In between random stops, standing "in the street" as it were having come from between parked cars, there is a Lady with her dog on a leash and luggage stacked beside her.
She flags me down.
As I pull next to her and open my door she starts to cry and says, "I have post traumatic stress, can you help me?"
I'd thought that I'd heard all the excuses for free rides - for not having fares.
From grandmothers dying to just having gotten out of jail or the hospital.
My first thought was "Hey I've got PTSD too but I don't ask for free stuff!"
But instead I simply repeated the talk tract we're taught to say:
"The fare is $2.25 and I'm not authorized to give free rides...."
She reacted as if she'd been slapped and said, "No! I can pay... my stuff!"
She came on and paid her fare as another passenger jumped off and grabbed her luggage.
For the rest of the day I felt like a huge JERK!
I'm becoming one of "them" - the older Drivers who treat passengers like the enemy.
The older Drivers who are bitter, cold, heartless and have forgotten their customer service skills.
I felt like crap and I can only imagine what the other passengers were thinking about me since I was thinking that badly about myself on the long long long last leg of the route.
I pray that if you're one of my "regulars" and you see me acting this way, that you come up to me and slap the jerk outta me.
Remind me that I'm a good Driver and that I love my Passengers/Customers.
Remind me that I love working for RTD and Driving the bus because I am allowed to work with/for YOU - The Passenger all day & night.
All rest of the route long I wished that I could rewind the day and drive up to that Lady and her dog again and without her having said a word, jumped out of the bus and grabbed her luggage for her.
I wished I'd jumped out of my seat and grabbed her luggage while she was paying her fare.
I wished the other passenger didn't have to do it for me.
I wished I'd radioed Dispatch and asked to give her a ride to where ever her final destination was, whether Parker, DIA or Boulder.
This was one of those moments when we say, "Betcha won't make THAT mistake again!"
You'd be right, betcha I won't.
I'm sorry to you, Ma'am and I'm sorry to all the passengers who had to endure my jerk-dom.
I'm sorry to my employer, RTD for failing them in this instance.
Bus Drivers are the front lines, we are the faces of RTD, we are the one chance to give you, the customers and passengers a positive experience with us.
I blew that and I won't do it again.
As Always, "Welcome aboard, I'm sorry, find your seats - Let's Roll!"
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