In Front of the Yellow Line
Seasons Greetings
By Shawn Wells
(A note before I get into this. There are a few situations where you'll come across specific information in this post that I've chosen to redact. You may have noticed, if you're a regular reader, that I've never named my city in my blog. Part of the reason is because I like to keep my posts as generic as possible. But the other reason is that this blog is not officially sanctioned by my city. Although I don't think I ever bad mouth my employer, these are my opinions alone and in no way reflect the opinions of my employer. The majority of the people who read this know where I live anyway and I know I've left enough clues in my posts that anyone could probably figure it out. For the purposes of this specific post, I feel it's important to list the full information, even if I'm redacting specific words. Hopefully you can understand my reasoning. Basically: I'm covering my ass.)
Hey! Merry Chri... er... Holiday Greetings everyone! The fact is, I've never seen the problem with saying Merry Christmas. I understand the theory of trying not to offend, but frankly if someone were to say to me "Happy Hanukkah" I'm not going to turn around and say "Actually, I'm not Jewish." For me, it's the thought that counts. The fact that anyone wishes me well at all. I'm not religious either, but if someone says "God be with you" I'm not going to refuse their good intentions. And believe me, on my bus I've definitely had people say all sorts of things that don't follow the same belief system that I do.
But I digress. I don't want to start a debate about being politically correct or proper holiday etiquette. What I actually want to talk about is those signs you see on the front of a bus. Don't worry, it's related. You'll see. The signs I'm referring to are the "Public Relations" messages. You've probably seen them. Anything that a bus displays that isn't a route number or destination. This could be anything from "Express" to "Welcome Aboard" to "Go Sports Team Go".
I've been asked before "Do you get to program your own messages?" The answer is a simple no. I get to choose from a list of canned messages. Really, if we had free reign on what we get to display, that could easily turn bad. Especially when I consider some of the grumpy coworkers I've seen. On occasion, we will be instructed to put up specific messages. These would be things that the city (my employer) would require the public to know. One of these messages in my city, as an example, would be "Parking Ban in Effect". We see this one in the winter when the streets are being plowed of snow, informing people to not park in the "Snow Route" areas. And sometimes we'll be strongly encouraged to put up other messages, if the peer pressure doesn't get to us first. One example I can think of is last summer, a police officer in our city was killed in the line of duty and they went to the trouble of programming the busses with a special hashtag message for the occasion. They didn't insist that we put this message up, but it was definitely encouraged. Of course, I can't imagine any of our drivers being disrespectful enough not to. Same with "Welcome Home Troops". No matter what your perspective or opinion is on war or the military, it's just in bad taste to not go with the majority with a message like that.
I'm not a big user of these messages. Some of the drivers program PR messages as part of their normal routine. The problem I find is that they easily confuse people. Some of the messages we have are so long that you hardly get enough time to read the actual important information like route number and destination. We have one that's so long, it cycles through 3 different screens before it gets back to the main destination screen. A veritable essay when you're trying to read something on a moving object. For people waiting at a stop, if the actual route is only displayed once every 10 seconds, this can be a challenge for catching the right bus. As I've mentioned in the past, some people have enough trouble getting on the correct bus already, why complicate it even more?
Here's a perfect example. I remember once that I drove by one of those stops that services the same bus no matter which direction it's going. These are complicated enough for some people because they REALLY have to pay attention to what the destination says. I was headed to an easterly destination. But because it was around Remembrance day (the Canadian equivalent of Veteran's day, in case you don't know), I had the extra message "Lest We Forget" displayed which one woman read as "West [redacted] Mall" and she got on my bus. Boy was she upset when soon after I was headed in the opposite direction. But I can see the honest mistake. She had seen the number from a distance, and she had seen most of the correct letters on the sign. If she's not paying close enough attention, she's going to end up the victim of minor dyslexia. Ever since that day, I've been a little more conscious of these additional messages on the bus.
There are a few that I will use regularly, I admit. Our city has an NHL hockey team and a CFL football team. On game days, you bet I'll show support for the home team and put up a "Go [redacted] Go" message. I've also on occasion used the messages to crack a joke. My city is one where you can never be surprised by unseasonable weather at any time of year. I remember once when it snowed in June and I decided it was hilarious to put up "Welcome to [redacted]". Of course, it's only hilarious to people that read it sarcastically. But boy do I wish I could've had a "Merry Christmas" or " Winter Wonderland" sign to put up that day.
Now here's where it all ties together. One problem I have with these messages are the ones that are vague and non specific. We have a generic "Happy Holiday" message that we can use. But let's face it, not all holidays are created equal. I know I've had this conversation before: "Why is it a long weekend? What's the holiday? Victoria day? What the hell is Victoria day? Do I get paid overtime? Ok then... that's all that matters." Really, if you were watching Family Feud and Steve Harvey says "Name a holiday", "Labour Day" is not going to be the number one answer. Christmas and Easter... those are your flagship holidays. The problem is, for political correctness reasons, they're also the most controversial. Our busses do have a few messages that single out specific holidays.... Thanksgiving, Canada day and the aforementioned Remembrance day, but nothing specific to the others. So, on Christmas Day, I only have the option to put up the same message I would use for any other redheaded stepchild holiday.
I would like it if I could get a "Seasons Greetings" message to display in December. At least that's a vanilla, non-offensive option. But unfortunately I don't get that as a choice. Just plain old blunt "Happy Holiday". Not even holidays with an "s" on the end. Sadly, I've also never thought of a non-denominational way to say "Happy Easter" either. So it also gets the generic "Happy Holiday" sign. The way I see it is that people take themselves too seriously, especially when it comes to something that has a basis in religion. At Easter, whether you celebrate the resurrection of Christ or a bunny that hides eggs or both or neither, the fact remains that if you live in my country, you get to benefit from the perks that come with the holiday. You don't have to celebrate the holiday itself, but why not celebrate the fact that you get a day off or overtime pay. Enjoy it! You don't celebrate Easter, that's fine. But at least respect the fact that the majority of the people around here do and that's the reason you're getting a 4 day weekend right now. Don't get your panties in a twist just because people want to wish you a Happy Easter. People's personal beliefs don't really affect me that strongly. I've been to baptisms even though I'm not Christian. I once attended a Hindu wedding and followed their customs out of respect, despite the fact I'm not Hindu. Want me to come to your Bar Mitzvah wearing a yarmulke? Sure. Doesn't mean I'm converting, but I'm also not going to try and impose my own cultural beliefs on you either. I'll come and celebrate the occasion and enjoy the party.
Personally, I would be perfectly happy to observe something like "Kardashian Day" if it meant I get more money on my paycheque. Sure, I probably wouldn't CELEBRATE the holiday... I'm not going to go and prepare the traditional "Kardashian Day feast" of rump roast (am I right? Hahaha... high five me on that one!) because I'm afraid that meal would just be tasteless and full of regret. (Ha! I'm on a roll here! C'mon! Don't leave me hangin' on that high five!) But if someone wished me a "Happy Kardashian Day" I'll say thank you, rather than launch into some debate about how I don't share the same spiritual beliefs. I may even be willing to put up a "Happy Holiday" greeting in its honor. "Happy Kardashian Day? You betcha! I'm getting paid triple today!" People... Don't get offended so easily.
Maybe you live in a city where they have a little more fun and don't worry as much about offending people. A city where the busses actually do say "Merry Christmas" or at the very least "Season's Greetings". Not here though. I'd even like to see some of the non holiday holidays get recognition. Days like Halloween or St. Patrick's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day or Valentines Day. Or even something progressive like Pride Day. I don't even get a Happy New Year sign to display. Is it possible that it's because other countries like the Ukraine or China don't celebrate the New Year on December 31st? Perhaps. But I'm not working in those countries. I've made suggestions about adding more Public Relations messages into our suggestion box at work and gotten nothing. Also suggestions for other possible signs like "Go Canada Go" which could be displayed during the Olympics for example. Or the fact that there are 3 different sports teams in our city that we're allowed to wear jerseys to support, but only 2 of those teams get a "Go Sports Team Go" sign dedicated to them. Maybe they actually should give me the power to program my own signs. Nah... that's still a bad idea any way you look at it.
Oh well... I guess I'll have to settle for wearing a Santa hat at this time of year. I will say, I've been wearing it all month and not a single person has complained that they're offended by it. In fact, I get more smiles and compliments from passengers in the month of December than any other time of year. Merry Christmas, everyone! There. I said it. And look at that, the political correctness police didn't come and arrest me.
However, just in case... Happy Hanukkah, Joyous Kwanzaa, Festivus for the rest of us! Whatever your beliefs at this time of year, I hope it's a good one! And a very Kardashian New Year to you too!
From in front of the yellow line, that's how I see it.
Sunday, 20 December 2015
Saturday, 5 December 2015
In Front of the Yellow Line
Listening to the Radio
Listening to the Radio
By Shawn Wells
Recently, I was working when a message came over my work radio. "Attention all route 6 busses in service. Due to railroad crossing arms being stuck, route 6's will detour as follows..." We get calls like this all the time. Unforseen circumstances that require our busses to go off course and avoid certain traffic issues like collisions. This particular case was special to me because in about 5 minutes, I was going to become a route 6, so I paid extra close attention to this call. By the time I got to my location to change the number on my bus however, the problem had been solved. Thankfully, no awkward detour for me. But it didn't stop people from approaching me and asking me why other busses were delayed.
As I've mentioned in past posts, a lot of the time a bus driver will not work the same route number all day. Their bus will service a few different routes. I've also mentioned in the past that some regular transit riders are very knowledgeable about this fact. These customers that approached me knew that the bus they were waiting for was going to be a route 6 before changing to the one they wanted. Some of them had already been waiting long enough that 3 of their busses should have already been and gone. I explained the situation that the busses were dealing with, to which I received the response "Well, if you know the reason, why wasn't 311 (our phone number for transit related inquiries) know?" My answer was "Often, 311 only knows there is a problem but don't receive the intel as to why." Although this answer sort of appeased them, it didn't stop them from continuing on discussing amongst themselves the flaws in our transit system.
