May 12, 2009 11:08 pm US/Eastern
How Young Is Too Young To Be An MBTA Driver?
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
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Aiden Quinn in a photo from his MySpace page.
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The MBTA is expected to file paperwork Tuesday to fire the driver of the Green Line train that
crashed near Government Center Friday.
So far, 24-year-old Aiden Quinn has not been charged in the crash, but the Suffolk District Attorney's office said they are looking into the case.
On Tuesday, he released a statement through his attorney, Michelle Menken.
"Aiden is extremely remorseful about the accident, which occurred on the T last Friday...Aiden has suffered and will continue to suffer serious consequences as a result of this unfortunate accident. He and his family would appreciate it if the media world would respect their privacy as they cope with this difficult situation."
The statement also said Quinn is scheduled to undergo sugery later this week on his wrist, which was shattered in the wreck.
It's still not clear when Quinn will meet with federal investigators.
Since the accident, the T's hiring of young drivers has come under fire.
The T allows drivers as young as 18 to run a trolley.
The MBTA has three part-time trolley drivers under the age of 21.
The crash Friday -- as well as
the Green Line crash in Newton last year -- both involved trolley drivers who were 24 years old.
Now some lawmakers are questioning the MBTA's hiring standards.
49 people were hurt Friday night when a trolley struck another train that was stopped between the Government Center and Park Street stations.
Quinn broke his wrist in the crash and told investigators he was texting his girlfriend at the time.
He could face criminal charges.
Quinn was hired 22 months ago through a lottery system.
His
driving record includes four speeding tickets since 2002 and a car accident just last year, but those incidents did not disqualify him for the job.
Both chairmen of the legislature's transportation committee tell
the Boston Globe that they plan to look into the age requirement and the hiring standards at the MBTA.
The MBTA says it's training program is longer and more thorough than other transit agencies.
But, the T also says it will re-evaluate the age requirement in the wake of Friday's crash.
Right now, of their 456 trolley drivers, the average age is 38. The average age of full-time drivers is 45.
The MBTA's operator union met Tuesday night to present the T's new cell phone policy to union members. A union spokesman told WBZ's Peg Rusconi that questions will also be raised about the T's signaling system. The union is calling for the MBTA to install modern signal safety systems, which is something members say may have prevented the train wreck.
Union members raised concerns about not having a cell phone on board the trains.
What do you think? How young is too young to be an MBTA driver?
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