City leaders and activists should adopt an unorthodox approach to push for more safety on public transportation.
MORE: Man accused of shooting, killing Charlotte city bus driver pleads guilty
They gathered on Beatties Ford Road in north Charlotte, boarded a Charlotte Area Transit bus, and rode to the transit center and back, speaking with residents about their concerns.
This comes just two years after CATS driver Ethan Rivera was shot and killed on the job.
His mother, Sylvia Rivera, was one of the passengers on the bus and understands how dangerous the job can be.
“I think the CATS company is not taking everything seriously,” she told veteran crime reporter Glenn Counts. “I think they are toying with the bus drivers.”
Saturday’s ride was the first time she’s been a passenger on the bus since her son’s death.
“It’s just really surreal,” Rivera said. “When you go to work, you go not expecting to die doing your job. That’s what Ethan was doing his job.”
Groups like the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People showed up to support Mrs. Rivera.