The real reason is probably far more complicated. Now, this is just an educated guess, but here's my theory. The first bus to come on the scene probably thought nothing of it. Pulled up and stopped at the railroad tracks and started waiting. Most of us have probably had to wait at frustrating train crossings every now and then where you watch a train back up, stop, move forward, stop, back up again.... Well, for a bus driver who spends 40 hours a week driving, we've definitely seen our share of stupid railroad situations. So my guess is that any bus that was waiting there took a while to realize there was no train and the problem was with the arms themselves. Let's say 10 minutes.
At this point they would call "Control" (the people on the other end of the radio). Control are the problem solvers, a very handy resource for us bus drivers. If I had an emergency on my bus, they would call the appropriate emergency response on my behalf and walk me through the next steps I need to take. They deal with any problems from the small (like a broken bus shelter) to the emergencies (like someone having a heart attack). If I have any issues however, getting a hold of them can be a much more involved process than you think. First of all, I have to push a button on my radio. There are 2 different buttons depending on the urgency of your problem. If I was reporting a broken bus shelter, for example, that isn't as important as someone who had their bus die. If I were to just pick up my radio and start talking, it would interrupt any conversation happening between control and any other drivers. The only time I do this is in an emergency, like a collision or a violence threat. Now, as the driver who is stuck at this railroad crossing I've determined that the level of urgency is the lowest. After pushing the button, I now have to wait for control to call ME. The thing is, control is only staffed by 2-4 people at any given time. If they are dealing with any other problems, you have to wait your turn. There have been days that I've waited half an hour for them to call back. So, for argument's sake let's say they were moderately busy and took 15 minutes to call back. Now we're up to 25 minutes on this one incident.
So, control would've called this driver back and the driver would've explained the situation. At this point, control would've had to start doing research on they're side. Phoning the railroad company to find out whats going on and also figuring out a detour for busses to start taking. Once they have it determined on their end that there is in fact a problem, they would make an announcement to all the busses informing them that they need to detour. It is then that they would contact 311 to let them know that there is a delay. Let's say this adds another 10 minutes to the overall picture. Now we have 35 minutes that this train has delayed our bus before anything gets done about it. And meanwhile that first bus is probably still stuck because they are trapped somewhere they can't turn around.
From that particular location, the busses that ARE able to get on the detour have to go 5 minutes out of their way to get around the blockage and then another 10 to where all these people waiting and asking where their bus is. So, I can easily believe that some of these passengers have been waiting nearly an hour for their bus to come. But from my point of view, Control had told me to go on a detour and then taken it back within 5 minutes whereas this situation had probably already been a problem for half an hour. You can see how it's just easier to tell people that "the arms on the railroad are stuck" because there is so much more behind it.
As for why 311 wasn't able to tell them what was going on, this is probably because Control tends not to be very forthcoming with explanations. This is a situation where I actually received more information than usual. These people were lucky that day. Normally I'm kind of in the dark about whats going on. Much like everyone else, if something happens on any of our busses I find out about it on the news or on social media. If someone has an emergency, I hear that driver call over the radio with their "Pan-Pan-Pan"* and that is normally the only part of the conversation I hear. The rest is done in private. I'm left to speculate on what kind of emergency they are having based on the tone of panic in their voice. Was it a collision? Did they have someone fall on their bus? Fire? Assault? I never tend to hear anything later on about any of these problems. It isn't made public knowledge. I sometimes hear rumors, but never anything from an official source. Often passengers will come up to me and say "Did you hear about that one driver..." or "do you know what's going on with..." but honestly, most of the time I haven't or I don't. If it hasn't been all over Facebook that day, it's probably news to me. You just may be the unofficial source that I heard the rumor from. The "official" people tend to not tell me anything. However, I can speculate with the best of them.
So now you know that the radio on the bus isn't as simple using a phone. When you ask a driver for a "simple" request like calling ahead to have a bus wait for you, there is quite a process. We are happy to do something like that for you, but you have to give us some warning. Plan ahead.
From in front of the yellow line, that's how I see it.
(*A note on "Pan-Pan-Pan" for any people that may be unfamiliar with that term. This a newer universally recognized distress signal. The idea is that it's is a sound that is used in most languages around the world and easier to say for some people than "Mayday". I have only ever seen one movie where they use "Pan-Pan-Pan", which is "World War Z" with Brad Pitt saying it when his plane is going down.)
Saturday, 21 November 2015
In Front of the Yellow Line
Not in service
By Shawn Wells
I have a friend who follows my blog quite closely. She is quite intrigued with the day to day operations of my job. Every once in awhile she will send me a text message asking a question. I figure, in her honor I would answer one of them. So I present my first ever "by request" post. She asked me "Why do all the busses seem to be 'not in service' in the morning? "
Aaah... the "Not in Service" bus. Any regular transit user knows this frustration all too well. Why does it seem like half the busses that drive past seem to say "Not in Service" on the front? Well, first you have to look at where you are and what time of day it is.
The majority of a bus driver's available shifts are split shifts. They are designed so that the majority of the drivers and busses are on the road during rush hour commute. Quite often, a lot of these busses are also just out there to fill the gaps in service for some of the higher traffic areas. Best example is downtown. Many of the busses that would normally take you from point A to point B, are instead only going as far as downtown, because that's where the majority of the people from point A are trying to get to. We call these "stub routes". They cover the more popular portions of a route and are mixed in amongst other busses scheduled to do the whole route. In fact, there are a few routes in my city that are designed simply for this reason. Entire routes dedicated to being only a PART of some of these routes. These are less confusing for the passengers and definitely less frustrating for the drivers. I've mentioned in previous postings that it's always important to check the destination sign on the front of the bus. As a driver, I only display my final destination. So, if my bus says "downtown" rather than "point B", I will be kicking you off my bus when I get downtown. But almost every time I drive one of these stub routes, I do in fact have to tell someone to get off.
Anyway, as I arrive on one of these particular "stub busses" to downtown, that's when I put up my "not in service" sign. So, if you are waiting for a bus to take you in the direction less travelled, you'll end up seeing and getting frustrated by all these out of service busses. In my friend's case, she's trying to catch a bus FROM downtown to her work during morning rush hour. Think of the regular flow of rush hour traffic. Anyone who has ever driven in rush hour is aware that there is always one direction that is busier than another. At 8 in the morning, there are more people trying to get TO downtown rather than OUT of downtown. So, I would like to reiterate how important it is to read the destination sign before boarding a bus. Occasionally, we will forget to change the sign or enter the the wrong destination so don't be afraid to question it.
The "Not in Service" bus can also be frustrating to a passenger when the stop they need to wait at happens to be near one of our garages. For these people, only 1 in every 10 busses seems to be in service. I kind of get a kick out of watching these people as I drive past. They get their hopes up and you can see them shuffle into position to get ready to board, until I get close enough for them to read the sign on the front. That's when they turn around looking defeated. It's particularly fun when the sun is at such an angle that it makes the sign almost impossible to read until I'm practically on top of them. You may think that the joy I receive from this is cruel, but hey, that's just how my schedule works. I can't help it if I get a chuckle out of it too. I remember one day driving past a bus stop while out of service. Well, this person waiting there must have been having a particularly unlucky day because as I drove by he threw his arms up in frustration and I could see him mouth the words "Oh for luck's sake!" Now, I don't pretend to be an expert lip reader so it's possible I'm mistaken in what he said but the fact is he was waiting at a stop that was 6 blocks away from my garage. Of course he's going to feel like he has poor luck. You need to be aware of your surroundings a little more and realize that you're standing on a major thoroughfare for all of us to get back to the garage. Time of day was also key here since he was waiting for a bus around 6pm as rush hour was dying down and many of the busses were turning in for the night. In my city, 3 out of the 4 garages we have are actually in popular areas and this will be a common sight.
I also like to compare the "Not in Service" bus to 2 other kinds of busses. The "Express" bus and the "School Special" bus. Both of these are also busses that can be a tease to anyone waiting at a stop. With the express routes, there are usually only a few places that these busses will stop or at least a section of the route where they make no stops. Generally, these stops are at major intersections or places people can transfer to other routes. There are a few major roads in my city where you will see dozens of different busses driving past in express mode, but only 2 or 3 busses that actually stop in these areas. Much like people who get passed by "not in service" busses because of the stop they're at, I do get amused by the people waiting at stops in these express zones. Mostly because the people who aren't as familiar with the bus routes almost always have the same reaction. They look at the number on my bus, turn to look at the bus stop sign where the busses that stop there are listed and then back at me with a sad look on their face. Sometimes I also get the people who "wave me past" because they're waiting for a specific bus and don't realize I wasn't going to stop there anyway. Of course, to further complicate matters, in my city during the winter if the weather gets extremely cold, we will be instructed to make stops in our express zones so people aren't waiting. Just the kind of thing to keep everyone one their toes.
The "School Special" bus is also a fun one. These busses will drive portions of an actual route with a few tweaks here and there. These also throw people off, but not for the same reason as "Not in Service". With a "School Special" I have to travel past some of the same stops as the regular route, while still displaying that route's number (but listing the destination "School Special") and will have customers who aren't students waiting at these stops. I will not refuse to board any of these passengers, but I will usually give them a disclaimer before they get on. Something like "Just so you're aware, I'm a school special" or "I don't go all the way to the station". But despite my attempts to warn them I still get some people who ignore me and will get on anyway and then get all panicky when I take a turn they aren't expecting. Or I get to the end of my school run (which is in the middle of nowhere rather than the station they were expecting) and kick them off.
