When I wrote about the new BRT being part Mall Shuttle, that struck a chord with many of my readers who sent me notes pointing out that in all this time, I've not mentioned the Mall Shuttle!
Really?
Sorry about that because I love driving up and down that Mall.
I can't believe that I've not talked about it.
The Mall Shuttle is both the easiest and the most difficult "route" that a Driver can drive.
It is a route that is snatched up almost immediately by the Senior Drivers so that few of us lesser Drivers get the chance but when we do....
I'm told the 16th Street Mall - at 1.7 miles long from the Civic Centre to the Denver Union Stations - is the longest outdoor Mall in the US.
The Mall Shuttle runs up and down the 16th Street Mall from early in the morning to late at night.
Stopping every block, at the light rail stations and at the Market Street Station (for the next 18 months!)
My advice to all passengers who want to traverse the Mall is to first just hop on and ride the shuttle around in a complete lap.
A complete lap takes about 40 minutes and you get to see every shop and every restaurant on the Mall.
Once you've seen where you want to go, hop off and you've less than a block to walk.
Another tip: Get on the shuttle EARLY, meaning at either end.
The shuttle fills up quickly and if you're riding on the weekend the shuttle runs less frequently so it fills up even more quickly.
During the Winter, more people means more warmth as even with the minimal heating offered in the passenger compartment, those doors are open all the time and it's freezing in the back!
During the Summer, the only "AC" is the open windows and it get hot and "fragrant" back there.
It's really not as bad as the jokes go.
I ride the shuttles before I relieve other Drivers and folks are always laughing and joking with one another.
If the Driver stops too quickly, we all swing into each other and that just provides laughs and I've even seen a few numbers exchanged - matches made by RTD!
The "Hard Part" of Driving the Mall is that there are thousands of people wandering this pedestrian experience.
Not counting the pedicabs and horse drawn carriages, the people are the biggest obstacles.
Because the Shuttles are Electric and CNG, the engines are small and almost silent.
Folks can't hear the shuttles coming at 15 miles an hour and even with the bells and horns, Drivers usually have to stop short, causing Passengers to fall into each other AND swear at the numpties standing in front of the shuttle.
The "Easy Part" of Driving the Mall Shuttle is that you really can't get lost.
It's hours and hours of driving up and back down the Mall.
Except for the "Crossovers" - those are usually construction & emergency vehicle detours that cause the Shuttle to have to cross from one side to the other and shuffle around the detour - but except for these crossovers, there are no turns so we can't get lost.
We are updating the shuttle fleet and some of y'all have seen the first two new shuttles.
Drivers call them by their numbers, 40 & 41.
These are all electric, no engines and even more quiet.
They are nicer for both the passengers and the Drivers.
Passengers get more windows, including in the roof.
Drivers get more room, including the steering column which now moves both the entire console up & down and the steering wheel out & in.
There are a myriad of improvements on this new generation of shuttle and there are improvements on the Mall.
The new Denver Union Station to the West (North) has extended the Mall Ride that extra half mile.
It has connections to light rail and once the underground station opens, to a huge - and I mean gigantic underground station.
I love the Mall Shuttle.
I love the throngs of people and the thousands of passengers every day who hop on and hop off all day long.
The best part of the Mall Ride:
IT'S FREE!
If you've ridden into the Civic Center Station or Denver Union Station on the Mall Ride, you've heard the automated voice say something like, "Thank You For Riding The RTD Free Mall Ride."
There are tons and tons of stories from my Mall Shuttle experiences but I'll save those for other posts.
I can't believe I hadn't written about the Mall earlier.
Sorry about that, folks.
As Always, "Welcome aboard, Hang onto a railing - Let's
Roll!"
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
For Whom This Bell Tolls...
I read an online article this morning that I wanted to share with y'all.
