Child seen driving NYC subway, authorities investigating

Driving a subway is so easy an 8-year-old could do it – and one straphanger claims that’s who he saw behind the controls of his New York City train.

Passenger Jules Cattie said he was shocked when he saw a young child at the helm, next to the driver, of his train.

And the MTA has suspended a subway operator and conductor without pay while they investigate the charges.

Kids obviously aren’t allowed to drive trains; no one’s even allowed to be in the cab with the train operator, according to MTA rules.

At first, Cattie just thought the train operator was teaching a new employee how to drive a subway because he heard her giving instructions.

But when the train stopped and a boy came out of the driver’s cab to tell riders they were being held up because of traffic, Cattie was stupefied.

Investigators confirmed on Tuesday that an unauthorized person was in the operator’s cab as the subway traveled through Manhattan on Sunday.

They are still investigating whether the person was allowed to operate the train.
   
NYC Transit said the unidentified train operator had 16 years of experience and the conductor was a 10-year veteran.

This wouldn’t be the first time a transit employee was disciplined for giving someone else a turn behind the controls.

Ten days ago, a Long Island Rail Road engineer was suspended without pay for allowing a passenger to drive the train.