Much like I've said before, it surprises me how many people will get on a bus without actually knowing where it goes. School Specials and Express busses are notorious for this. Especially express busses where I constantly get the question "Do you pass such and such place?" I know this is just arguing semantics, but this isn't the question to ask. It's more appropriate to ask if I actually STOP at such and such place. But I ask, would you get on a Greyhound bus without knowing the destination, wait until it's on the highway and then ask the driver "Excuse me, do you go anywhere near Vancouver? " Personally, I wouldn't. So why do people think it's ok on a city bus?
Again, I can't stress enough to read the sign on the front of the bus. Or at least do your research beforehand. Some customers do in fact know the system really well. They will intentionally wait for my bus because they know where I have to go after I become "Not in Service". I mean, we have to get around the city somehow... we don't just magically appear at our locations to start driving our routes. These people who know where I'm going to end up or know how to work the system are fine by me. I have no problem taking them with me even if I am out of service. I specifically remember one regular rider I had that definitely knew how to do this. The route I was driving was the "#12 school special". I left the garage, drove out of service to a school and then did an abbreviated version of the route 12. Well, this particular woman knew that if she took my 12 instead of the one that came 3 minutes earlier, she could reach her destination and shave about 10 minutes off her commute. I even helped her beat the system more because after a few times seeing her, I realized that I actually passed her on my way to that school because she was waiting for a bus to take her to the stop I picked her up at. So, I started cutting out the middleman for her and picking her up while I was not in service on the way to the school. Pretty above and beyond my regular customer service. Sure would've been nice if she had phoned in a commendation for me or something... just sayin'.
In the end, the most important thing to take away from all this is do your research, pay attention to the signs on the bus and your own surroundings. And don't be afraid to talk to your bus driver. Other than driving, we are also there to answer questions. We are a surprisingly good resource for you. If I drive past you or kick you off my bus because of "Not in Service" or "Express", sorry. But it isn't personal, its just the job. And if you as a passenger just familiarized yourself a little bit more with the routes and schedules, you wouldn't be as offended by Not in Service busses driving by. You'd be expecting it, for luck's sake.
Hopefully that answers your question, Stef.
From in front of the yellow line, that's how I see it.
Not in service
By Shawn Wells
I have a friend who follows my blog quite closely. She is quite intrigued with the day to day operations of my job. Every once in awhile she will send me a text message asking a question. I figure, in her honor I would answer one of them. So I present my first ever "by request" post. She asked me "Why do all the busses seem to be 'not in service' in the morning? "
Aaah... the "Not in Service" bus. Any regular transit user knows this frustration all too well. Why does it seem like half the busses that drive past seem to say "Not in Service" on the front? Well, first you have to look at where you are and what time of day it is.
The majority of a bus driver's available shifts are split shifts. They are designed so that the majority of the drivers and busses are on the road during rush hour commute. Quite often, a lot of these busses are also just out there to fill the gaps in service for some of the higher traffic areas. Best example is downtown. Many of the busses that would normally take you from point A to point B, are instead only going as far as downtown, because that's where the majority of the people from point A are trying to get to. We call these "stub routes". They cover the more popular portions of a route and are mixed in amongst other busses scheduled to do the whole route. In fact, there are a few routes in my city that are designed simply for this reason. Entire routes dedicated to being only a PART of some of these routes. These are less confusing for the passengers and definitely less frustrating for the drivers. I've mentioned in previous postings that it's always important to check the destination sign on the front of the bus. As a driver, I only display my final destination. So, if my bus says "downtown" rather than "point B", I will be kicking you off my bus when I get downtown. But almost every time I drive one of these stub routes, I do in fact have to tell someone to get off.
Anyway, as I arrive on one of these particular "stub busses" to downtown, that's when I put up my "not in service" sign. So, if you are waiting for a bus to take you in the direction less travelled, you'll end up seeing and getting frustrated by all these out of service busses. In my friend's case, she's trying to catch a bus FROM downtown to her work during morning rush hour. Think of the regular flow of rush hour traffic. Anyone who has ever driven in rush hour is aware that there is always one direction that is busier than another. At 8 in the morning, there are more people trying to get TO downtown rather than OUT of downtown. So, I would like to reiterate how important it is to read the destination sign before boarding a bus. Occasionally, we will forget to change the sign or enter the the wrong destination so don't be afraid to question it.
The "Not in Service" bus can also be frustrating to a passenger when the stop they need to wait at happens to be near one of our garages. For these people, only 1 in every 10 busses seems to be in service. I kind of get a kick out of watching these people as I drive past. They get their hopes up and you can see them shuffle into position to get ready to board, until I get close enough for them to read the sign on the front. That's when they turn around looking defeated. It's particularly fun when the sun is at such an angle that it makes the sign almost impossible to read until I'm practically on top of them. You may think that the joy I receive from this is cruel, but hey, that's just how my schedule works. I can't help it if I get a chuckle out of it too. I remember one day driving past a bus stop while out of service. Well, this person waiting there must have been having a particularly unlucky day because as I drove by he threw his arms up in frustration and I could see him mouth the words "Oh for luck's sake!" Now, I don't pretend to be an expert lip reader so it's possible I'm mistaken in what he said but the fact is he was waiting at a stop that was 6 blocks away from my garage. Of course he's going to feel like he has poor luck. You need to be aware of your surroundings a little more and realize that you're standing on a major thoroughfare for all of us to get back to the garage. Time of day was also key here since he was waiting for a bus around 6pm as rush hour was dying down and many of the busses were turning in for the night. In my city, 3 out of the 4 garages we have are actually in popular areas and this will be a common sight.
I also like to compare the "Not in Service" bus to 2 other kinds of busses. The "Express" bus and the "School Special" bus. Both of these are also busses that can be a tease to anyone waiting at a stop. With the express routes, there are usually only a few places that these busses will stop or at least a section of the route where they make no stops. Generally, these stops are at major intersections or places people can transfer to other routes. There are a few major roads in my city where you will see dozens of different busses driving past in express mode, but only 2 or 3 busses that actually stop in these areas. Much like people who get passed by "not in service" busses because of the stop they're at, I do get amused by the people waiting at stops in these express zones. Mostly because the people who aren't as familiar with the bus routes almost always have the same reaction. They look at the number on my bus, turn to look at the bus stop sign where the busses that stop there are listed and then back at me with a sad look on their face. Sometimes I also get the people who "wave me past" because they're waiting for a specific bus and don't realize I wasn't going to stop there anyway. Of course, to further complicate matters, in my city during the winter if the weather gets extremely cold, we will be instructed to make stops in our express zones so people aren't waiting. Just the kind of thing to keep everyone one their toes.
The "School Special" bus is also a fun one. These busses will drive portions of an actual route with a few tweaks here and there. These also throw people off, but not for the same reason as "Not in Service". With a "School Special" I have to travel past some of the same stops as the regular route, while still displaying that route's number (but listing the destination "School Special") and will have customers who aren't students waiting at these stops. I will not refuse to board any of these passengers, but I will usually give them a disclaimer before they get on. Something like "Just so you're aware, I'm a school special" or "I don't go all the way to the station". But despite my attempts to warn them I still get some people who ignore me and will get on anyway and then get all panicky when I take a turn they aren't expecting. Or I get to the end of my school run (which is in the middle of nowhere rather than the station they were expecting) and kick them off.
Much like I've said before, it surprises me how many people will get on a bus without actually knowing where it goes. School Specials and Express busses are notorious for this. Especially express busses where I constantly get the question "Do you pass such and such place?" I know this is just arguing semantics, but this isn't the question to ask. It's more appropriate to ask if I actually STOP at such and such place. But I ask, would you get on a Greyhound bus without knowing the destination, wait until it's on the highway and then ask the driver "Excuse me, do you go anywhere near Vancouver? " Personally, I wouldn't. So why do people think it's ok on a city bus?
Again, I can't stress enough to read the sign on the front of the bus. Or at least do your research beforehand. Some customers do in fact know the system really well. They will intentionally wait for my bus because they know where I have to go after I become "Not in Service". I mean, we have to get around the city somehow... we don't just magically appear at our locations to start driving our routes. These people who know where I'm going to end up or know how to work the system are fine by me. I have no problem taking them with me even if I am out of service. I specifically remember one regular rider I had that definitely knew how to do this. The route I was driving was the "#12 school special". I left the garage, drove out of service to a school and then did an abbreviated version of the route 12. Well, this particular woman knew that if she took my 12 instead of the one that came 3 minutes earlier, she could reach her destination and shave about 10 minutes off her commute. I even helped her beat the system more because after a few times seeing her, I realized that I actually passed her on my way to that school because she was waiting for a bus to take her to the stop I picked her up at. So, I started cutting out the middleman for her and picking her up while I was not in service on the way to the school. Pretty above and beyond my regular customer service. Sure would've been nice if she had phoned in a commendation for me or something... just sayin'.
In the end, the most important thing to take away from all this is do your research, pay attention to the signs on the bus and your own surroundings. And don't be afraid to talk to your bus driver. Other than driving, we are also there to answer questions. We are a surprisingly good resource for you. If I drive past you or kick you off my bus because of "Not in Service" or "Express", sorry. But it isn't personal, its just the job. And if you as a passenger just familiarized yourself a little bit more with the routes and schedules, you wouldn't be as offended by Not in Service busses driving by. You'd be expecting it, for luck's sake.
Hopefully that answers your question, Stef.
From in front of the yellow line, that's how I see it.
