenging for new operators who may have difficult work schedules. Some employees may not have equal access to healthcare if some individuals choose to be uninsured for financial or other reasons. Access to healthcare may be an overarching issue in the communities where workers live, and frontline and operator work schedules can make it difficult to access healthcare, take breaks, and exercise.

The high cost of living and lack of affordable housing were mentioned as stressors by one interviewed agency. Their frontline workers could not afford to live close to work, and they had long commutes from housing that was suitable for them and their families.

The COVID-19 pandemic produced various stressors. Employees worried about being infected and losing friends, family, and colleagues. Agencies were frequently short-staffed during outbreaks and tried to adapt to the changing course of the pandemic. One agency split employees for two shifts across buildings so that each building could be cleaned before the next shift came, but it weighed on employees to constantly bounce between two locations. Where possible, agencies instituted work-from-home policies, but not all employees could take advantage of them. Other employees abused work-from-home policies, which created animosity and stress among employees. At another agency, state-mandated COVID-19 sick leave (80 hours) further exacerbated the workforce shortage and led to absenteeism because people took all the leave they were given.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health

The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly impacted frontline transit workers. Seemingly overnight, these employees found themselves at the forefront of the United States’ response to a novel threat and responsible for transporting essential personnel to their places of work. This role left them vulnerable to infection at a time when it was unclear what, if any, measures effectively mitigated the spread of the virus. Understandably, frontline transit workers reported the emergence of new fears and anxieties associated with their duties; in addition to their routine stressors, workers were afraid of catching a potentially deadly virus and spreading it to their loved ones. Many workers confronted these fears when they contracted COVID-19; far too many also saw their fears intensified by the loss of coworkers, family, and friends.

Compounding this fear, several interviewees mentioned how uncertainty exacerbated their anxieties. Particularly early in the pandemic, rapidly changing restrictions and conflicting messaging from local, state, and federal health officials made it difficult for frontline transit employees to know what was being done to keep them safe. Other interviewees reported frustrations with the quality and consistency of contact tracing at their agency, which made them wonder if administrative failures were leaving them unnecessarily vulnerable.

In addition to the emergence of new fears and anxieties, the COVID-19 pandemic forced frontline transit workers to cope with exhausting, ever-changing logistical challenges. Despite newly limited transit service, the agencies interviewed almost universally reported issues associated with short staffing throughout the pandemic. Interviewees noted that a substantial number of employees resigned due to medical concerns or new demands in their personal lives (e.g., homeschooling their children), while the remaining workforce contended with further staffing issues associated with routine outbreaks. One agency reported that entire departments were out sick at times during the pandemic. Efforts to avoid such a situation had their own challenges—one

Employee Assistance Programs

Employee assistance programs (EAPs) enable employees, and often their immediate family members, to quickly connect with a trained professional to address specific issues affecting their mental health or well-being. Generally, these programs offer a set number of counseling sessions per issue, per year. While specific resources vary considerably, EAPs generally offer a phone number (staffed around the clock) or website that serves as an initial contact for individuals in crisis, and most programs aim to connect clients with a mental health professional in less than 24 hours. For anyone who has dealt with the mental healthcare system, the benefit of an EAP is immediately evident; rather than attempting to navigate health insurance portals to call therapists who are not taking new patients, individuals quickly connect with professionals to address emergent issues. For frontline transit workers with irregular schedules, the ability to reach out at any time of day is even more critical.

All interviewed agencies offered EAPs, but resources varied by program. While the most robust EAPs were procured independently of any other employee benefits, some agencies offered a more limited EAP through employee health insurance. The most robust EAPs included in-person counseling for employees and their family members, though many EAPs focused on virtual services or limit services to employees only. Despite the association of in-person counseling with more robust programs, frontline transit workers appreciated the convenience of virtual services, as their schedules and working environment make it difficult or impossible to attend in-person sessions during business hours. Accordingly, some agencies prioritized the procurement of EAPs with considerable online resources, including mobile applications and websites for accessing services and learning about available resources. Recognizing the unique needs of many transit employees, who often function as both transportation professionals and de facto social workers, one transit agency interviewed is considering offering the same EAP that the municipality offers to first responders (i.e., police officers and firefighters) so it can increase the resources for operators and ensure the well-being of its employees.

Despite the broad availability of EAPs for frontline transit workers, interviewees suggested that the stigma associated with seeking mental health treatment deters individuals from utilizing their resources. Accordingly, while agencies are often aware of incidents that expose employees to trauma (e.g., PUT incidents), mandatory EAP referrals occur only under rare circumstances. The stigma further discourages resource use because employees often feel uncomfortable utilizing these services, believing that the agency will know they have done so. Although most agencies would encourage their employees to seek help with managing their stressors, a perception persists that this could earn them an unfavorable label or result in disciplinary action.

