View Photos of Employees Receiving Commendations 

Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) New York City Transit (NYCT) Chief Operating Officer Craig Cipriano recognized four NYCT Department of Buses employees for their quick thinking in helping rescue passengers from an overturned yellow school bus on the Hutchinson River Parkway in the Bronx on Thursday, July 21, 2022. Superintendent of Maintenance David Baird, General Superintendent David Chen, Bus Maintainer Stephen Parrino, and Bus Maintainer Robert Sweeney were all traveling separately on their way to work that day when they saw a yellow school bus flipped on its side on the roadway. All four Transit employees pulled over and came to assist the passengers.   

As soon as the four Transit employees arrived on the scene of the overturned yellow school bus, they noticed that there were people in the bus trying to exit. Baird and Chen opened the bus roof’s emergency doors and windows to assist the passengers out of the bus -- moving the passengers onto the grass away from the street. Baird spotted the bus's first-aid kit and helped bandage scrapes and cuts. When bandages ran out, he went back to his vehicle for supplies and continued to assist those in need. Parrino and Sweeney also made sure everyone escaped the bus safely.   

“We look at our employees as heroes every day for providing an essential service to New York 24/7,” said NYCT Chief Operating Officer Craig Cipriano. “But every so often we see an extraordinary act of bravery from our employees and this for sure is one of them. They all individually pulled over and took quick decisive action to help out these passengers while emergency personnel were on their way. They proudly represented the workforce at the MTA.”  

“We got everybody off the bus,” said Superintendent of Maintenance David Baird. “I walked over and saw people around the bus screaming. They had opened one of the bus’s emergency hatches but were struggling to open the other one, so I helped open it and helped the people climb out. I was happy to be there to help.” 

“I called 911,” said General Superintendent David Chen. “It was about 10 minutes before the police and first fire truck showed up. There was one lady who could not stand or lie down because she was in pain and I helped her sit upright and stayed with her until EMS arrived.”  

“Emergency services hadn’t arrived, so I stopped to see if anyone needed assistance,” said Bus Maintainer Stephen Parrino. “I helped people climb out the bus through the windshield and laid them on the grass. I went around to make sure everyone was okay until police arrived.”   

The bus flipped onto its side shortly before 6 a.m. while turning on exit ramp 1A onto Bruckner Boulevard, carrying a total of 37 school bus drivers who work for city-run summer programs. No children were on board at the time. Three individuals were reported to be in serious but stable condition.  

The NYCT Department of Buses employees were presented with certificates of commendation from NYCT Chief Operating Officer Craig Cipriano at the Zerega Bus Depot in the Bronx.