When I first started this blog my intention was to share the funny stories, rant a little bit and get everything off my chest that way I wasn't a bundle of nerves every single night. Lately, I've been doing more ranting than anything. Sure, I needed to do it but it doesn't make very entertaining reading nor does it portray me in the best light. I really do love my job. Sure, it can get stressful at times, and yes it can be dangerous but I do it for a reason. It's something that I'm good at, but more importantly, it makes me immensely happy.
It's the people that make my job, you guys, the ones that take the bus daily (or when your car is in the shop). In our society we are naturally apt to complain about everything. When one has a bad customer service experience, they'll tell ten people about it. Whereas when one has a positive experience, they'll usually only tell about one person. Which is one of the reasons I'm so thankful that most people compliment me rather than insult me. Now it's time to write about some of those people. They deserve the recognition.
The people that stop and wait for those getting off the bus before attempting to get on. The ones that have their fares ready before they get on the bus. The ones that say thank you as they get off. The ones that give up their seats for those who needs them more. The ones that stand up for me when someone is yelling at me. The ones that have thrown themselves in front of me so I wouldn't get punched. The ones that obey traffic lights and don't run in front of my bus. The ones that tell me they need a minute to find their fare card/change, move to the side to let others on and then show me their pass, or pay even if I've already forgotten about them. The cars that yield to me when I'm trying to pull out of a bus stop. The ones who don't yell at me or demand an explanation when the bus is late. The ones that don't grumble when my bus breaks down and they need to wait half an hour for the next one. The ones who helped dig my bus out of the snow when it broke down. The ones that don't assault me or treat me like a sex object. The security and police who'll just pop in to check on me. The ones that can't afford to pay the fare but ask nicely if I'll give them a free ride and say please. The ones who don't laugh at me when my poles come off the wire. The ones that allow me to take my breaks in peace without badgering me with questions about when the bus will leave. The ones that understand that I'm only human and occasionally I'll miss a stop or make a mistake. The friends (and occasional strangers) who bring me coffee, food and flowers. The ones that understand that shit happens and occasionally I'm re-routed with no explanation. The ones that have to wait 30 minutes in sweltering heat (only to get onto a non air-conditioned bus) or in the coldest weather and don't complain.
Thank you. You all are awesome and you make my job fantastic.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
I'm not as dumb as you think I am
Here's the scenario. A young kid and his buddy get on the bus. One flashes me his bus pass, while the other flashes me his library card.
I saw, I just didn't give a rats ass.
As these kids are walking to the back of the bus, I can overhear their conversation.
Kid 1: I can't believe that worked.
Kid 2: I know. I thought they never looked at the passes and now I know, I can travel on transit with a library card.
Me (over the P.A.): Actually, you didn't get away with it. I saw that you had a library card. I just didn't care. But since you're bragging about it, you can now come up to the front of the bus and pay your fare. If not, I'll call security to kick you off. Oh, and thank you for traveling with transit today.
He paid and the whole bus laughed at him. Maybe, he'll have learned his lesson? I doubt it.
I saw, I just didn't give a rats ass.
As these kids are walking to the back of the bus, I can overhear their conversation.
Kid 1: I can't believe that worked.
Kid 2: I know. I thought they never looked at the passes and now I know, I can travel on transit with a library card.
Me (over the P.A.): Actually, you didn't get away with it. I saw that you had a library card. I just didn't care. But since you're bragging about it, you can now come up to the front of the bus and pay your fare. If not, I'll call security to kick you off. Oh, and thank you for traveling with transit today.
He paid and the whole bus laughed at him. Maybe, he'll have learned his lesson? I doubt it.
Apparently, it's not all common sense. Read this and learn to not be an asshole.
First of all, I'd like to address the rear doors. Like most rear doors, these are exit only. No entrance permitted. Get that through your heads.
Another thing about the rear doors is that they're motion activated. So standing with your hand on the door isn't going to open them. Yelling at me either isn't going to open them. Take a step back and wave your hand in front of the sensor. Then they'll open.
And while we're on the topic of rear doors, I'm going to share a little secret with you. The doors shut automatically (that means I'm not pulling the trigger to shut them) after three seconds. Don't start freaking out when the doors are closing on you. Look up, the light is on (which means the doors are activated), and just wave your hand in front of the sensor or hit the bars (in the older buses). And when the doors have closed right in your face, don't glare at the bus driver assuming they did it on purpose. Just hit the doors and they'll re-open. We have mirrors, I can tell when people want off the bus. Oh and if you ever utter the words "Back door bitch", I will lock the doors on you and make you wait till the next stop. Your fault for being stupid.