Friday, 6 November 2015
In Front of the Yellow Line
Bad Drivers
By Shawn Wells
You know, sometimes I wish that I had the authority to revoke people's drivers licenses because there are some terrible drivers out there. Of course, I'm not talking about you, dear reader.... you're an excellent driver. I'm talking about everyone else. Perhaps I got into the wrong line of work by being a bus driver if taking away licenses is something I would like to be able to do. If you drive, or have ever ridden in a vehicle and paid attention to the other cars on the road, you've probably seen many things that make you shake your head. But on top of my own personal commutes, I am on the road 40 hours a week for work and believe me, I see some stupidity. For some reason though, as bad as the other drivers are around me when I'm in my own car, their poor driving habits seem to be amplified around a bus. I suppose this is much the same way that people are on their best behavior when driving next to a police car.
I'm not sure how internationally recognized the "distracted driving" laws are yet, but in my city it definitely exists. So, if you're unfamiliar with this concept, don't worry because it'll probably be coming soon to your hometown. Basically, this law is supposed to stop people from texting, using handheld phones, doing their makeup, reading or anything similar while driving. Yes, I said reading... more on that in a minute. Not a single day goes by that I don't see several people texting while driving. From my vantage point in the driver's seat of my bus, I have a pretty clear view into just about any car I pull up next to. The amount of times I stop at a red light and look over to see someone frantically tapping away on their phone actually scares me a little. To be fair, not that it justifies it, the majority of them put the phone down once the light has turned green. WHEN they eventually see the light turn green, that is. And some of them I can see are just changing the song that's playing on their radio. But I do also drive past many people on the road that have their phone to their ear too. Personally, I don't have a Bluetooth system in my own car, so if I have to make a call I put my phone on "speaker" and rest it in my lap. I'm not one of these people (and trust me, I see plenty of these too) who puts their phone on speaker but then holds it in front of their face anyway. People... speakerphone does not equal hands free unless you put it down.
I didn't want to state facts about distracted drivers without having something to back it up. So, curious by how many people I actually see breaking this law I decided to take it upon myself to conduct a little impromptu survey. During the afternoon portion of my shift on October 30th, 2015 I brought along a clicker counter with me while I worked. In a 3 1/2 hour piece of work (2:15pm-5:44pm) I counted a staggering 41 people using a handheld device while driving. And those are only the people I saw! Keep in mind, I was working so I had to focus more on my job and safety than my little experiment. It gets worse. This particular day was also rainy, so visibility was already not so good. Several of the people I saw weren't alone in the car and some of those passengers were kids. 2 of the people I witnessed using their cell phones while driving through a school zone right at the end of the school day. And one of the people I saw was actually watching YouTube while driving. That's a lot of law breakers... an average of one every 5 minutes. If every bus driver on the road at that time had seen just as many people doing this, that would've been thousands of people who were texting while driving. Or, on the flipside, how would you feel about seeing that many bus drivers texting while driving? Or... And this is an extreme comparison, but imagine if I had witnessed 41 people being murdered... it's a shocking thought. All I know is that if you feel the need to text during your commute, here's a wacky idea for you.... take a bus. Trust me, I've driven enough full, yet silent busses where I look in my mirror to see nearly everyone peering down at some electronic item. Whatever you're typing is not so important that you can't wait until you get home. If it was truly an emergency, you wouldn't be receiving the news via text... you'd be receiving a phone call. In my personal experience, "I'm in labor" or "Grandpa is in the hospital" or "Your house is on fire" are the kinds of things I've never been told with a text.
Of course, cell phones aren't the only things I've seen people distracted with. Maps, Gps, other documents, women putting on makeup.... I once witnessed a guy enjoying having his girlfriend's head in his lap... I don't think I need to connect the dots any further for you. I've seen people (yes, plural) eating using cutlery and once saw a guy with Armourall and a cloth detailing the inside of his vehicle. As I mentioned earlier, the biggest one that stands out to me is the day I saw someone reading their ebook while driving. It was during the summer on a nice warm day. I was driving through a construction zone when I looked over and saw a woman with her Kobo on her steering wheel. Because of how nice the day was, she had all her windows open. So, I decided to announce very loudly to my passegers "And if everyone takes a look out the left side of the bus, you'll all see someone who thinks it's appropriate to read while driving." Nothing like a bus full of people simultaneously looking in your direction to shame you into putting your book down and pay attention to traffic.
Also, if you're riding my bus, please don't make me a distracted driver. I've already got plenty on my mind.... knowing the route, keeping on schedule and all the other things that come with driving. Plus, I already have enough distractions on my bus with things like screaming children or people arguing, etc. Most of this I can tune out if I choose. But every once in awhile I get someone who practically forces me to acknowledge their existence. You'd be surprised at how much this happens. I'm specifically referring to the customers who get on my bus unprepared, so they don't have their pass ready. Instead of waiting for them to dig it out, I carry on driving. But then they find their pass and decide it's a good idea to stick it right in front of my face while I'm driving so I can see it. This is why I appreciate little old ladies. They seem to understand that impeding my view while driving is probably a bad idea. What they do instead (if they don't already have their pass hanging from their walker) is sit down, dig out their pass, wait until I'm stopped, say "Excuse me, sir!" and then hold the pass up so I can see it in the mirror. Not to say little old ladies are the ONLY ones who do this, they're just the most consistent. But believe it or not, passes aren't the only thing people like to stick in front of my eyes when I'm trying to see the road. I get plenty of people who wait until I'm driving to ask if I go near a certain address. Instead of telling me the address, they hold up a piece of paper or a phone with a Google map or a text open on it and put that in front of my face. Of course, my first question is why these people would get on a bus without doing the research first and figuring out whether its the right bus. There have been times that these passengers have been riding for close to half an hour before they come ask me their questions. The second question is why these customers are incapable of TELLING me the address. Maybe people think I have x-ray vision but I'm here to set the record straight. I don't. If you need me to look at something with an address on it, at the very least wait until I'm stopped. Don't block my view.
I've put a lot of emphasis on distracted drivers so far, but those are definitely not the only terrible drivers on the road. In fact, the majority of the most outrageously bad motorists aren't distracted at all. Many of them I like to think of as "important" people. Those people who are in a bigger hurry than everyone else. (I think most of these people are named "Richard", if you catch my meaning.) We've all seen them. I'm sure most of us have even BEEN them on occasion. For some reason, around a bus their behavior seems that much worse. They have no problem playing chicken with a bus. Almost daily I get some motorist that decides they no longer want to be driving behind a bus and so they whip around me, just to cut me off. Happens all the time. The worst is when they do it because they want to turn at the next corner. With about 12 feet to spare, they cut in front of me just to put on the brakes and turn. Many people have almost ended up with a bus in their back seat. If you don't want to be behind a bus in traffic, don't drive in the right hand lane. I also get the people that like to turn in front of me as I'm coming through an intersection because they want to make sure they don't end up behind a bus. Apparently, they are incapable of changing lanes to get out from behind me. They would rather risk getting hit by a bus. These are the same "Richards" who take advantage of my good nature. I'll let someone into traffic in front of me and these guys are the ones who will force themselves in front while I've left a little gap. Or if I leave a space between me and the car in front of me while stopped because I don't want to follow to close, they take that as an open invitation to take that spot. Or during rush hour, I stop on the near side of an intersection when the light is green if traffic is lined up so as not to block the intersection. But as soon as traffic moves slightly and I have a chance to move, these guys slip into the empty spot which either forces me to stop and stay stranded on that side of the intersection or pull ahead block the intersection, which is what I was trying to avoid in the first place.
I've even had people honk at me because I have the audacity to stop at a bus stop. It's amazing that someone wouldn't expect this. I've seen busses for other cities that have those signs that say "Caution. Frequent stops." We don't have those on our busses. Maybe we need them. But as far as I'm concerned, that should be a given. Besides, the signs that actually ARE on the back of my bus seem to have little impact. "Please yield when signal flashes" only seems to mean something to every 10th person. This is especially true when I try to pull out from one of those stops that is cut out from the street.
I see people that don't know how properly to use 4 way stops, traffic circles or merging lanes. I see people run red lights or go the wrong way down a one way street. People changing lanes without signaling or people signaling the wrong way before turning. People going way too fast. People going excruciatingly slow. Basically, think of some of the stupidest things you've seen other drivers do while you're on the road and I've probably seen someone do every single one of those things. So many people that make you wonder how they're still on the road as licensed drivers. I can understand the people that don't quite understand that a bus works a little differently. I've mentioned in past blogs about certain rules and behaviors we follow compared to everyone else. For example, the fact that when I make a left turn, I'm not going to be turning into the nearest lane but rather the one closest to the curb. That's why I can forgive someone who cuts me off making a right turn at the same time because they don't expect this. But the amount of people who disobey "no left turn" signs or "do not block intersection" signs, frankly is mind boggling.
However, I do definitely have a subtle evil streak in me too. I can just as easily be a jerk right back. When you drive as much as I do, there's only so much you can take of inconsiderate people. Normally I'm a pretty easy going guy and am courteous as a driver. But during a rush hour, when I'm trying to reasonably keep my schedule and I've already been cut off dozens of times by people taking advantage of me, the easy going attitude can dissappear. Suddenly, I become "that guy" who pulls ahead into a spot not quite big enough thereby making me block part of an intersection. I nose my way into the flow of traffic a little more aggressively than usual. It's very easy to get caught up in the "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" mentality. But I especially like when bus drivers team up with each other. We often will block traffic long enough for another bus to make a turn. We have a couple transit centers in our city that don't have traffic lights to help us get out and across busy roads. So during high volume times, often you'll see one bus pull out of the station and block one of the directions of traffic so that another 3 or 4 busses can go. Cooperation like this is one of the things I enjoy most about my coworkers. We all understand the lack of respect we get sometimes and look out for each other.
