MBTA General Manager Beverly Scott is cracking down on bus and train operators’ cell phone use.

Under the new, “more stringent” policy, T bus or train operators now face an automatic discharge for possession of a cell phone. The T’s previous policy, adopted in June 2009, mandated bus and train drivers be automatically discharged for using a cell phone while on the job.

“As the nation’s fifth busiest public transit system, the MBTA moves millions of people around Greater Boston every week. Their safety is, and always will be, our top priority,” Scott said in a statement.

Under Special Order #14-052, employees face discipline for possession of the following devices:

Wireless and/or portable electronic handheld equipment that may be hands-free or not. This includes, but is not limited to, cellular phones, smartphones, two-way pagers, tablets, portable internet devices, MP3 players, iPods, Bluetooth devices or any headphones or earbuds of any type, and any other portable electronic devices.

“I’m very proud of our employees’ dedication to providing excellent public service, but it’s also important to reinforce our commitment to safety through the implementation of clear and strict regulations, Scott’s prepared statement continued. “It’s absolutely essential that we do everything we can to help ensure that each customer’s trip is a safe one.”

According to the order, bus and train operators are prohibited from using “any electronic device, including, but not limited to telephoning, checking the time, texting, playing games, reading, emailing or listening to music.”

Related: MBTA Bus Driver Allegedly Lied About Cell Phone Use

Effective immediately, employees found to have violated the terms Special Order #14-052 will be slapped with a 30-day suspension with recommendation for discharge for the first offense, regardless of his or her prior record or work history.

Screenshot via MBTA Special Order #14-502