Following a popular initiative on the London Tube, the MTA has announced new buttons as part of a pilot for the Courtesy Counts campaign that can be worn by expecting mothers, disabled or seniors. The two buttons read “Baby on Board” and “Please offer me a seat.” Appropriately launched on Mother’s Day, this pilot program will run until Labor Day. The buttons, which are free, can be ordered online, and will be delivered within 2-3 weeks.
“Pregnant riders, seniors and those with disabilities often need seats more than others but their condition may not always be visible,” said MTA Interim Executive Director Ronnie Hakim. “We hope this campaign will help their fellow riders to be more willing to offer them a seat without having to ask a personal question first.
The MTA program is a voluntary one and based on the honor system, so there will be no officers working on enforcement. The MTA says, “We ask our customers to support the success of the program by being honest about their need for a button, and by offering their seat when someone is conveying to them – with or without a button – that they need a seat.”
Michelle is the founder of Untapped New York and the author of The Art Spy (HarperOne, forthcoming) Secret Brooklyn, Secret New York Hidden Bars & Restaurants, and Broadway. michelleyoungwriter.com
