Chicago bus mechanic becomes 3rd CTA employee to die of coronavirus

CHICAGO -- A CTA bus mechanic with COVID-19 is the third employee to die from the virus, the transit agency announced Thursday.

The employee joined the CTA in 2000, the transit agency said.

"I join the entire CTA family in extending our sincerest condolences to his family, friends and loved ones," CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. said in a statement, "For nearly 20 years, this hardworking and dedicated gentleman was committed to making sure our customers had the best transit experience possible."

A bus driver was the second CTA employee to die of the coronavirus, and a machinist at the CTA's Skokie Shops maintenance facility was the first employee to die of the virus.

Last week, the CTA implemented a new set of guidelines aimed at keeping bus riders and employees safe, including rear door boarding and bypassing stops to maintain social distancing.

(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire - Copyright Chicago Sun-Times 2020.)