Communicating the existence of services offered through their EAP presents another challenge for agencies. While many agency employees may be readily reachable via email, frontline transit workers often do not have work email addresses, and those who do have them rarely use this means of communication. Accordingly, agencies must get creative in marketing these programs to the workers most likely to need their services. In addition to a robust website and a monthly newsletter that links employees to various resources, one

Communications and Marketing of Resources

Many transit agencies have a deluge of resources, which can be an overwhelming challenge for employees to navigate, especially if the resources are available in different locations. Some agencies distributed e-newsletters with information about resources or provided resources on intranets. However, some employees may not have access to these formats, or they might not have agency email addresses. Another agency had physical information kiosks throughout their properties. Agencies and union representatives acknowledged the challenges with communicating effectively and frequently about resources available to employees. Agencies want to facilitate the exchange of information about available resources with pared-down, quick reference guides and marketing campaigns aimed at informing staff of their options. One group of interviewees suggested developing a list of key contacts the size of a business card that frontline workers could keep in their wallets and easily refer to in case of an emergency.

Intervention Training and Support

Frontline workers face daily incidents (e.g., assaults, confrontations, riders with substance use issues, collisions, and near misses) that cause stress and trauma, and potentially require follow-up and documentation procedures. Agencies and union representatives noted that frontline workers—especially those who are new to the job—needed specialized, timely, and ongoing support. For traumatic incidents, such as PUT, passenger suicide, and assault, agencies expressed a desire to have specialized teams that could intervene quickly to provide support. This could range from on-site response by police and a supervisor to immediate psychological support from a trained counselor for particularly traumatic incidents. Agencies also noted that, even for less traumatic incidents, frontline workers may still need support from a mentor or supervisor to navigate the process following the incident. This person

Mentoring and Peer Programs

Programs for new hires aim to ease them into their job and provide necessary support and guidance. Many agencies have established mentorship programs, in which new operators are assigned a trained mentor during the training and onboarding process. Mentor duties may include spending the first day with a new operator on a ride-along, taking future ride-along trips, and remaining in constant contact through regular check-ins. Unions have played a large role in advocating for and establishing these programs. Labor and management may work together to review mentor applications and select candidates who would best fulfill the mentorship needs of new operators (e.g., based on expertise or personality). Agencies also offer peer-support programs, which are sometimes connected to an EAP.

Considerations for Developing Practices

When asked what agencies should consider when developing practices to address frontline workers’ mental health and wellness, many interviewees noted the need for collaboration in program and policy development. This includes engaging with employees as well as union and agency leadership. Employees felt that a top-down approach resulted in ineffective practices, at best, and fostered resentment from frontline workers when policies or programs were ineffective or did not adequately consider their needs and work environment. Collaboration on developing and implementing policies and programs was noted as a way to further build trust between leadership and employees.

More than one agency interviewed mentioned using a committee to develop or modify policies and programs. These committees—ideally staffed by agency leadership, union representatives, and frontline workers or their supervisors—provide a forum for collaboratively addressing the issues facing frontline workers through policy, tools, and programming. Most interviewees reported that agency leadership retains the final say on implementing or accepting recommendations from committees; however, leadership generally accepted such recommendations.

Another interviewee noted that their agency has started integrating trauma-informed perspectives into the development of their training program. Trauma-informed practices actively recognize the presence of trauma and acknowledge the role trauma may play when an individual is in certain situations.

Challenges and Gaps

While many of the agencies interviewed had exemplary programs in place, they acknowledged that not enough was being done to address the mental health and wellness of frontline workers. Several overarching challenges and gaps were identified, including access to information and services, EAPs, lack of expertise, union and work rule conflicts, leadership buy-in, and the overall need for resources and funding.

Equal Access

Multiple interviewees discussed the varying ways in which employees were treated by their agency. Overall treatment and access to resources varied by shift, job type, and location (e.g., employees working in offices at headquarters vs. workers based in garages). These differences were most apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic—while some employees were able to work from home, most frontline workers reported to work in person for most or all of the pandemic. This difference in treatment, combined with the specific risks of close public contact, had a significant impact on frontline worker morale.

EAPs

Not all EAPs are created equal. One agency mentioned that while it has an EAP, the level of service is inadequate. This agency stated that it left some employees scrambling to fill in the gaps (e.g., ensuring that mandatory drug testing was completed after an incident or responding to emergencies that would otherwise be discussed with an EAP counselor). The inefficient and inadequate EAP caused additional stress and work for other employees and made it difficult to access care in a timely manner. One agency mentioned that if any employees get into a physical altercation or fail to de-escalate a situation, they may have to undergo a mandatory referral process. This means the EAP counselor might require them to attend additional sessions before returning to the job, and employees have not always felt comfortable with these assessments.