One day not to long ago, I was driving during rush hour towards a construction zone. It was one of these ones where I knew the left lane ended in several blocks. So I was stuck in the slow moving right lane because further up the road, all the traffic was trying to merge. I was starting to get fed up by people moving out of the slow lane behind me to travel in the left lane just to get to the front of the line. That's when another bus (an express) started coming up the left lane as well. I flagged him down and had him open his door. I said to him "I'll let you in up at the blockage, but for now drive next to me so we can get this traffic moving." So we ganged up on rush hour and did just that. Allowed all the "important" people who had already driven by to merge so that traffic would start moving at a reasonable pace again while blocking the chance for anyone else to slow things down again. Teamwork.
I think our society has become so technologically advanced that people grow impatient very easily. We've become so accustomed to almost instantly having anything we want. Waiting behind a bus while it loads passengers becomes an unbearable amount of time for people to wait that they instead dangerously pass the bus. I've seen cars nearly wind up in accidents doing this. Definitely numerous people getting honked at. However, I don't want to take anything away from the people who are courteous out there on the road. Many people are kind enough to let me into traffic and so on. But even with the good people out there, some days the stupidity reigns supreme.
One of the skills I've learned at this job that I'll be able to put on any future resumes is the ability anticipate stupidity. This is something all bus drivers need to be able to do. Whether its a pedestrian, another motorist or even an animal, we always need to be prepared for the worst case scenario. Recently, I discovered what happens when you don't. A little while ago I had to face the safety review committee at my work because of an incident that happened in the spring. What happened is as I was coming up on an intersection, I was yielding because opposite traffic had an advance arrow signal. The arrow stopped flashing, the intersection cleared and I started accelerating again (along with everyone else who had been waiting at the light). That's when someone decided to run the red light and turn in front of me. Slamming on my brakes, I narrowly avoided hitting them, but in the process threw someone on my bus out of their seat and they hit their head. And unfortunately, because I wasn't careful enough to anticipate the stupidity of this other driver, I am considered at fault for this injury. It's not like I'm being sued or anything, but it goes on my record as something that was deemed "preventable". Now I have this situation that I already feel horrible about and meanwhile I can't pass the blame onto the person that ran the red light. That's what sets me apart as a professional driver... the need to take defensive driving to the extreme.
Maybe I have this perspective or get so frustrated by this because as a bus driver for my city, I'm held to a higher standard than John Q. Motorist. I don't need one of those "how's my driving?" stickers on the back of my vehicle because I'm basically driving around town in a giant billboard. A perfect example is one day when I forgot my watch and I had to use my phone for its clock. Well, this particular day prompted a phone call from a concerned bystander who had seen me looking at my phone and resulted in a talk with my supervisor. The only thing that saved me was the fact that I had warned my bosses that I would be using my phone as a watch that day. But it would be great if everyone had some way to be accountable for their actions the same way I am. Maybe everyone should have "How's my driving?" stickers on the back of their car. The problem is, I'd never get any work done with all the phone calls I would need to make. That is, if I'm not too busy texting while driving.
From in front of the yellow line, that's how I see it.
Bad Drivers
By Shawn Wells
You know, sometimes I wish that I had the authority to revoke people's drivers licenses because there are some terrible drivers out there. Of course, I'm not talking about you, dear reader.... you're an excellent driver. I'm talking about everyone else. Perhaps I got into the wrong line of work by being a bus driver if taking away licenses is something I would like to be able to do. If you drive, or have ever ridden in a vehicle and paid attention to the other cars on the road, you've probably seen many things that make you shake your head. But on top of my own personal commutes, I am on the road 40 hours a week for work and believe me, I see some stupidity. For some reason though, as bad as the other drivers are around me when I'm in my own car, their poor driving habits seem to be amplified around a bus. I suppose this is much the same way that people are on their best behavior when driving next to a police car.
I'm not sure how internationally recognized the "distracted driving" laws are yet, but in my city it definitely exists. So, if you're unfamiliar with this concept, don't worry because it'll probably be coming soon to your hometown. Basically, this law is supposed to stop people from texting, using handheld phones, doing their makeup, reading or anything similar while driving. Yes, I said reading... more on that in a minute. Not a single day goes by that I don't see several people texting while driving. From my vantage point in the driver's seat of my bus, I have a pretty clear view into just about any car I pull up next to. The amount of times I stop at a red light and look over to see someone frantically tapping away on their phone actually scares me a little. To be fair, not that it justifies it, the majority of them put the phone down once the light has turned green. WHEN they eventually see the light turn green, that is. And some of them I can see are just changing the song that's playing on their radio. But I do also drive past many people on the road that have their phone to their ear too. Personally, I don't have a Bluetooth system in my own car, so if I have to make a call I put my phone on "speaker" and rest it in my lap. I'm not one of these people (and trust me, I see plenty of these too) who puts their phone on speaker but then holds it in front of their face anyway. People... speakerphone does not equal hands free unless you put it down.
I didn't want to state facts about distracted drivers without having something to back it up. So, curious by how many people I actually see breaking this law I decided to take it upon myself to conduct a little impromptu survey. During the afternoon portion of my shift on October 30th, 2015 I brought along a clicker counter with me while I worked. In a 3 1/2 hour piece of work (2:15pm-5:44pm) I counted a staggering 41 people using a handheld device while driving. And those are only the people I saw! Keep in mind, I was working so I had to focus more on my job and safety than my little experiment. It gets worse. This particular day was also rainy, so visibility was already not so good. Several of the people I saw weren't alone in the car and some of those passengers were kids. 2 of the people I witnessed using their cell phones while driving through a school zone right at the end of the school day. And one of the people I saw was actually watching YouTube while driving. That's a lot of law breakers... an average of one every 5 minutes. If every bus driver on the road at that time had seen just as many people doing this, that would've been thousands of people who were texting while driving. Or, on the flipside, how would you feel about seeing that many bus drivers texting while driving? Or... And this is an extreme comparison, but imagine if I had witnessed 41 people being murdered... it's a shocking thought. All I know is that if you feel the need to text during your commute, here's a wacky idea for you.... take a bus. Trust me, I've driven enough full, yet silent busses where I look in my mirror to see nearly everyone peering down at some electronic item. Whatever you're typing is not so important that you can't wait until you get home. If it was truly an emergency, you wouldn't be receiving the news via text... you'd be receiving a phone call. In my personal experience, "I'm in labor" or "Grandpa is in the hospital" or "Your house is on fire" are the kinds of things I've never been told with a text.
Of course, cell phones aren't the only things I've seen people distracted with. Maps, Gps, other documents, women putting on makeup.... I once witnessed a guy enjoying having his girlfriend's head in his lap... I don't think I need to connect the dots any further for you. I've seen people (yes, plural) eating using cutlery and once saw a guy with Armourall and a cloth detailing the inside of his vehicle. As I mentioned earlier, the biggest one that stands out to me is the day I saw someone reading their ebook while driving. It was during the summer on a nice warm day. I was driving through a construction zone when I looked over and saw a woman with her Kobo on her steering wheel. Because of how nice the day was, she had all her windows open. So, I decided to announce very loudly to my passegers "And if everyone takes a look out the left side of the bus, you'll all see someone who thinks it's appropriate to read while driving." Nothing like a bus full of people simultaneously looking in your direction to shame you into putting your book down and pay attention to traffic.
Also, if you're riding my bus, please don't make me a distracted driver. I've already got plenty on my mind.... knowing the route, keeping on schedule and all the other things that come with driving. Plus, I already have enough distractions on my bus with things like screaming children or people arguing, etc. Most of this I can tune out if I choose. But every once in awhile I get someone who practically forces me to acknowledge their existence. You'd be surprised at how much this happens. I'm specifically referring to the customers who get on my bus unprepared, so they don't have their pass ready. Instead of waiting for them to dig it out, I carry on driving. But then they find their pass and decide it's a good idea to stick it right in front of my face while I'm driving so I can see it. This is why I appreciate little old ladies. They seem to understand that impeding my view while driving is probably a bad idea. What they do instead (if they don't already have their pass hanging from their walker) is sit down, dig out their pass, wait until I'm stopped, say "Excuse me, sir!" and then hold the pass up so I can see it in the mirror. Not to say little old ladies are the ONLY ones who do this, they're just the most consistent. But believe it or not, passes aren't the only thing people like to stick in front of my eyes when I'm trying to see the road. I get plenty of people who wait until I'm driving to ask if I go near a certain address. Instead of telling me the address, they hold up a piece of paper or a phone with a Google map or a text open on it and put that in front of my face. Of course, my first question is why these people would get on a bus without doing the research first and figuring out whether its the right bus. There have been times that these passengers have been riding for close to half an hour before they come ask me their questions. The second question is why these customers are incapable of TELLING me the address. Maybe people think I have x-ray vision but I'm here to set the record straight. I don't. If you need me to look at something with an address on it, at the very least wait until I'm stopped. Don't block my view.
I've put a lot of emphasis on distracted drivers so far, but those are definitely not the only terrible drivers on the road. In fact, the majority of the most outrageously bad motorists aren't distracted at all. Many of them I like to think of as "important" people. Those people who are in a bigger hurry than everyone else. (I think most of these people are named "Richard", if you catch my meaning.) We've all seen them. I'm sure most of us have even BEEN them on occasion. For some reason, around a bus their behavior seems that much worse. They have no problem playing chicken with a bus. Almost daily I get some motorist that decides they no longer want to be driving behind a bus and so they whip around me, just to cut me off. Happens all the time. The worst is when they do it because they want to turn at the next corner. With about 12 feet to spare, they cut in front of me just to put on the brakes and turn. Many people have almost ended up with a bus in their back seat. If you don't want to be behind a bus in traffic, don't drive in the right hand lane. I also get the people that like to turn in front of me as I'm coming through an intersection because they want to make sure they don't end up behind a bus. Apparently, they are incapable of changing lanes to get out from behind me. They would rather risk getting hit by a bus. These are the same "Richards" who take advantage of my good nature. I'll let someone into traffic in front of me and these guys are the ones who will force themselves in front while I've left a little gap. Or if I leave a space between me and the car in front of me while stopped because I don't want to follow to close, they take that as an open invitation to take that spot. Or during rush hour, I stop on the near side of an intersection when the light is green if traffic is lined up so as not to block the intersection. But as soon as traffic moves slightly and I have a chance to move, these guys slip into the empty spot which either forces me to stop and stay stranded on that side of the intersection or pull ahead block the intersection, which is what I was trying to avoid in the first place.
