Health Benefits of Taking More Steps Every Day

After nearly 30 years of working as a New York City bus driver, Barry Baldwin left his job with the Metropolitan Transit Authority in 2014. Since retiring, Barry Baldwin remains at his home in Brooklyn, New York, and spends his time biking and going for short daily walks to stay fit.

Due to the increasing prevalence of sedentary lifestyles, the average American adult takes less than 6,000 steps per day. However, increasing the number of steps to 10,000 per day has a host of health benefits:

1. Body strength - Low impact exercises like walking can build bone and muscle strength. Walking also challenges the lungs, which boosts oxygen production and increases stamina.

2. Heart health - People who walk more have hearts that can pump out more blood, which lowers their risk of cardiovascular diseases. Daily moderate exercise also lowers blood pressure and cholesterol.

3. Better mood - Engaging in more movement naturally fights fatigue and promotes the release of mood-boosting neurotransmitters such as dopamine. Exercise is also associated with lower stress levels.

The NYC Transit Authority’s Bus Operator Safety Initiatives

Barry Baldwin most recently served as a bus operator for the New York City Transit Authority. Having held this position for nearly three decades, he was responsible for safely operating a bus in the city. Barry Baldwin of New York earned several safety awards from the NYC Transit Authority over the course of his career.

Comprised of several operating agencies, including the New York City Transit, Metro-North Railroad, and MTA Bridges and Tunnels, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is the largest transportation network in North America. It serves more than 15 million people in New York City, New York State, Connecticut, and Long Island, and is committed to maintaining the safety of customers taking buses, trains, and subways controlled by the organization.

As part of its efforts to boost customer safety, MTA and NYC Transit recognize safe-driving skills demonstrated by their bus operators by hosting the annual Safe Bus Operator Appreciation Day, an event that recognizes drivers who have remained accident-free for three consecutive years or more. On top of that, the organization has every bus operator complete a safety refresher course on an annual basis and requires drivers to pass a New York State 19A road test every two years. Further, daily announcements regarding safety are made via the Bus Command Center.

Three Top Music Venues to Visit While in New York

Barry Baldwin resides in Brooklyn, New York, where he provided nearly three decades of service in the role of bus operator with the NYC Transit Authority during his career. During his work in the public transportation industry, Barry Baldwin received numerous awards for safety and service to the public. In 2005, Mr. Baldwin was also the recipient of an American Disabilities Act award for providing outstanding service for people with disabilities. Mr. Baldwin enjoys a range of hobbies including exercising and listening to blues, jazz, rhythm and blues, rock, and pop music.

New York City is home to numerous well-known music venues. Three of New York’s top venues to visit while in the city are described below.

Radio City Music Hall is located in the Midtown West part of Manhattan and has offered entertainment to its patrons since the 1930s. This hall features a massive stage (which many musicians dream of performing on), and a 6000-seat theater space featuring Art Deco details.

The Blue Note is situated in Greenwich Village and is considered a top venue for jazz artists. This venue features close-set tables so guests can easily mingle and plays host to both emerging performers and musical titans such as Ron Carter and Chick Corea.

Located in Midtown West, Madison Square Garden is possibly the most famous sports arena on the planet. Since 1968, this 20,000-seat venue has been a top spot in New York to see various concerts and famous touring artists including Phish and Radiohead.

Popular Cycling Routes in New York City

Barry Baldwin is a respected presence in the New York City, having operated an NYC Transit Authority bus for many years. A fitness enthusiast, Barry Baldwin walks approximately five miles a week and takes out his bicycle for extended rides on the weekend. 

New York has a diverse and extensive network of cycling paths and routes, including the 13-mile long Westside Greenway Path, which runs from the George Washington Bridge to the Staten Island Ferry. Relatively flat, the paved course takes in the view of the Hudson River and offers plenty of riverside parks to stop at and take a break. 

For adventures that seem to leave the city behind, a route along Bedford Avenue from Prospect Park’s north end traverses Brooklyn College and arrives at Sheepshead Bay, which is used by charter fishing vessels. From here, a greenway extends to empty stretches of beaches in the vicinity of the Rockaways’ Fort Tilden.

One of the perennially popular Manhattan cycling spots is at Central Park, which offers a six-mile course that encompasses hilly and flat terrain. Easy to hop on and off, this loop has the drawback of often heavy traffic and is closed to cyclists on the weekends and holidays, as well as some weekday hours.

Studies Reveal Listening to Music Enhances Exercise Performance

Barry Baldwin presently resides in New York and previously served as a bus operator with the NYC Transit Authority for 27 years. Prior to his role with NYC Transit Authority, Barry Baldwin of New York operated mailroom machines at Chase Manhattan Bank. Mr. Baldwin currently enjoys an array of hobbies including biking, walking, working out, and listening to various genres of music. 

Listening to music not only makes exercise more exciting, but it is also proven to enhance workouts. Listening to music boosts exercise performance through an improvement in the mood and stamina. In particular, songs with a steady beat which are synchronized with exercise are believed to increase the motivation to continue to exercise and boost the intensity of the workout. This finding was backed up by a 2012 study led by C.I. Karageorghis and D.L. Priest. The same study revealed that physical performance improved when participants listened to fast-paced music during low to moderate level exercise. 

Earlier in 2010, C.I. Karageorghis conducted a study which showed that music could distract from pain experienced during exercise and could, in turn, increase work capacity and delay fatigue.

Three Interesting Things You Probably Didn’t Know About New York

Barry Baldwin of Brooklyn, New York previously held the position of mailroom machine operator at Chase Manhattan Bank before becoming a transit driver for the NYC Transit Authority. In his role as a driver, Barry Baldwin received recognition for providing outstanding service to people with disabilities and driving buses safely in New York City.

New York City is the most populated city in all of America and one of the most fascinating places in the world. Here are three things you may not have known about New York City:

1. New York City has a low crime rate relative to other big cities. Of all large American cities, New York City has had the lowest crime since 2005, partly due to efforts to reduce criminal activity in Times Square. 

2. Musicians must audition to perform on New York’s busiest subway platforms. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority grants two-week permits to musicians who have been selected through a competitive auditioning process for the best spots on the city’s subway platforms.

3. The world’s first underground park is in New York. Called the Lowline, New York City will be home to an underground park set to open in 2021. This all-natural green area spans 1.5-acres in the Williamsburg Bridge Trolley Terminal and will use solar technology to transmit sunlight underground using a reflective surface.

Research that Proves the Powerful Health Benefits of Walking

A long-time resident of New York, Barry Baldwin served in the community as a bus operator with NYC Transit Authority for nearly three decades. Barry Baldwin of New York enjoys a range of personal interests including listening to music, working out with weights, bike riding, and walking five miles each week.

According to research findings, walking regularly significantly reduces the risk of chronic diseases and other health conditions. Below are some of the main benefits of walking.

Walking for only 21 minutes per day, or 2.5 hours each week, lowers the risk of developing heart disease by 30 percent. Scientists at the University of Tennessee and the University of Boulder Colorado determined that regular walking may also lower the risk of stroke by 20-40% while reducing blood pressure by as many as 11 points. 

Regular walking is believed to help prevent diabetes, cancer, and obesity. A study conducted by the University of Utah in 2014 determined that women lowered their risk for obesity by five percent for each minute of brisk walking they performed.