Crossposted from the Metro Layover Employee Newsletter

Meet Ivy Schmitz. She works as a Utility Laborer in our Transit Facilities Division (TFD). Ivy is one of the 6.2% percent of women who make up the female workforce in the transit trades industry. This industry has traditionally been viewed as a male-dominated field, with women facing educational and training barriers, an unwelcoming workplace culture and environment, and lack of awareness and exposure to the possibility of employment in the trades.

Ivy first joined Metro as a Maintenance Crew member in South Facilities and then moved to North Facilities, where she started her new position as a Utility Laborer and obtained her Commercial Driver License (CDL).  Studying for her CDL meant and coming into work an hour before her shift and spending breaks and lunches learning and reviewing material, but Ivy said it’s her proudest accomplishment at Metro so far.

Now that she has her CDL, Ivy flies solo during the workday as she travels to various sites around the city to power wash and clean some of Metro’s 1,837 bus shelters. All that power washing results in more than just a clean bus shelter for Metro’s customers. “Your hands will get sore, so it’s like a nice workout for your arms,” said Ivy.

When asked about her least favorite part of the job she said, “Constantly getting dirty, because when I detail a lot of dirt hits me. Big time. My lead was laughing the first time I walked in, head to toe just covered in mud.”

While working closely in proximity to transit riders and the public can sometimes be intimidating, Ivy shared the scariest encounter she’s had so far wasn’t with a person, but something a little smaller.

“I’ve never been mugged, but I almost got attacked by a racoon. I came out of the bathroom after cleaning it and saw something running [through the bushes]. I’m like, please be a cat! And it comes around the tree, and I was like that’s NOT a cat!”

Luckily, Ivy was able escape this close encounter without any issues.

Thank you for all you do to help move Metro forward, Ivy!