Hostile bus driver on #14

[Minervah]

What I think the driver did wrong was not lower the ramp when asked. I have never seen a driver refuse to do so upon request. I think sometimes someone will ask when they really don't need it but just to be on the safe side, the driver always complies. There is always the chance that if he or she does not, there could be a problem. So just in case......

For that reason I think this driver was wrong and should have been reported. It isn't too late, as long as you know the time, day and bus number you can take a stab at it. You don't even have to call, you can do it online. I have reported TriMet drivers only three times in the 35 years of taking TriMet.

[Metlakatla]

It's not clear from anything posted here that the driver refused to lower the ramp when asked.

[hawaiian by heart]

I think alot of people are kinda missing a point here, ive seen this more and more the last 10 years. The attitude from corporations and big business and those who represent them lately, has been instead of good customer service or we are here to serve you, its your here to serve us. Tri-met is a great example of this. Here is a private company who has used tons of public tax money to pay for its busses and building of the max, trolleys etc. But instead of forwarding a break in fares to those it serves, the taxpayers. Its every six months they get to raise fares.

The resent removal of the fairless areas and the fare hikes by trimet was justified by them, because of the rising cost of oil. But what was interesting is no one took a pay cut(one of the highest paided bus drivers and execs in the country) And to make it even more of an insult is immediately they hire like 50 extra fair enforcers a few months after.

So yes any bad customer service only shows proof that instead of the purpose of providing

[hawaiian by heart]

A service to the community which should be its purpose. Its just another big business who has changed its attitude to that the community is here to provide them with millions in profits. Enough said.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

Originally Posted by hawaiian by heart

A service to the community which should be its purpose. Its just another big business who has changed its attitude to that the community is here to provide them with millions in profits. Enough said.

If you follow local Portland (and State) politics at all, you would realize that this is just a tiny little peek into a much larger window.

For recent examples of government waste and corruption, just look at the Cover Oregon and the CRC boondoggles.

TriMet is just a teeny tiny example of what goes on in Oregon, and most people here are oblivious to it.

There's millions of Oregon taxpayer dollars flowing into places and pockets where it shouldn't be.

Portland's and Oregon's governments are not here to serve the people, we are here to serve them, and make their cronies rich.

Don't ever forget that.

[backdrifter]

Originally Posted by pdxMIKEpdx

If you follow local Portland (and State) politics at all, you would realize that this is just a tiny little peek into a much larger window.

For recent examples of government waste and corruption, just look at the Cover Oregon and the CRC boondoggles.

TriMet is just a teeny tiny example of what goes on in Oregon, and most people here are oblivious to it.

There's millions of Oregon taxpayer dollars flowing into places and pockets where it shouldn't be.

Portland's and Oregon's governments are not here to serve the people, we are here to serve them, and make their cronies rich.

Don't ever forget that.

I agree with you and the posters above. TriMet's informational sessions for their Bus Rapid Transit proposals for the Southwest High-Capacity Transit Corridor called "Transit on Tap" have been "generously sponsored by" CH2M Hill previously, and currently by Parsons Brinckerhoff.

TriMet: Transit on Tap

According to their website, Parsons Brinckerhoff "is a global consulting firm assisting public and private clients to plan, develop, design, construct, operate and maintain hundreds of critical infrastructure projects around the word" and are a multinational based out of New York City.

According to CH2M Hill's website, they are "a global leader in consulting, design, design-build, operations, and program management" and are a multinational based out of Denver.

In other words, the crony companies that stand to profit immensely off of these projects are funding these events to build support for a fat public contract with TriMet. I will also mention that the General Manager of TriMet came from the capital projects division and had an engineering background. It seems like a racket to me. But the state, city, etc., aren't much better.

Originally Posted by turquoise1

Believe me, I appreciate the job you transit workers do! I know it isn't easy.
I think this particular driver has anger issues or some other problem.

Ugh, I hate that. Those drivers make me look better. But it still is frustrating to me to see the drivers treat people poorly. If you have that much of a problem with people you should not be working with the public. I am sure if that driver has lots of issues, then you wouldn't be the first to complain about him. I am very pro-union, but this particular one fights too much for drivers like that who should maybe be let go so they can go find a job that doesn't involve talking to other people.

Originally Posted by Minervah

What I think the driver did wrong was not lower the ramp when asked. I have never seen a driver refuse to do so upon request. I think sometimes someone will ask when they really don't need it but just to be on the safe side, the driver always complies. There is always the chance that if he or she does not, there could be a problem. So just in case......

