News

Center Donates 7,000 Face Masks to Front-line Transit Workers

Posted April 2020

Center Deputy Director, Xinge Wang and ATU Local 689 President and
Business Agent, Raymond Jackson with the Center’s donation of masks

On Friday, April 3, 7,000 face masks were delivered to ATU Local 689 for use by frontline workers in regular and close contact with the public.

Understanding the extremely high risks transit frontline workers assume on duty during the COVID-19 crisis, Xinge Wang, Deputy Director for the Transportation Learning Center identified a supplier in China capable of making high-quality disposable face masks. After communication with Local 689 President Ray Jackson, the Center ordered the masks using its own funds. Upon arrival, Xinge personally delivered the masks directly to the union hall.

All of us at the Transportation Learning Center thank and salute the brave workers from Local 689 and across the country who keep vital public transportation services functioning despite great risks to themselves. We would prefer that sufficient and appropriate Personal Protective Equipment be provided through public sources to frontline workers in this time of crisis. In the absence of that, Center leadership took this initiative to provide some assistance to the workers of the region’s largest public transit agency.