I've even had people honk at me because I have the audacity to stop at a bus stop. It's amazing that someone wouldn't expect this. I've seen busses for other cities that have those signs that say "Caution. Frequent stops." We don't have those on our busses. Maybe we need them. But as far as I'm concerned, that should be a given. Besides, the signs that actually ARE on the back of my bus seem to have little impact. "Please yield when signal flashes" only seems to mean something to every 10th person. This is especially true when I try to pull out from one of those stops that is cut out from the street.
I see people that don't know how properly to use 4 way stops, traffic circles or merging lanes. I see people run red lights or go the wrong way down a one way street. People changing lanes without signaling or people signaling the wrong way before turning. People going way too fast. People going excruciatingly slow. Basically, think of some of the stupidest things you've seen other drivers do while you're on the road and I've probably seen someone do every single one of those things. So many people that make you wonder how they're still on the road as licensed drivers. I can understand the people that don't quite understand that a bus works a little differently. I've mentioned in past blogs about certain rules and behaviors we follow compared to everyone else. For example, the fact that when I make a left turn, I'm not going to be turning into the nearest lane but rather the one closest to the curb. That's why I can forgive someone who cuts me off making a right turn at the same time because they don't expect this. But the amount of people who disobey "no left turn" signs or "do not block intersection" signs, frankly is mind boggling.
However, I do definitely have a subtle evil streak in me too. I can just as easily be a jerk right back. When you drive as much as I do, there's only so much you can take of inconsiderate people. Normally I'm a pretty easy going guy and am courteous as a driver. But during a rush hour, when I'm trying to reasonably keep my schedule and I've already been cut off dozens of times by people taking advantage of me, the easy going attitude can dissappear. Suddenly, I become "that guy" who pulls ahead into a spot not quite big enough thereby making me block part of an intersection. I nose my way into the flow of traffic a little more aggressively than usual. It's very easy to get caught up in the "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" mentality. But I especially like when bus drivers team up with each other. We often will block traffic long enough for another bus to make a turn. We have a couple transit centers in our city that don't have traffic lights to help us get out and across busy roads. So during high volume times, often you'll see one bus pull out of the station and block one of the directions of traffic so that another 3 or 4 busses can go. Cooperation like this is one of the things I enjoy most about my coworkers. We all understand the lack of respect we get sometimes and look out for each other.
One day not to long ago, I was driving during rush hour towards a construction zone. It was one of these ones where I knew the left lane ended in several blocks. So I was stuck in the slow moving right lane because further up the road, all the traffic was trying to merge. I was starting to get fed up by people moving out of the slow lane behind me to travel in the left lane just to get to the front of the line. That's when another bus (an express) started coming up the left lane as well. I flagged him down and had him open his door. I said to him "I'll let you in up at the blockage, but for now drive next to me so we can get this traffic moving." So we ganged up on rush hour and did just that. Allowed all the "important" people who had already driven by to merge so that traffic would start moving at a reasonable pace again while blocking the chance for anyone else to slow things down again. Teamwork.
I think our society has become so technologically advanced that people grow impatient very easily. We've become so accustomed to almost instantly having anything we want. Waiting behind a bus while it loads passengers becomes an unbearable amount of time for people to wait that they instead dangerously pass the bus. I've seen cars nearly wind up in accidents doing this. Definitely numerous people getting honked at. However, I don't want to take anything away from the people who are courteous out there on the road. Many people are kind enough to let me into traffic and so on. But even with the good people out there, some days the stupidity reigns supreme.
One of the skills I've learned at this job that I'll be able to put on any future resumes is the ability anticipate stupidity. This is something all bus drivers need to be able to do. Whether its a pedestrian, another motorist or even an animal, we always need to be prepared for the worst case scenario. Recently, I discovered what happens when you don't. A little while ago I had to face the safety review committee at my work because of an incident that happened in the spring. What happened is as I was coming up on an intersection, I was yielding because opposite traffic had an advance arrow signal. The arrow stopped flashing, the intersection cleared and I started accelerating again (along with everyone else who had been waiting at the light). That's when someone decided to run the red light and turn in front of me. Slamming on my brakes, I narrowly avoided hitting them, but in the process threw someone on my bus out of their seat and they hit their head. And unfortunately, because I wasn't careful enough to anticipate the stupidity of this other driver, I am considered at fault for this injury. It's not like I'm being sued or anything, but it goes on my record as something that was deemed "preventable". Now I have this situation that I already feel horrible about and meanwhile I can't pass the blame onto the person that ran the red light. That's what sets me apart as a professional driver... the need to take defensive driving to the extreme.
Maybe I have this perspective or get so frustrated by this because as a bus driver for my city, I'm held to a higher standard than John Q. Motorist. I don't need one of those "how's my driving?" stickers on the back of my vehicle because I'm basically driving around town in a giant billboard. A perfect example is one day when I forgot my watch and I had to use my phone for its clock. Well, this particular day prompted a phone call from a concerned bystander who had seen me looking at my phone and resulted in a talk with my supervisor. The only thing that saved me was the fact that I had warned my bosses that I would be using my phone as a watch that day. But it would be great if everyone had some way to be accountable for their actions the same way I am. Maybe everyone should have "How's my driving?" stickers on the back of their car. The problem is, I'd never get any work done with all the phone calls I would need to make. That is, if I'm not too busy texting while driving.
From in front of the yellow line, that's how I see it.
Monday, 6 April 2015
In Front of the Yellow Line
I'm a Rockstar
By Shawn Wells
One thing I enjoy about being a bus driver is that special feeling you can get. Not from the passengers or from my co-workers, but simply from driving. Because as a bus driver, there are some rules on the road that apply only to me.Some of the are official, some of them aren’t, but all of them make me feel like I’m getting away with something.
The majority of the time,when faced with a left turn that has 2 turning lanes to choose from, we will be turning from the outside turning lane rather than the inside. This is partially for safety because the dimensions of the bus and how it moves around corners. If we make the turn from the inside lane, the back end of the bus can kick out into the other lane making it difficult for other turning vehicles to get past. But the other (and possibly more obvious reason) is because we simply need the right hand lane to drive in because of the stops. Even when we make a left turn in from a single turn lane to a double lane road, we are going to turn into the curb lane instead of the inside lane. Mostly because we need to be ready to pull into a stop, which quite often will be immediately following a turn. Most people coming at me from the other side don't realize this fact and definitely don’t expect it because it isn’t the way you learn to make turns normally. So, if you are another motorist on the road making a right turn while facing a left turning bus, you need to be aware of this. If I have a flashing arrow, I’m going to be making my turn, I’m going to be taking that lane and you are being dangerous trying to sneak in your right hand turn. I must say, this is a hard habit to break when I’m driving in my own vehicle.
You may also have been driving and seen one of those black right turn or left turn signs but underneath they say “Except Transit” or something to that effect. This means that regular motorists are expected to turn there, but a bus can go straight through the intersection. On the flipside you may see one of those black straight ahead arrow signs that also says “Except Transit”. This means a bus may turn at this intersection from that lane. You may come across a “No Turn” sign that also says “Transit exempt”. Or sections of road that say “No entrance except busses”. And so on. All these things make me smile. Like I’m getting away with something.
But if my own traffic signs weren’t enough, I also get my own traffic lights! Some high traffic intersections are equipped to give me a head start so I can get ahead of traffic. I get a special “I light” which acts as a personal green light for a bus and allows me to move while everyone else still has a red, just a couple extra seconds. Mostly because we are in a lane that is about to end, or in an area notorious for busses having to get across multiple lanes. It saves us the hassle of trying to convince inconsiderate motorists to allow us to make a lane change. This does however throw some of those motorists off, thats for sure. They start to move too, before realizing they still have a red.
I specifically remember one guy I once pulled up next to. You could tell he was the type of impatient guy who was “too good” to be stuck behind a bus. So, me pulling up to him in a lane that was about to end was clearly a declaration of war. There was no way he was going to let me in front of him, you could tell by the way he kept inching forward, ready to gun it at the green. I chuckled to myself because I knew about my little cheat light. We both watched the flashing pedestrian hand count down until it was a solid hand. Watched the lights facing the other way switch from yellow to red. Here comes my light… I start to move and this guy floored it to make sure he stayed in front of me. He didn’t notice that this meant he was going through a solid red light. Ridiculous. I only wish this had been done in front of a cop.
I also get these same special lights to cross some intersections. Often pedestrian lights along a bus route will also have a road sensor connected with them that only vehicles like a bus are large enough to activate. You know how in your own car when you get to these intersections, you usually hop out to push the button? That’s what I get all the time and don’t have to get out of my seat; the light turns red and allows me to cross the road. I only get about 5 seconds worth of red, but it’s enough for me to get across. But I get so frustrated when there is a car already at that corner trying to cross the same intersection who doesn’t take the cue from the oncoming traffic stopping and just sits there. Well, sits there until the last second, then crosses I should say. So, I’ve activated the red light but because it’s short and the other driver is unobservant, I end up stuck trying to cross the road. Knowing this now, I urge all of you to keep an eye out at these intersections. If you are at a corner that fits the criteria of one of these lights and you see a bus drive up behind you, keep a closer eye on the light for the possibility of it changing. You’ll be doing yourself and the bus behind you a favor.