For that reason I think this driver was wrong and should have been reported. It isn't too late, as long as you know the time, day and bus number you can take a stab at it. You don't even have to call, you can do it online. I have reported TriMet drivers only three times in the 35 years of taking TriMet.

Yeah, if the driver did not lower the ramp when you asked, then it is a very serious issue. I have heard of drivers refusing before, but I can't remember if it was here or Seattle. I would call it in, if that is indeed what happened.

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by pdxMIKEpdx

TriMet is just a teeny tiny example of what goes on in Oregon, and most people here are oblivious to it.

I don't think people are oblivious to it. It's just that a certain crop of Portland City Commissioners and their proteges are doing a lot of back room deals hoping to get away with it before people realize there are problems going on. The Columbia River Crossing a stellar example, studies were under way and Federal money secured before the general public really knew about it.

It doesn't help that our TV reporters are playing the ratings game, and our main newspaper seems to be staffed by morons and interns now.

[Steve Pickering]

Originally Posted by backdrifter

First, it's not "just" driving a bus around. As a professional bus driver your job is not only to look out for yourself, but also to compensate for every other road user out there who is not looking out for you or themselves. You constantly have pedestrians running out in front of your bus, drivers cutting you off, unlit bicycles at night flying up around you at inopportune times, et cetera, and it's on YOU if you get into an accident with them, even if it is their fault, in many cases. Not only that, but you have a schedule to try to keep to, you are not guaranteed breaks (and often go without), have no regular access to restrooms, and have to deal with awful people who think it is their god-given right to verbally abuse you or even to physically attack you. Not to mention the health penalties for sitting and breathing in diesel fumes all day and the repetitive stress injuries (I have all kinds of back and joint problems and I'm only 25). Today, for example, because of the winter storm, I walked over a mile to my bus and had to wait an hour on top of that out in the elements for the bus to show up and then stayed hours past when I was scheduled off because that's my job. I don't get to stay home from work or go home early like everyone else because transit is an essential service to our community. So no, it is not "just" driving a bus. I do wish it were that simple though, because if it were it would be the best job in the world.

That said, I don't make $70k a year as a TriMet driver (less than half that, frankly), but I do earn every penny that I make because it is a HARD job. It ranks only behind a few jobs like police officer, air traffic controller, and airline pilot as being one of the most stressful jobs you can have. The drivers that make much more than ~$55k/year have no life outside of work because they work tons of overtime, 12+ hour days, 6+ days a week, and mostly split shifts (the time off in between isn't paid) in order to make that kind of money.

So there you go.



Now, to the OP, that is very unusual. If your son fell on the step the driver would be obligated to call dispatch immediately and report the accident, even if it wasn't their fault. Depending on the type of bus, you can't kneel the bus (lower the step) until the door is completely open. If someone is trying to get on, it would be unsafe to kneel the bus while they are trying to board as it could throw them off balance and actually cause a fall. I try to kneel the bus for everyone, if possible, because it is a simple courtesy and you also don't know if someone has a hidden disability. But sometimes it's not possible to do so before they go to step on. If I have a bus that allows me to kneel it while the door is shut, I will kneel it every time, whether someone is boarding or deboarding, young or old, abled or disabled, short or tall, or whatever, even though it means stooping over and straining my back all day.

Would I have apologized? Probably not, because if your son tripped and you hadn't asked me to kneel the bus then there would be no reason for me to apologize because I wouldn't have done anything wrong. Would I have asked if he was alright or if you wanted me to call medical help? Absolutely. Would I have called dispatch immediately to report the accident? Absolutely.

As you know, there are hundreds of bus drivers at TriMet and, being as they are pulled from the general population, you sometimes get some crazy ones. Some are a little overdue for retirement. And some just were not meant to work in customer service! Same as any job, anywhere. I'm sorry this one is such trouble for you. If it is really bad, call it in. If it is a serious complaint, it will be heard. And don't forget to call in compliments too. There is a lot of good we do that we don't get any recognition for, and it is always appreciated.

Some stories just don't ring true.

[notoriouskelly]

There are some cool bus drivers and I say "Thank you!"

There have also been a couple in Frisco, Vegas and Portland I was close to throttling.

They made a law with severe penalties for accosting public transport workers so you have to be careful but I have seen some attitudes that shouldn't be serving the public.

[Steve Pickering]

Too many attacks recently. The penalty needs to be stronger.