I wrote a letter to Metro Transit on September 24th, 2008 at 10:22 am and a month afterwards, have not receive any response, other than confirmation that my letter was received. The situation described in my letter has not improved and the fact that they have not been able to answer within a MONTH, frustrates me even more. I’m not blaming the drivers directly as I know that most of them do their best, but I do believe that Metro Transit needs to reconsider its policies and priorities… and WAKE UP!
———————————
Hello,
I have been a big supporter of the Link for the past 2.5 years but I now feel the need to express my frustration with the lack of space and lack of buses available to meet the 7:30am-8am rush to the downtown core. If Metro Transit wants to offer a service, they must offer it adequately!
I live near Penhorn mall and therefore get on the Link there. Often, I let the first bus go, hoping and praying that I will be able to get on and breathe of the 2nd bus because it’s so jammed full. Nevertheless, I’m still lucky if I’m able to grab a seat once or twice a week.
Standing up wouldn’t be so difficult and frustrating if there was something proper to hold on to and with that, if the driver would be able to take into consideration that people are standing and do not always have the best hold on the pole (which is located on top of our heads and the majority are not tall enough to reach it properly). I understand that cars often cut them off but drivers also often slam on the breaks even when they are fully aware that they must soon come to a stop.
I loved taking the Link bus and it may still be great for those who take it at the first stops such as Portland Hills for the #159 or at the Sackville Terminal for the #185 but for those of us who take it elsewhere and are forced to get on a packed bus to get to work on time, it’s a SERIOUS health and safety issue.
This morning, I hung on for my dear life because we were packed in there like sardines on the 7:55 bus (Penhorn). Half of the people waiting at Penhorn weren’t even able to get on the bus. At some point, the bus driver asked us to clear the way so that he could see in the back of the bus. I understand he has to see but we weren’t even able to move an inch and if we let go of the bar, someone was going to get hurt. The bus should have never been packed like that.
Regular buses have plenty of poles to hold on to. The Link is not made for people to be standing and people should not be standing. If you cannot provide the service adequately, don’t provide it at all or make adjustments. Add a few extra buses between the required times. People (your customers, the reason why you exist) should not have to stand up and risk their security by getting thrown from one side of the bus to the other to get to work on time while using this service. It’s dangerous and someday, someone will get hurt. Then, it will be too late.
This article appears in Oct 23-29, 2008.
“the weakest link”.
I can’t imagine paying extra for the link just to have to stand. I know its also a faster transport, but you are also paying for the nice nice seats. WU TANG!
Welcome to the wonderful world of Metro Transit. We don’t care because we don’t have to. But we’re proud to be union men!
This problem isn’t limited to the link…the bus I take to work every morning is often so packed that it’s difficult to get to the exit at your stop.
Some days I wonder what would happen if the people at Portland Hills ever witnessed what the people in Sackville do in terms of riding the link and vice versa. In Sackville, everyone riding the link lines up single file and they will continue to stream onto the bus until the seats are full. AT this point, a couple more will stand, but the rest wait the 10 minutes until the next one shows up. When that LINK hits Burnside, there is room for anyone getting on there. At Portland Hills, people pretty much crowd onto the buses regardless of seating room and this leaves little room for those who get on at Penhorn or Alderney. The two LINKS run at the exact same frequency. While I would not expect people at Portland Hills to line up (the terminal isn’t really suited for that), I think if some of them wait the 10 minutes for the next LINK when the seats are full, this problem may become not as much of a problem.