And then there are bus lanes, oh boy do I love these things. Nothing makes me feel more like a rockstar than bus lanes. A whole lane that only I’m allowed to use. That doesn’t stop people from blocking them on occasion but legally, they’re made for us. It’s a great feeling to drive down a freeway where all the other traffic is at a standstill and pass them all. This must be what it feels like to drive an emergency vehicle with it’s siren going. A real feeling of power. And yes, as I’m driving past you I am in fact thinking “ha ha… suckers.”
Then there’s all the small things too. Private washrooms at the transit centers that need a keycard to enter. The “Please Yield” signs on the back of my bus (and everybody that does listen to these signs is definitely appreciated) Or the fact that in a world cracking down on distracted driving with handheld cell phones, I’m still allowed to use my handheld radio.
It may not seem like the biggest deal. All these perks may seem trivial. But to me, they make me feel like a stud. Maybe I’m just funny that way.
From in front of the yellow line, that’s how I see it
Tuesday, 20 January 2015
In Front of the Yellow Line
The Kids Aren’t Alright
By Shawn Wells
Teenage Girl on my bus: “Yo, there’s like a person right there who be like running for the bus.”
I'm only 36 years old but I'm about to sound like a crotchety old man. What is wrong with kids today?
There is a song by the band My Chemical Romance called Teenagers with the lyrics "Teenagers scare the living shit out of me." I've discovered that this is all too accurate. However, if you're familiar with the song you'll know the singer is referring more to a physical fear. For me, this fear is more mental. More from the social commentary perspective, the longer I do my job as a bus driver, the more I worry about the future of our society. I know that with this post I could alienate an entire group of readers, but it needs to be said... kids today are dumb. (Considering, though, my own son has admitted that he doesn't read my blog, I'm not tremendously concerned about losing readers.)
There it is. This generation of kids is full of idiots. It's scary really. And if you're the parent of a teenager let me tell you, your little angel is not as perfect as you may think. Their teachers may see them with their guard down and witness a different side of them. But that's nothing compared to what the invisible bus driver gets to experience. I get insight into the teenage psyche that you wouldn't believe without witnessing it firsthand. Take a ride on a school special bus sometime and just eavesdrop.
I hear conversations that would make you shudder. Things that these kids talk about that I didn't even think about until I was in my 20's. The conversations about drugs, drinking, sex and all other adult topics. I hear about so and so hooking up with so and so at a party. Or so and so was so wasted last night. Some of these kids are Jr. High aged! If I had a quarter for every time a group of teenagers have gotten on my bus followed by the distinctive pungent odor of a freshly smoked joint, well I don't know if I'd have to work anymore. I'd have a butt-load of quarters.
And these are the people who will one day be running this country.
The other day I had a young kid on my bus, maybe 12 years old. He obviously missed his stop while on the way to school. And when he realized that he had missed it, he started cursing like a sailor. This went on for the next dozen blocks. He asked me "if we had already passed such and such avenue". "Yes we have." "Swear, swear, swear... I'm going to be late... swear swear. How about the river valley?" "That was back there." "Swear swear." Finally after this had gone on for about 5 minutes... him asking about different landmarks only to have me confirm that yes, we had actually gone past where he wanted to be, I finally said "Would you like off so that you can catch another bus back?" He did, in fact. On his way out the door, I left him with one last little educational nugget. "Next time, instead of just sitting there swearing about it, come up with a solution on your own. You could've gotten off 10 blocks ago and been on time by being within walking distance of your school."
Folks, this young problem solver could be you heart surgeon some day.
There was one time I was riding the bus after my shift, thankfully in this case I wasn't the one driving. A few teens got on, one of the young women pushing a stroller. The young mom was too busy texting and laughing with her friends to worry about a small thing like holding onto the stroller. So, it shouldn't come as a big surprise when I tell you that at one point during the trip, the driver of the bus had to brake suddenly and that the stroller (which had bags hanging from the back of it adding extra weight) decided to tip over. And then, to make matters worse, the baby came rolling out of the seat and onto the floor. It wasn't even buckled in! (Side note: the baby was unharmed.) But here's the kicker. When the young mom started to (understandably) take out her frustration yelling at the driver she let out one little piece of information that I still can't believe. "What is wrong with the bus drivers in this city? This is the second time this year this has happened!" Yup. Not only was this girl with the misguided blame careless enough to not hold onto or buckle in her infant, but this is the second time she let it happen! And the person responsible for causing the bus to make this braking maneuver? Her friend rang the stop request bell with very little warning.
This safety conscious young woman could be in charge of installing your brake pads one day.
There was one day that I seemed to have a convention of unwed teenage mothers on my bus. They all seemed to be surprised to see each other as they all got on at different stops, all pushing strollers. But they all seemed to know one another. From what I could work out, they all attended school together at the same local “teenage mother academy”. But the gossip, which I'm sure is like any other high school gossip, was amplified by the fact that they were all also carting around infants. More of the so and so hooking up, so and so was so wasted type banter. But then it took an ugly turn as they started describing friends who didn't know who the father is and how their baby daddy was in prison for sexual assault. It was a bit of a soul crushing glimpse at today's youth. As the conversation turned darker, so did my mood. I can't explain why they got under my skin so much, but they did. It really was at the point that they started talking about a girl, who would refuse to accept friend requests from females because she posts racy pictures online for the boys. But don't worry, "her parents know." And all these revelations I overheard were made using some of the foulest language I've heard outside of a Quentin Tarantino movie. The whole conversation was starting to make me sick. I'm glad I encountered these girls at the end of my day, because all I wanted to do afterwards was go home and hug my family.
And one day, one of these girls could be your therapist. Or worse yet, their kids... because you know they aren't off to the best start to become well adjusted adults.
I had 2 teens on my bus one discussing their strategy for panhandling. Upset that her mom refused to lend her 20 bucks, the girl took it into her own hands to earn the money. For what? Drugs of course. I'm not just making an assumption, either. They openly discussed their intentions on my bus. "If we each raise $10 we can buy 2 grams. Just tell them you're trying to get bus fare to get home. "
And one day, one of these kids could be the electrician wiring your house.
It isn't all dark and depressing though. Some of the things these teens say and do make me smile. It's like the show "Kids Say the Darndest Things." (At this point, if you wish to keep the mood dark, feel free to insert a Bill Cosby joke here.) For example, I had a girl on my bus one day. I listened to her talk, using the word “like” in every sentence and sprinkling in words like “ain’t”. In the short time on my bus she misused the words “Irony” and “Literally.” Finally I heard her exclaim, “Like, I’m good at math but for some reason I don’t got good marks at English. Like, I don’t get it.” True story. (Now if only I could’ve thought of some glaringly obvious example of irony to tell her about.) I had one girl who got on my bus wearing a toque that said YOLO. (Stands for You Only Live Once in case you didn’t know) I looked at her and said “Well, I guess you aren’t James Bond… He only lives twice!” All I got in return was a blank stare of bewilderment. Know your audience. I thought it was funny, at least.
Maybe I’m cruel. I like to think of it as being a sucker for slapstick comedy, but I like watching teenagers get hurt. Not in a mean way, in a funny way. I enjoy watching the teenage boys, all with their shaggy mop-like hair as they all risk whiplash to flick their hair out of their eyes. All of them. Exact same motion. And for some reason, teens don’t like sitting in one seat for too long. They like moving around to visit friends and I enjoy watching them bounce around the bus as I give them a free physics lesson. They don’t seem to understand basic things like momentum. It’s like playing real life pinball.
One day, I had one girl who was trying to show off to a friend. Instead of just boarding my bus normally, she tried to do a graceful ballet type leap into the bus. She failed and ended up face first on the floor. It was one of the most hilarious things I’ve ever witnessed and I couldn’t laugh at it. Another day I had a colleague tell me about a time they had a guy running for his bus and was too concerned with watching the bus that he wasn’t watching where he was going. As a result he ended up running straight into a pole. Great story, but then just a few weeks later, I was fortunate enough to witness the exact same event in person. It made it that much funnier.
These kids could be your lawyer some day.
One of the funniest things that I enjoy is making things difficult for teenagers in skinny jeans. You know, the ones they wear halfway down the ass so the crotch line is in the middle of their thighs. I hate skinny jeans. I never kneel my bus for kids in skinny jeans. Watching them try to step up into the bus with these things is one of the highlights of my day. If I can also see them run for my bus, it gets that much better. It’s the most ridiculous, penguin-esque waddle. So much fun.
The thing that I find interesting about teenagers is that some of the stupidest ones out there are actually University students. I can’t explain why. I mean, these are supposed to be the smartest ones right? Maybe they spend so much time cramming book smarts into their head, it forces out the street smarts. University students seem to forget some of the most basic of street smarts, such as “look both ways before crossing the street”, “cross at a corner” or “don’t try to stop a bus by running toward it in the middle of the street on icy roads.” Common sense is definitely not common in university students. I’ve seen them standing 3 feet away from a pedestrian light signal button and not push it, before walking out into traffic without breaking stride. They just walk straight out in front of cars and busses!
There was one day I was trying to leave the University station. Now, you have to understand that this one particular area that I drive through is fairly narrow. Not much wider than a bus. I’m coming through this one section, I had a university girl cross in front of me without looking (no surprise) forcing me to slam on my brakes. At this point, as she’s halfway across the road, she sees me and stops. She then tries to wave me past. I’m not exactly sure how she expected me to do this considering she was blocking my path. After several seconds of standoff, she finally realized the problem and finished her journey across the street.
To think, one day this girl may be an architect designing the building you’re living in.
