A Bronx bus driver is in the hospital with severe head injuries after a roadside attack near the Riverdale and Ellsworth Avenues border Saturday night, according to union officials, who say they are fed up with mounting violence on the job.
The 59-year-old operator, identified by the Transport Workers Union as Johnny Rodriguez, suffered serious head trauma, including brain bleeds, and remains hospitalized. The assault came less than 24 hours after a separate attack on a 58-year-old subway conductor, a one-two punch that has rattled transit workers and hardened union leaders' stance on safety.
According to News 12 The Bronx, Rodriguez's bus collided with a pickup truck at Riverdale and Ellsworth. When he stepped off the bus to inspect the damage, the pickup driver allegedly punched him, choked him, and slammed him to the ground before taking off. The outlet reported that investigators are still trying to track down the suspect, while riders at the stop called for better protections for both passengers and transit staff.
Union ramps up safety committees
In a bulletin on its website, TWU Local 100 said Rodriguez, a 13-year veteran based out of the Yonkers Depot, sustained two brain bleeds, a concussion, and additional injuries. The union said it is reinstating and expanding safety committees for both bus and subway workers in response.
"We will not accept violence as 'part of the job'," Local 100 President John V. Chiarello wrote in the bulletin, adding that the union intends to bring the fight for stronger protections directly into depots and stations. The union says it will meet on site with MTA policing officials to press for specific safety measures.
Investigations continue
Detectives told News 12 The Bronx that the assaults on both the bus operator and the subway conductor remain under active investigation and that no arrests have been made. Chiarello also told the station that the attackers in these recent cases were still at large, but said the union plans to push hard for accountability.
Why the union is pushing for more
Local 100's latest steps are part of a wider campaign to strengthen protections for transit workers. The union has been calling for tougher operator enclosures, more cameras, and increased patrols on trains and buses. Editorial coverage has underscored that attacking an MTA worker can be treated as a serious criminal offense, a point highlighted in amNY's look at the rising number of assaults on transit employees and the need for stronger enforcement.
For now, Rodriguez remains under medical care, and his colleagues say the attack has put new urgency behind everyday safety concerns across the system. Union leaders say they will continue pressing MTA officials and elected leaders for immediate safeguards and longer term policy changes as investigators work to identify the suspect.
