I read the pay and benefits comparison of our bus drivers in comparison with drivers of the other bus services, but that comparison doesn't deal with safety factors.
When I read that a bus driver has struck a passenger or a bypasser, it's never a transit system driver. Usually it's a school bus driver. Is it possible that since transit drivers earn a decent living, the job attracts and keeps better drivers, people with professional attitudes who want to keep their jobs? I know my children had some good school bus drivers. I also know my children had some school drivers who were so bad my husband and I refused to let the kids on the bus and told the people in the school transportation office why. The response was, "We don't have enough drivers at all." I also know that my cub scout den depended on one of the really, really bad drivers who so alienated the boys that they preferred to walk home over a mile in January weather than get on that woman's after school bus. I got on that bus with my scouts and agreed with them. I arranged with the other parents to find another way to get the boys home after meetings and finally we changed the meeting time to avoid the issue. I've never had that kind of treatment from a transit system driver. I have had friendly, helpful drivers--mostly. At worst, the drivers seemed pretty neutral. I've never had the kind of belligerance the cub scouts got from that one driver nor the kind of behavior that prompted my husband and I to drive our kids to school--not from transit drivers. I think that just comparing salary dollars of local drivers with salary dollars (ok: and benefits) from Seattle or other cities, really displays a pretty mean ignorance of what it takes to run a transit system well. Comparing the public system (staffed with permanent drivers who want to keep their jobs) and school bus systems that can install revolving doors in the Human Resources office--now there's a comparison worth making. I personally want a bus driver who enjoys public contact, takes pride in his or her work, wants to deliver people safely and comfortably to their destinations, is willing to bend a little for the infirm, for the disabled, for adults with a passle of small children. I want someone who considers himself a professional driver and who takes time to improve his skills and who plans on being around a long, long time. I want someone who thinks that getting a good night's sleep before work is a good idea rather than hopping up on caffeine or worse. The last several school bus drivers who appeared in the Star TRibune, if I'm recalling the stories correctly, "slipped through the cracks" of screening, or had a history of social problems before being given the keys to the bus. Remember the guy who had a kid fall out of the bus, looked out of his side view mirror and told the kids she was fine because she sat up in the road? (she died) Do you want this character driving your city transit bus? Lower the salary and cut the benefits and he can be driving you if you take the bus or following you on the road if you drive. Isn't that a reassuring thought? Amazing what a little public thrift can get you--check that R.V. mirror, there. I normally take the bus twice a day (I'm walking to work now, which I feel is my place on the line). There are few of my regular drivers I won't have a welcome back card when they get back behind the wheel, and none of them that I won't be happy to see. If it costs another quarter or so a ride, OK. Emilie Quast SE Como REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
