NYC Transit buses roll with troops

Courtesy Photo | Victor A. Smith, front, and Grantley "Wally" Waldron are commercial bus operators with the New York City Transit Authority. They are transporting National Guard Soldiers - who are helping with Hurricane Katrina relief efforts - to their temporary duty stations in New Orleans. hkat  

BELLE CHASSE, LA, UNITED STATES

09.15.2005

Courtesy Story

153rd Public Affairs Detachment

By Spc. Sherree Casper
153rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

BELLE CHASSE, La. -- Keeping an eye on the road and pointing to his right, the commercial bus operator tells passengers that there sits the Superdome, which is located in downtown New Orleans.

Images of the infamous structure have been beamed around the world in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. While it provided shelter for many during and after the storm, many are divided on what should become of the structure which some have dubbed a tomb.

"Man it looks different in person," quips one of the many Soldiers the 57-seat bus is ferrying to downtown Orleans.

National Guard troops from around the country have been tasked with security and support missions throughout the disaster area.

Victor A. Smith is a bus operator with the New York City Transit Authority. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the Federal Emergency Management Agency contracted with the NYC Transit Authority for the use of 100 commercial, state-of-the-art buses.

Smith is one of 200 bus operators that have been tasked to drive troops to their temporary duty stations in New Orleans. Today he is driving a computerized X68 commercial transit bus.

The St. Albans, N.Y., resident normally drives the Queens to Manhattan route back home.

"I'm glad that I could come and help," he said matter-of-factly. "I think when disaster strikes people naturally want to pitch in and help in any way they can."

Smith is very articulate and explains the features of the $250,000 bus that he captains.

The air-conditioned interior is a welcome relief for many Soldiers who are not use to the hot, muggy, sticky, humid weather of the Deep South.

In his 35th year of driving a commercial bus, Smith said 100 of NYC's transit buses convoyed down from New York to participate in relief operations. On board each bus is a driver and a sub. Smith said it was about a 45-hour trip to the disaster area.

"What people will be talking about (for years to come) is how long it took people to get down here," he said, on the controversy surrounding how long it took to respond to the devastated area and its displaced citizens and animals.

Grantley "Wally" Waldron, Smith's co-driver, said he saw a picture of a young mother holding a baby and looking to heaven in the aftermath of the storm.

"That was it for me," said the 51-year-old from Wyandanch, N.Y. of the stirring image.

When FEMA contracted with his employer for the buses, the bus operator of 20 years didn't hesitate to ask for the job.

"I wanted to help out," Waldron said.

hkat

• Date Taken: 09.15.2005
• Date Posted: 09.15.2005 13:02
• Story ID: 3017
• Location: BELLE CHASSE, LA, US