All of the buses in the systems ONLY take coins. That means that we'll accept 250 pennies but if you try to shove a $20 bill into my fare box it's going to jam, and I'll be mad. There are signs stating that we don't take bills, I will also tell you in advance that we don't take bills. Once you ignore me and those signs, you're on your own.
During the summer period, and especially on certain routes it tends to get a little bit busy. When the driver says move to the back of the bus, it means move to the back. No, not the back doors but all the way to the back. I don't like leaving people behind and I'll try to cram as many people on the bus as possible.
On that subject. Sometimes the buses get full and they can't stop and pick you up. I know, it's frustrating but try to be patient. If you go up to the bus and start yelling at the driver they're less inclined to give you the two seats they have left on the bus.
Also when the bus is late, standing in the doorway telling me about how late the buses all are, while you're blocking others from getting on the bus is only making me more late. I have feelings, I don't enjoy being yelled at. Call customer service they're the ones that have control over the routes.
Oh, and some of the diesel buses have engine retarders in them, to assist with braking. Some of the retards work better than others. I had a bus once where every time I took my foot off the throttle, it felt like I was slamming on the brakes. I kept explaining the problem. Don't roll your eyes at me and say I need to go back to the kitchen where I belong. I set things on fire in the kitchen. I'm far worse as a domestic than a driver. When I have a good bus, I've never once had a single complaint on my driving skills. The fact that I'm explaining all of this to you instead of just driving like a maniac shows that I'm a professional. Yes, some times it's the driver but some times it's the bus.
Enough ranting for one night. I'll whine more tomorrow. Hopefully you guys have learned a little bit about driving/being on a bus and maybe tomorrow you won't complain so much.
Another thing about the rear doors is that they're motion activated. So standing with your hand on the door isn't going to open them. Yelling at me either isn't going to open them. Take a step back and wave your hand in front of the sensor. Then they'll open.
And while we're on the topic of rear doors, I'm going to share a little secret with you. The doors shut automatically (that means I'm not pulling the trigger to shut them) after three seconds. Don't start freaking out when the doors are closing on you. Look up, the light is on (which means the doors are activated), and just wave your hand in front of the sensor or hit the bars (in the older buses). And when the doors have closed right in your face, don't glare at the bus driver assuming they did it on purpose. Just hit the doors and they'll re-open. We have mirrors, I can tell when people want off the bus. Oh and if you ever utter the words "Back door bitch", I will lock the doors on you and make you wait till the next stop. Your fault for being stupid.
All of the buses in the systems ONLY take coins. That means that we'll accept 250 pennies but if you try to shove a $20 bill into my fare box it's going to jam, and I'll be mad. There are signs stating that we don't take bills, I will also tell you in advance that we don't take bills. Once you ignore me and those signs, you're on your own.
During the summer period, and especially on certain routes it tends to get a little bit busy. When the driver says move to the back of the bus, it means move to the back. No, not the back doors but all the way to the back. I don't like leaving people behind and I'll try to cram as many people on the bus as possible.
On that subject. Sometimes the buses get full and they can't stop and pick you up. I know, it's frustrating but try to be patient. If you go up to the bus and start yelling at the driver they're less inclined to give you the two seats they have left on the bus.
Also when the bus is late, standing in the doorway telling me about how late the buses all are, while you're blocking others from getting on the bus is only making me more late. I have feelings, I don't enjoy being yelled at. Call customer service they're the ones that have control over the routes.
Oh, and some of the diesel buses have engine retarders in them, to assist with braking. Some of the retards work better than others. I had a bus once where every time I took my foot off the throttle, it felt like I was slamming on the brakes. I kept explaining the problem. Don't roll your eyes at me and say I need to go back to the kitchen where I belong. I set things on fire in the kitchen. I'm far worse as a domestic than a driver. When I have a good bus, I've never once had a single complaint on my driving skills. The fact that I'm explaining all of this to you instead of just driving like a maniac shows that I'm a professional. Yes, some times it's the driver but some times it's the bus.
Enough ranting for one night. I'll whine more tomorrow. Hopefully you guys have learned a little bit about driving/being on a bus and maybe tomorrow you won't complain so much.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Shut up! I'm Charlie Browning it.
Today, I stopped and picked up one of my regulars.
Guy: Weren't you wearing that yesterday?
Me: Ummm, it's a uniform. I have about thirty versions of this exact outfit.
Guy: Oh, yeah, I guess that makes sense. I was just thinking you stayed overnight somewhere and didn't have a change of clothes.
