I am tired of bus drivers. Many are nice or at least civil, but recently I have become tired of being and seeing people treated like crap. And not only that, the treatment is incongruent. Last week I was on the bus and a young black man trying to use an expired transfer. He was thrown off the bus and accused of “playing games”. A few days later, I accidentally tried to use an expired transfer. The bus driver told me I shouldn’t use the transfer but when I offered a ticket, he mumbled something and waved his hand at me, so I sat down. What? I don’t want these people to have the name of my city embroidered on their shirt if they’re going to treat people badly and be inconsistent about it, to boot. I think bus drivers should be taught something about customer service- treat your customers with respect. If there was no one to ride the bus, they would be out of a job.
Props to all the good bus drivers.
This article appears in Jun 26 – Jul 2, 2008.
Maybe the black guy has a habit of “playing games”. The driver and his co-workers might have already dealt with him before and are tired of it. The driver was courteous when dealing with someone making an honest mistake like yourself and gave a warning. Don’t complain about it considering NS bus drivers have the right to refuse conveyance to any person they deem impaired, of poor behaviour or likely to engage in behaviour that would be disruptive, dangerous or offensive to fellow passengers and possibly threaten the safe operation of the bus.You got a break from the driver, no sense complaining.
Ex Hali, I would agree with you if this was an isolated incident. But it’s not. It’s a pattern. I wouldn’t go so far as to say metro transit drivers are racist. I think it’s more of a class thing, for lack of a better word. No matter what colour your hide is, if you get on a bus with a cup of coffee and you’re wearing a suit, nothing will be said. But if you get on a bus carrying that cup of coffee and wearing a hoodie and baggy jeans, you’ll be told you can’t bring that coffee on board.
Miranda, hate to suggest it but when you see something like that happening, make note of the bus number (inside on the front overhead panel, on the rear window (if one of the older buses) or outside on all 4 sides), the time and route and CALL in the complaint to 490-4000 who will then pass the info along to transit operations on Ilsley. The only way things will change is once transit starts to get non-frivolous complaints from different people and start to see a pattern emerging concerning certain bus drivers, certain routes, etc.Haligonians need to start demanding accountability from transit officials who will then be forced to demand the same from the driver’s union who seems to have both riders and the city by the balls at present.
Accountability is key. The funny thing is I have been in the city using the bus for 5-years. I have lived in hood places and have never seen a rude bus driver. Seriously.