Bike mechanic who is visually impaired enjoys work at CDTA

Kumi Tucker WNYT

Albany, N.Y. (WNYT) – CDTA has a fleet of 200 pedal bicycles and 400 electric bikes for its CDPHP Cycle program.

Sometimes the bikes need repairs.

That’s where Cyril Phillip Purnwasy comes in, along with head mechanic Joshua Richardson.

Cyril is visually impaired.

“I couldn’t have asked for anything better,” he said. “It’s a great environment to work in. It’s good out of the weather and I have great people to work with.”

He knows bikes, and has experience.

“We were approached with an opportunity. CDPHP reached out to us with an idea. They had a contact at NABA who had a gentleman interested in working with bikes, fixing bikes,” said CDTA Mobility Manager Lindsey Bradt.

5pm: Mechanic who is visually impaired enjoy doing CDTA bike repairs

CDTA has a large fleet of bicycles available for rent. One of the people who works on the bikes is a new employee who is sight-impaired.

He came to the job through a training program with Northeastern Association of the Blind in Albany.

“Just basically help them dip their toe back in the working world and find something they’re interested in,” said NABA Employment Specialist Ryan Getwright. “And he’s very interested in working on bikes and this is the perfect fit for him.”

“We can’t say enough great things about the work that he’s done for the program, how quickly he’s learned about these bikes, what he needs to do, his daily tasks,” said Bradt.

4pm: Bike mechanic who is visually impaired repairs CDTA bikes

CDTA has a large fleet of bicycles for rent all over six counties in the capital region. One member of the cycle team has a unique story.

He gets to and from work in Albany from his Schenectady home by CDTA STAR bus.

The Cycle program has already broken another ridership record this year, with more than 82,000 rides so far. As the bikes come off the road for the winter, Cyril is here for repairs and inspections.

“Phillip actually came to us at the perfect time because as these bikes come off the road, they all need to be inspected,” said Bradt. “So they go through a full top to bottom inspection. Brakes, pedals, handlebars, tires, all of the pieces of the bike get inspected and Phillip has been a great asset in getting through the fleet of 600 bikes as we get started with that process.”

He says it’s a good fit for him because when you like what you’re doing, it’s no work at all.

“You don’t really have to have 20/20 vision to do what you know,” he said. “And that I think is one of the misconceptions or myths that people think that people with vision disabilities should be nowhere in the workplace, and that is so far from the truth. People with no vision and low vision can do so much more if given the opportunity.”