I
just got passed by UTA bus, I know the guy saw me but I can't know
that for totally sure cuz my back was to the bus I was running to
get to the bus stop. I was almost there. So yes my back was to the
bus but the bus was turning from Redwood Road onto 4700 S. I was
flailing my arms to signal to the driver that I wanted that bus. I
bet I was less than 30 feet from the formal bus stop but the big old
beast just swooshed past me. I mean I was in this big old power chair
cruising as fast as I can toward the bus stop the driver have to be
pretty obtuse to not realize I wanted that coach.
I
mean what can you do? I just sat there feeling humiliated and used.
But, I wanted revenge which I know is somewhat juvenile. I would like
to say my actions were led by an ultra stick vision of fair and safe
treatment to all transit users like me to know what ? I just wanted
to be a prick.I dug in my backpack grabbed by cell phone called Utah
transit Authority Infoline and soon I was talking to Geraldine. Good
old Geraldine customer service rep whose job was to handle pissed off
callers about issues on the transit system. I wasn't going to explode
on this person, it's certainly not her fault it is her job to handle
the calls come in. It is a hard job I know I've had that job myself
in various positions I've worked. However I did let her know what it
happened and I was able to let her know in depth and not yell at her.
I let her know that I probably knew the driver and I really did want
to get him or her in trouble but I still want him or her to know you
can't treat people like they did to me this morning. Geraldine of
course is a good company gal and she began to justify the drivers
actions by indicating that I was not exactly at the bus stop and
therefore the driver didn't know if I really want a ride or not.
That's the company line right out of the driver's manual and I know
that – – but, to Geraldine's credit she also indicated that my
mad flailing arms and driving chair to the bus stop should've and no
doubt did alert the driver that I wanted a bus ride.
Geraldine
was honest with me indicating that probably nothing much was going to
happen except that a notification will be made to the drivers jacket,
the jacket is like the drivers file folder containing things like
citations and complaints. I know it will probably be nothing more
than a mere irritation to this individual in his or her life at the
Corporation but the call is still there and most likely always will
be. I also know know this driver might be a friend of mine cuz I take
the 47 a lot when you get to know these drivers over time and you
cannot help but building some kind of a bond. Still, and I'm not
altruistic but I know if this driver is doing this to me here she is
doing it to somebody else and that's not right. Route 47 is a pretty
good route the best part about Route 47 is that it's got 15 minute
headways during the day which means is a bus every 15 minutes. A day
like today sunshiny and warm, I built an extra hour into my travel
time to get to my meeting I did not mind waiting another 15 minutes.
However, the father you get from downtown the more sporadic the
headways get. If I'm out in Sandy or some other almost rural area the
buses come maybe once an hour sometimes even less but if you miss
that bus by your waiting a long time, even on a good day like today
that weight seems to take forever it's only worse in the rain, snow
or dark. No one should have to wait if they don't have to just
because the driver doesn't want to stop…
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