2010 - A Year In Review

From a Driver's point of view, my job is extremely entertaining and always an adventure.
If any of you think that it's boring or that we just sit there and Drive back and forth all day...
Well, you're just wrong.

And just recently I've come to learn that many of the Passengers notice everything that goes on and watch the roads in front of us.
Those front windows are actually pretty big and I hadn't considered that y'all can see at least as much as I can of what is going on with traffic.

So here's some of what made my 2010 both exciting and an adventure:

Driving folks back from a Bronco game, we hit a huge bump and everybody on the bus gasped!
I hopped on the mic and just let them know that we hit a fan of the opposing team and that they'd feel at least one more bump and I rolled back n forth over him again!
That got cheers from the whole bus...

Another trip back from The Game we came up to an intersection where the lights were controlled by a police officer sitting on the corner at the box.
He changed the light to yellow then red just as we came up to the cross walk.
I had to make the decision on the spot as to the safety of the passengers:
Stopping on the dime or continuing through the intersection.
Both had risks but I weighed the stopping on the dime from 25mph as far more dangerous.
As I rolled through the intersection, I waved at the police officer standing on the corner with his jaw on the ground and he waved back. I was actually waving an apology.
The passengers didn't know this and they all cheered and at least one hollered, "You're my hero, Driver!"

It's Christmas Eve night, all the regulars are piling out the front door and I'm returning greetings and farewells of Merry Christmas and thank yous.
I'd missed the Gentleman standing at the back door wanting out.
What brought him to my attention was him screaming across the whole bus, "Yeah Yeah Yeah, Merry Eff You Christmas, now open this effing back door and let me outta here!"
Reflexively and without thinking, as I opened the back door I responded, "Same to you, Sir - thank you."
As the whole bus burst out into laughter and applause, I embarrassedly realized what I'd just said.

We all know those "special" passengers, many of whom are regulars. And you regular passengers know who those special passengers are and what makes them so special.
One of these regulars has a really short fuse and while he can usually make his entire trip without event, it doesn't take much to set him off.
Let's just say that he says what you and I are thinking but know better than to say out loud.
One day, a passenger gets on board and she's not having a good day. She's on the phone, crying and is very loud about both. She sits next to this particular special passenger and after doing his best to tolerate this extreme new passenger, he blows up, "Shut the Eff up Lady!"
She immediately sheds her demure manner and shouts back, "Are you effing talking to me?"
"Yes, you're being extremely loud and annoying all of us."
She goes on to explain her circumstance and he tells her how little he cares and explains that she should take it off the bus until she's resolved her issues.
Of course it was far more colourful and less sedate than my description.
She starts crying even more loudly but minds her own business and remains seated next to him.
He leaves her alone for the rest of the ride and they go on in silence next to one another.

Speaking of phones on the bus, we had a Passenger get on the bus while she was on the phone.
She really didn't care that we heard her side of the entire conversation.
I actually don't even think she knew we were listening - or that we couldn't NOT listen!
But during her conversation with her friend, she explained her disgust with her boyfriend for his poor behaviour, the fact that he was a 12 year old in a 30something's body and how poorly he conducted himself with her.
There were points during the conversation that the rest of us (yes me too!) were chanting and encouraging her very loudly to leave him, that he was a bum, etc etc etc.
She never noticed!

OH, and speaking of couples...I'll end for now with this story:
During the summer I had the opportunity to do an overnight route on a Saturady night.
The other Drivers called it the Party Bus.
I came to understand why - it ran as all the bars and clubs were closing and all the drunks hopped on board to head home rather than drive in their conditions.
They were always in a cheery mood.
One couple, the last passengers on the bus, decided to ingore me in the front of the bus as they shed their clothing and began to practice making kiddos.
I considered turning the lights off for them and tried my best not to watch...
My best wasn't good enough, needless to say.

Some of the highlights of my first year and of 2010.
Happy New Year folks.

As always, "Welcome aboard, find your seats - Let's Roll!"