Behind safety, homelessness is a top concern of riders — contributing to a sense of insecurity on the subway for some.

For 21-year veteran conductor Courtney Williams, he knows firsthand what it’s like to be homeless.

What You Need To Know

  • After a nearly 50% jump in crime in January over last year, crime is now only up 8% year over year, according to data

  • Transit crime dropped 38% last week from the week before after Gov. Kathy Hochul added 1,000 MTA and state police and National Guard troops to the system

  • The news comes as the MTA honored workers for National Transit Worker Appreciation Day, acknowledging many workers have been the victim of recent violent attacks

“Gonna sleep on the train, just sleeping on it because my apartment got burnt out,” Williams said. “I wasn’t going back where I came from.”

He said he interacts with them regularly.

“I handle all those people I see out there every day with respect because I know what that was,” he said.

On Monday, MTA leadership stepped into his current shoes.

For National Transit Worker Appreciation Day, Transit President Rich Davey was a conductor on the 7 train and MTA Chair Janno Lieber was sweeping and cleaning at Grand Central.

It was a thank you, but also an acknowledgement of the challenges.

"It’s not an easy job,” said Lieber. “And as we all know that public sector workers get abused and that cannot happen.”

In January, a bus driver was attacked, according to officials. Below ground, there was a sharp spike in subway crime. In February, a station agent was attacked, and then two subway conductors.  

Now, preliminary numbers from the NYPD show subway crime dropped last week by 38% versus the prior week, according to data. Despite the shooting aboard the A train last Thursday. the NYPD did not include the incident in the numbers, saying it was not criminal because prosecutors said it was self-defense.

This occurred over a week after the governor added 750 National Guard troops and 250 MTA and state police, and more than a month after the NYPD added an additional 1,000 officers to the transit system each day.

“Crime last week, compared to the week in 2023, the equivalent week in 2023 was down 28%, and the increase in crime year to date that took place in January is now to 8% for the year,” Lieber said. “So progress is being made, but that will never diminish the impact of what those passengers went through on the A train.”

While the MTA is touting new initiatives from the governor like scout teams to deal with the mentally ill, they also keep beating the drum of recidivism and the justice system not doing enough.

As for workers like Williams, they just keep doing their job.

“If I have to worry about me getting hurt, I would stay in my bed,” Williams said.