Rodney Smith, our favorite MTA employee
Getting on the subway to go to work on a weekday morning is probably not the highlight of most people’s day, but for some Upper East Siders, there’s a bright spot. At the 86th Street entrance to the Q, you might be greeted by a smiling man telling you to have a great, a wonderful, or even an awesome day as you swipe through the turnstiles.
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That man is Rodney Smith, 70, and his morning greetings were so loved by one photographer that he was inspired to make a mini documentary about this “gem” of the MTA. Raimer Thompson, a porter at a building on 87th and York as well as a photographer who takes the Q to work each day, was so touched that he created “This is Rodney,” a four-and-a-half minute video documentary showing one MTA worker’s impact on the people moving through his station. The film highlights Rodney’s positive attitude and the way he shares it with friends and strangers alike, all while doing his job in customer service at the station with his philosophy that “happiness is an inside job.”
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When asked why he created the film, Raimer said “Rodney is a special person, one that unconditionally tries to make every person he comes in contact with feel seen, heard, valued, and most importantly, have a better day.” He said it’s something that is “different, it’s authentic, and it’s rare in this day in age, especially in New York.”
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Ask pretty much anyone who takes the Q from 86th Street in the mornings and they’ll immediately smile, knowing exactly who you’re talking about. And Rodney does not disappoint. I spoke with him at a quieter time, around lunch on a Thursday afternoon, and he was happy to share, telling me what he told Raimer Thompson when he approached him: “I’m an open book.” Rodney is a native New Yorker, a husband for more than 50 years, a father to daughters, and a grandfather to granddaughters. And his personality is BIG.
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He certainly has a lot to say, but it’s the way he talks and how he interacts with people that is so impactful. Yes, he has a big grin on his face as he stands waving at the people who walk toward the turnstiles. But he told me he’s always searching for new adjectives to add to his greetings. On this day it was “have an awesome day.” It’s a testament to how much he wants people to feel seen. It’s not just the same thing each time; he looks for something that lets you know he’s paying attention. Some of those who pass by stop to bump fists, shake hands, or even just pause long enough to make sure Rodney knows they’ve said hi.
Rodney started working for the MTA in 2009, first as a bus operator and then as a train conductor. Before that, he owned a small company that moved equipment for entertainment productions, but he says ‘it wasn’t me.’ “Now this,” he says looking around, “this is me.” He says he’s a people person and that being friendly just comes naturally to him; we can certainly second that.
As he stands by his booth, he’s always looking out for that straphanger who looks lost or confused so he can jump in and lend them a hand. When an elderly man lost his card to the machine, Rodney stepped in. The man explained that he was a veteran trying to get to the VA, and Rodney issued him a new temporary card, transferred the money from the lost card, and made sure the man had the information he needed to get a new permanent card at no cost.. As he walked away, the man thanked him for being so helpful and Rodney apologized that there was ever a problem in the first place.
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While Rodney certainly has a natural buoyancy and spark and clearly likes sharing his positivity with others, the thing that brought him to the service booth in the first place puts what he’s doing in a light that seems almost like destiny. The impetus for his reclassification from train conductor to customer service was an incident where a person jumped in front of the train he was operating. This reclassification put him in the perfect place to combat the tragic reason he ended up there.
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I asked him if people ever react negatively to him and he says they never have, although plenty of people ignore him. When that happens, he says he just “keeps working on them,” and they end up his friends eventually. He knows people might be going through things and they might not want to smile or interact, but he also knows that “It makes a difference when someone notices you.” And he really does. He notices the people that walk through those turnstiles. He tries to provide a little warmth to each of their days.
Raimer Thompson was right when he said that what Rodney does is “different, it’s authentic, and it’s rare in this day in age.” While even Rodney admits that his wife and children think he’s “corny,” and that he sometimes calls himself a “BS artist,” it’s easy to see that this isn’t true. His genuine nature comes through, and it does make a difference: to kids on their way to school, people heading to the office, the coffee guy downstairs working a double, the veteran trying to refill his card, and to me, as I ask him why he does what he does.
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