Sigrid Smoking Driver

I can safely say I've been riding buses in this town for about 20 years. Even though I was the transportation coordinator for the independent living center has town, which I became transit coordinator 1984 I really didn't start riding the bus regularly untill 1988 Went for a host of reasons I started crawling on the bus to actually work. I was shocked at how well the system worked. In all honesty I should have been riding the bus All along that should have been a requirement for that position.

I was the Transit Coordinator that meant I had to figure out a way for the local transit authority to better service people in wheelchairsThere was a battle raging between people of disabilities and transit authorities across the country: did the transit authority really have to service people of disabilities. I sort of knew about this battle before I came on board but where I've been from in Southeast Idaho there wasn't any public transit for anyone let alone people with disabilities, unless of course you want to talk about Trailways and the big gray dog. There is also Union Pacific I wouldn't know how to ride the train service as an able-bodied person. I just jumped into the whole mess. I became involved with the local transit advocacy group, I became a fixture at the monthly board meetings of the Utah transit Authority, they know who I was respected me. I was always there, I made comments, I pressed the issue for acquisition of accessible buses, problems with bus drivers who did not want to service people disabilities more specifically people in wheelchairs they did not seem to have a problem with people who were blind or cerebral palsy if they can walk. I pretty much spot in the whole system. Of course I think a lot of the credit for the accessible system we have today but it was coming anyway. I made little difference one way or the other. Utah transit Authority is a pretty slick operation. Granted they are the bad guys but they were very slick bad guys so slick it was hard for me to meet them or dislike them.

Today, I ride exclusively to Utah transit Authority mainline system: fixed route (regular bus lines), light rail and the heavy rail. It's a pretty good system. I no longer drive I don't even have a drivers license. I do pretty well. Sometimes though the drivers annoy me. Tonight, after Next Chapter I rolled over to kiss the 217 home. I don't know if it was because I was tired, cold I just want to get home but the driver vexed me. By the time that I get the bus stops to head home the new bus has just gotten there, the station is the end of the line which means the driver has a 15 minute break before starts his route. I don't mind if the driver boards me. My driver was the same driver every Thursday evening stands outside the bus and smokes. The able-bodied folks climb on the bus and do whatever they do in the warm bus I cannot do that until the driver lowers the ramp. It was chilly tonight, I waited and bided my time until the driver finished his smoking break.

I like this guy basically. He annoys me a lot but I sort of like him. I'm thankful to have an accessible fleet that is as professional as UTA. Overall the Authority rates high with me I feel the same way about the drivers overall but some still annoy.