Me:??????
Guy: Weren't you wearing that yesterday?
Me: Ummm, it's a uniform. I have about thirty versions of this exact outfit.
Guy: Oh, yeah, I guess that makes sense. I was just thinking you stayed overnight somewhere and didn't have a change of clothes.
Me:??????
Sleeping beauty...a bus driver's version.
At my very first stop, I come across a homeless man with a bike asking for a free ride. I allow him on the bus and then hit the "fare not paid" button.
Man: Did you just call security?
Me: No! I was just checking my messages (better to say that, than the fact that I informed control of a passenger who didn't pay. It's only used for statistical information, but that's too much explaining for my liking).
Man: You had better not be lying to me...or, I'm going to do some damage to you.
Me: I was just seeing if there were any re-routes, I needed to be aware of.
Man: Fucking, young people who are on a power trip just because they drive a bus.
Me: Why don't you take a seat, I need to start driving.
Man: Fuck you!
About an hour later, I notice that my bus is empty but the man's bike is still on my bike rack. Oh well, he probably forgot it. No big deal. Once I get to my terminus, I walk to the back of the bus to check for lost property. Hunched over in the very rear seats is the homeless man, fast asleep. "Sir, you need to wake up now! SIR! END OF THE LINE! GET OFF MY BUS!!" I say. Then I notice he has headphones in his ears. I check to make sure he's still breathing and then get back in the drivers seat. I pull the bus up a few feet and slam on the brakes, causing the man to slide into the seat in front of him. He still didn't wake up.
I turn up the volume of the P.A. system, in the hopes that he'll wake up when the bus loudly announces his, or any stop for that matter. As I'm driving along, I get passengers constantly coming up to the front of the bus, telling me that I've got a dead guy in the back. I continue telling them that, he's just sleeping and he'll probably wake up eventually. By the time, I've finished my second run, the man has been out cold for over three hours.
I get out of the bus, light a smoke, and start telling the story to another driver. He starts laughing hysterically, as the best part of the story is that when the man finally wakes up, another driver will be operating the bus. I only wish, I could witness his look of confusion when that happens. Glancing over, I notice that my relief has shown up. I tell him about the sleeper on the bus. "Well, did you call security?" he asks. "No. There was no danger, and he'll wake up eventually." I reply. "What?!?!? What if he's dead? That's so irresponsible!" he yells. "I checked, he's still breathing. He was yelling and swearing at me and he didn't pay...you get the service you pay for." I respond.
Then I walked away, feeling him glaring at my back.
Man: Did you just call security?
Me: No! I was just checking my messages (better to say that, than the fact that I informed control of a passenger who didn't pay. It's only used for statistical information, but that's too much explaining for my liking).
Man: You had better not be lying to me...or, I'm going to do some damage to you.
Me: I was just seeing if there were any re-routes, I needed to be aware of.
Man: Fucking, young people who are on a power trip just because they drive a bus.
Me: Why don't you take a seat, I need to start driving.
Man: Fuck you!
About an hour later, I notice that my bus is empty but the man's bike is still on my bike rack. Oh well, he probably forgot it. No big deal. Once I get to my terminus, I walk to the back of the bus to check for lost property. Hunched over in the very rear seats is the homeless man, fast asleep. "Sir, you need to wake up now! SIR! END OF THE LINE! GET OFF MY BUS!!" I say. Then I notice he has headphones in his ears. I check to make sure he's still breathing and then get back in the drivers seat. I pull the bus up a few feet and slam on the brakes, causing the man to slide into the seat in front of him. He still didn't wake up.
I turn up the volume of the P.A. system, in the hopes that he'll wake up when the bus loudly announces his, or any stop for that matter. As I'm driving along, I get passengers constantly coming up to the front of the bus, telling me that I've got a dead guy in the back. I continue telling them that, he's just sleeping and he'll probably wake up eventually. By the time, I've finished my second run, the man has been out cold for over three hours.
I get out of the bus, light a smoke, and start telling the story to another driver. He starts laughing hysterically, as the best part of the story is that when the man finally wakes up, another driver will be operating the bus. I only wish, I could witness his look of confusion when that happens. Glancing over, I notice that my relief has shown up. I tell him about the sleeper on the bus. "Well, did you call security?" he asks. "No. There was no danger, and he'll wake up eventually." I reply. "What?!?!? What if he's dead? That's so irresponsible!" he yells. "I checked, he's still breathing. He was yelling and swearing at me and he didn't pay...you get the service you pay for." I respond.
Then I walked away, feeling him glaring at my back.
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