I’m sure my parents probably had similar opinions about my generation. And their parents probably had similar opinions about their generation. But I see one key difference. The downfall for the kids in today’s society is technology. Between cell phones, ipods with giant headphones and social media, these kids are oblivious to the world around them. Most of the time when these kids carelessly walk out in front of me, it’s because they have their nose in an electronic device. In their own little world. Don’t get me wrong… I love technology. If I forget my phone at home, I feel naked. I don’t know how we functioned before smart phones. My Kobo e-reader is the greatest invention ever for a bus driver (as long as you don’t mind reading a book one page at a time) The key difference for me, I look up from my phone if I need to cross the street. If I’m waiting for a bus, I look up intermittently to make sure it doesn’t drive past.
I will say this about the teenagers, though. They are polite. You might not expect this to be true but it is. I get more thank-you’s from the kids that ride my bus than any other demographic. They are more likely to give up their seat to someone in need. The first person who ever said “Bless you” when I sneezed on the bus was a teenager (and for anyone keeping track, I have now officially had 2 people ever say Bless You to me on my bus) So, society is doing something right with these kids. And the one thing I’ve never witnessed on my bus is bullying. It’s possible it happens where I can’t see or hear it, but I’ve never seen it first hand.
No matter what parents of teens, know this. You only see a small portion of your son or daughter’s personality. I see the real them. When you say goodbye to your precious little child and send them off to school, they come to my office and let their guard down. I hear them make plans to skip gym class with their friends. I hear boyfriends planning with girlfriends whose house they will go to after school because parents aren’t home. I hear about how easy it was to cheat on yesterday’s exam because Mr. Teacher left the answer key out and they snapped a photo of it. Figuring out how they’ll get the beer for the weekend’s party. So do yourselves a favor, parents. Hack your child’s Facebook account, check their privacy settings and find out what they’re blocking from you.
Keep a closer eye, because one day these kids might be driving your bus. And that’s a future that scares me.
From in front of the yellow line, that’s how I see it.
Friday, 9 January 2015
In Front of the Yellow Line
Bits and Pieces
By Shawn Wells
Well, it’s a new year and time for some reflection. So far, I’ve enjoyed letting you into my mind. The feedback I’ve received from writing this blog has been quite positive and I thank you for reading. Lately, my posts have been sporadic and I apologize for that. But like anyone, life sometimes gets in the way and I just have trouble finding the time to write.
That being said, my reflection on all the things I’ve told you about make me realize that I missed some stuff. So I bring you the “bonus features”, if you will. The thoughts that are not quite substantial enough to stretch into a full post. Or things I forgot to mention the first time around. Or possibly some stuff that is repetition of what I said before (I didn’t go back and read the old ones before sitting down to write) So this post will be a little disconnected compared to my others. Think of it like when your favorite show does a flashback episode. Ok… buckle up. Here we go.
*****
Here’s something you may not realize about the life of a bus driver. I work on a 27 hour clock. Wait… what? Let me explain. For my job, we work on a 24 hour clock. Military time. And although I’ve adjusted to that way of thinking, it still feels weird to work until 1800hrs. Also, although military time is one of the easiest concepts in the world to grasp, I still have the occasional brain fart. “What time do you leave?” asks a passenger. Me looking at my schedule where it says 1400 “4 o’clock. Whoops… I mean 2.” It happens. Especially on the days I have to wake up earlier. “But wait Shawn”, you say, “I don’t use a 24 hour clock and even I know it doesn’t go up to 27.” That’s right reader, it doesn’t. However for the sake of payroll, that is how it works around transit. So if I start at 7pm (1900) on New Years Eve and have to work until 3am (0300) New Years Day, I don’t actually get paid 3 hours of holiday pay. Instead, all my hours are calculated for the same day, so my schedule is actually from 1900-2700.
Also on the subject of strange anomalies with payroll, did you know that I work 3 Mondays a week? This isn’t actually one of my employer’s rules, just my own personal observation. Here’s how that works. Currently my days off are Thursday and Friday. This means that Saturday is actually my Monday. But my job’s pay period runs from Sunday to Saturday, which means Sunday is Monday for my work week. And then of course there is the actual Monday, with all my passengers living the blue Monday mood. So there you go. You think you hate Mondays as much as Garfield? Try having 3 of them in a row.
***
When I was younger I loved the movie “Speed”. Still do. Really, for my generation it’s kind of a classic. Not “Citizen Kane” classic, but still. However, now that I drive a bus, I see major flaws with it. I’m sorry to spoil it. But the biggest error is the fact that a driver cannot open the door of the bus while it is in motion. In fact, when my door is open it activates an emergency brake to prevent the bus from accidentally moving while loading passengers. But this brake only kicks in when the doors open and only when the bus is going less than 3 km/hr. Not 50 miles an hour. Keanu Reeves would not have been able to get on that bus in the first place.And don’t even get me started on the 50 miles per hour. Not an easy thing to do. And the handling capabilities at that speed. “Speed” is full of it. Sorry.
***
What is that thick cable with the ball on it that hangs down on the right side of a bus near the front wheel? It’s called a Curb Feeler. It is used to deter me from rubbing my tires against the curb. When I hear the scraping sound of the Curb Feeler, I know I’m close enough. Now you know.
Another fun tool I have at my disposal is a panic button. If I’m in an emergency (for example a hostage situation) I push it. It doesn’t set off any alarms in my bus, but instead displays a message on my destination sign that says “Emergency. Call Police.” without changing anything inside to tip people off. If you see this message on a bus, do what it says. This is on the older busses. The newer ones actually have a panic button that turns on all my cameras to a direct feed with my bosses. Cool stuff.
***
People ask me about the extra long busses, the “Articulated” ones. You know, those ones that bend in the middle with the accordion looking middle bit. They ask me if they are really tough to drive. The truth is, they are actually easier. The front piece is shorter than the other busses which makes the turning radius much tighter on them. And with the exception of on tremendously icy roads, the back piece always follows where the front goes. It can really mess with your mind to go around a tight corner and see the back half of your bus blocking the view from your side mirror. Or to look in the rearview mirror and not see the back end. Strange.
***
I’m surprised at how many people are still confused with how payment works on a bus. I realize not everything is universal, but the concept of receiving a transfer is a fairly common one. You pay, you get a transfer. You show this transfer to any bus driver who’s bus you want to board until it expires. You do not use this transfer AS your payment on the next bus. This little piece of paper is your proof of payment. A lot of people don’t want this little piece of paper. That’s fine with me. I don’t have to give you one. But keep in mind, if security comes on the bus and asks to see proof of payment and you don’t have this… you can get fined. You’ve been warned.
I also get to punch a hole in these transfers with my very own hole punch to validate them. Every driver in my city has a different shape to their punch. Like a signature, this punch sets me apart from everyone else. The are even some forms at work that after signing them, I also have to punch a hole in them too.
***
I like splashing in puddles. Always have since I was a kid. I mean, come on… who doesn’t? And when I started driving it became that much more fun. Well, now that I drive a bus, that pleasure is ramped up even more. There is something truly satisfying about hitting a nice big puddle in a bus. I don’t slow down for puddles, I speed up. However, if it’s a good puddle splashing day out, I need to be hyper-aware of pedestrians to make sure I’m not splashing people.
On the subject of pedestrians though, I don’t stop for jaywalkers. This is my own personal thing. I will stop for people safely and legally crossing at a crosswalk. But for jaywalkers, unless I absolutely have to because I’ll hit them otherwise, I refuse to encourage this behavior. So if you see me coming, cross at a corner. There is one area in my city near a hospital, where they have actually posted “No Pedestrian” signs with the follow up “Please use crosswalk.” with an arrow pointing to the crosswalk. Of course, everyone crosses right at this sign. Pet peeve. Stay out of my way. I’m not stopping. Be glad you’re right outside of a hospital.
***
If you are in a wheelchair, use the wheelchair stop request button. It gives me a different signal to let me know to put the ramp out.
I’ve mentioned before that I pride myself in being a fairly smooth driver. Sometimes though, the bus itself won’t let me be. The retarder brake is extra strong or the brakes are too sensitive. Either way, if the bus is jerking or the bus driver seems hard on the brakes, it isn’t always their fault. Sometimes it’s the bus.
My high beams are on the floor next to my signal lights. I use my left foot to push these buttons. I’m glad my own car is a manual transmission. Makes it easier to think about using my left foot while driving.
All our garages have gas pumps and carwashes. That’s why you never see a bus fuelling on road. They only get gassed up once at the end of each day.
***
Ever have trouble reading a bus map? You aren’t the only one. Unfortunately we as drivers have to use the same maps. It gets especially complicated when it’s one of those routes that changes depending on the time of day. We are supposed to be the experts but honestly, sometimes I’m not sure if I’m following the correct routing. Most of the time my Running Board (a list of times that I’m supposed to try and follow) will have an extra time listed in these circumstances, but it’s still confusing.
Also we have to know which way is North at all times. If there is a special situation where we have to detour, the instructions they announce over the radio will tell you to “Turn west on such and such street”. So as drivers we need to know if that is a left or right turn, where that is and adjust our routing temporarily until the problem clears up. This is in situations like traffic accidents.
But sometimes they know ahead of time about a road closure or a special event like a parade. But they don’t give us a special modified map for the day. They give us a piece of paper that says “turn west on such and such street.” Always makes for a challenge the first time you do it.
***
I once had a missing person on my bus. It was a good feeling to know I helped find him. Every once in a while the police will ask for our assistance in finding a missing person or a suspect in a crime. On this particular evening, it happened to be a developmentally challenged young man who had wandered off from his home. And because of me that day, the police were able to find him. It’s nice to know the system works. And it felt good to be a part of it.
***
Well, that’s all I have for now dear reader. I hope you enjoyed my bits and pieces.
From in front of the Yellow Line, that’s how I see it.
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