Although most interviewees were familiar with EAPs and recognized that their agency had some marketing efforts, not all interviewees were aware of their agency’s offerings. This indicates a potential need for additional marketing and awareness. Interviewees also described concerns about using an agency-sponsored EAP. There is a perception that the topics and details discussed in counselor sessions or while using EAP services will be shared with the agency. Interviewees and union representatives discussed employees’ mistrust for anything that is associated with the agency, as well as employees’ concerns that information revealed in a session could be used against them or, worst case, cause them to lose their jobs or suffer other professional repercussions. One solution is to distribute information about community-based resources to staff, who can use these external resources to access assistance outside of their agency’s offerings.

Interviewees often addressed the stigma surrounding mental health and wellness, which also creates a barrier. Employees may not be able to access resources and information on their own if they are not aware of the types of resources available and how to access them. They may not feel comfortable reaching out to a supervisor or manager for more information. Scheduling constraints may also make it difficult for employees to utilize available resources. For example, if employees work extensive overtime, it can be difficult or impossible to find time to see anyone in person.

Expertise

Many interviewees said that employees felt they or others were insufficiently prepared for their jobs and expressed a desire for additional preparation and training across the board. Training could focus on incident response, de-escalation, and sensitivity or empathy training. Multiple agencies suggested having specialized staff for critical incident support teams. Frontline workers described the range of distressing encounters they may experience while performing their jobs (e.g., near misses, collisions, PUT incidents, and suicides) and the need for additional support. Many interviewees expressed their support for on-site counselors or access to other specialized experts to provide support.

Considerations Regarding Unions, Work Rules, and Scheduling

Increasing trust between represented employees, unions, and agencies is critical for building better relationships—conversations regarding concerns with EAPs and privacy highlighted a need for mutual trust between these key stakeholders. Some interviewees called for closer collaboration between unions and agency management.

In addition, interviewees noted that agencies need to revisit traditional approaches to work rules and scheduling practices to accommodate, attract, and retain a younger workforce that is new to transit. This included rethinking point systems, building work schedules to accommodate caregivers, and revisiting the use of seniority in work-schedule selection.

Leadership and Union Buy-In

Several agencies expressed that leadership buy-in is important for initiatives aimed at mental health, wellness, and resiliency. Interviewees believe that agency leadership buy-in is required to move the needle on these topics and to demonstrate that mental health and wellness are a priority across the workforce. Buy-in includes destigmatizing mental health assistance and ensuring that adequate resources are available. Agency management has a critical role to play in establishing a culture that supports mental health among all employees. One agency said that when their CEO emphasized addressing mental health and gave the chief of human resources the freedom and budget to roll out better processes, it demonstrated that leadership is championing mental health.

Resources and Funding

Funding was cited as the main impediment to implementing more robust health, wellness, and resilience programming. If agencies do not have in-house expertise, they would need to engage external providers at cost. If agencies do have in-house expertise, they may not have sufficient staffing to accommodate the mental health needs of their employees. As noted in previous sections, employees recognize when treatment across shifts, jobs, and working locations is unequal. Dedicating time and resources to mental health, wellness, and resiliency initiatives demonstrates an agency’s commitment to the frontline workforce.

Findings and Conclusions from Interviews

The interviews provided an opportunity to directly engage with transit agency and union leadership about the mental health and well-being of frontline transit workers. Interviewees confirmed many of the stressors identified in the literature, provided additional qualitative information about lesser-known stressors, and suggested possible strategies to improve the working environment. The following list contains key findings from the interviews with agency staff and union representatives.

• Interviewees confirmed that many of the well-researched causes and stressors impacting transit workers’ mental health and wellness are still relevant barriers and challenges. These include assaults and confrontations; PTSD from passenger events such as PUT incidents and suicides; split shifts and inconsistent work schedules, which contribute to poor nutrition and lack of sleep; extended periods of sitting and inactivity; lack of time for exercise; and lack of bathroom access.
• Additional causes and stressors that affect mental health and wellness include overall poor morale among frontline workers; feelings of loneliness and isolation; transit workforce shortages; the introduction of a younger workforce and workers who are new to transit; and other cultural and diversity aspects of the workplace that can lead to conflict and miscommunication.
• The COVID-19 pandemic instilled a lot of fear and anxiety among frontline workers. In addition to fear of exposure, uncertainty around policies and communication contributed to their stress. As the United States continues to emerge from the pandemic, ongoing stress over exposure lingers, as do feelings of being undervalued and unsupported during the height of the pandemic—all of which continues to impact employee morale.
• More resources and a clear commitment from leadership are necessary for mental health, wellness, and resiliency practices to be successful and make a positive impact on frontline workers.
• Collaboration in the development and implementation of practices is critical to removing stigmas and gaining trust between employees, unions, and leadership.
• The stigma around mental health and confidentiality is still a barrier for some who would benefit from seeking support. From the top down, leaders need to demonstrate that prioritizing self-care is acceptable and even encouraged.