No more counting coins, 55 years ago

To the editor:

This year marks the 55th anniversary of New York City transit bus drivers no longer having to use a coin collector to make change for riders.

Aug. 31, 1969, was the first day bus riders either had to deposit a subway token or the exact amount in coins directly into the fare box. Drivers would no longer be required to make change. They could concentrate of driving instead of multitasking.  It became the passenger’s responsibility to deposit the exact fare in cash or subway token directly into the fare box when boarding the bus. All the driver had to do was look through the upper portion of the fare box and make sure that the fare was paid.

Previously, drivers had to deal with potential robbery while in service due to carrying cash. Safety increased for drivers, passengers and buses. There were fewer traffic accidents involving buses. Bus operators spent more time concentrating on driving and less making change for riders. On-time performance improved as passenger boarding time sped up.  

Drivers no longer had to deal with money when returning to the bus garage. Other transit employees, known as vault pullers, would unlock the bottom of the fare box and empty the contents. Coins and subway token revenue would be sorted, counted and wrapped within the safe confines of a secure money room within the garage.

Even with the recent fare increase, MTA public transportation using your Metro or OMNY card is still one of the best bargains in town.

Larry Penner