Here is the article:
Unions suffered a resounding defeat in Wisconsin last week. They’re far from down and out, however. Unable to reverse their decline in membership under existing law, they are circumventing Congress and using the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to create an entirely new type of union. A new rule hatched by the Obama-appointed board, authorizes the creation of union cells—organizing a few employees within a company to gain a foothold—which will severely impact businesses.
Until recently, employees organized based on shared job characteristics—for example, all the hourly employees at a firm. The new practice allows micro-unions representing only a small minority of workers in a company. Instead of a grocery store’s employees having a union, the store could face separate unions for cashiers, shelf-stockers, and janitors.
The NLRB permitted this in its Specialty Healthcare decision last year, allowing organized labor to form unions by job title. A decision last month by one of the NLRB’s regional directors demonstrated just how harmful—and absurd—a policy this is. The regional director green-lit a union election at the Bergdorf Goodman department store. But most employees will not get to vote; only shoe salesmen will cast ballots. Not all shoe salesmen, however. Only those selling women’s shoes.
As the HR Policy Association explains:
With private-sector union membership down to 7 percent, labor leaders are desperate. Even the government unions are seeing workers quit en mass—when they have a choice. Columnist Charles Krauthammer described this lesson in Wisconsin:
The board’s tactics are in step with the Obama Administration’s penchant for skipping Congress completely.
“The recent decision at Bergdorf Goodman is an example of the labor board’s doing through regulation what we ought to be doing through legislation on the floor of the Senate,” said Senator Johnny Isakson (R–GA), who introduced legislation last year that would reverse the NLRB’s decision on the so-called micro-unions.
The practice will have devastating consequences for businesses and workers alike. Management could face contract negotiations with multiple union cells under one roof, which “increases the likelihood of industrial unrest and workplace disputes as different unions with differing goals represent different employees,” said Fred Wszolek of the Workforce Fairness Institute.
In addition to divided workplaces, workers will face diminished professional opportunities. As Heritage’s James Sherk has explained, “Over time, unions destroy jobs in the companies they organize. In manufacturing, three-quarters of all union jobs have disappeared over the past three decades, while the number of non-union jobs has increased.”
With organized labor cells, workers would be stuck in their current roles without the chance to advance through departments. Fragmenting the workplace into multiple bargaining units will make it very difficult for workers to work their way up through departments. They wouldn’t have the opportunities that Joe McFarland had when he took an hourly job at Home Depot in 1993.
McFarland started out working in the electrical aisle. Over the next 20 years, he learned all he could about other departments in the store, worked hard—and got promoted. He rose from his hourly job to Western Division President, where he now oversees more than 440 stores and 78,700 employees in 13 states.
If the electrical aisle employees had chosen to unionize, McFarland could have been stuck there. He wouldn’t have had the opportunity to train across departments and move up into management.
But big labor’s strategy isn’t about growing skills and advancing careers. It’s about grasping for any amount of power—and union dues—they can grab.
Here is the article:
Unions suffered a resounding defeat in Wisconsin last week. They’re far from down and out, however. Unable to reverse their decline in membership under existing law, they are circumventing Congress and using the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to create an entirely new type of union. A new rule hatched by the Obama-appointed board, authorizes the creation of union cells—organizing a few employees within a company to gain a foothold—which will severely impact businesses.
Until recently, employees organized based on shared job characteristics—for example, all the hourly employees at a firm. The new practice allows micro-unions representing only a small minority of workers in a company. Instead of a grocery store’s employees having a union, the store could face separate unions for cashiers, shelf-stockers, and janitors.
The NLRB permitted this in its Specialty Healthcare decision last year, allowing organized labor to form unions by job title. A decision last month by one of the NLRB’s regional directors demonstrated just how harmful—and absurd—a policy this is. The regional director green-lit a union election at the Bergdorf Goodman department store. But most employees will not get to vote; only shoe salesmen will cast ballots. Not all shoe salesmen, however. Only those selling women’s shoes.
As the HR Policy Association explains:
"The fact that hours, benefits (including the same health plans), and general productivity goals were common among all employees was dismissed because, among other reasons, the sale of women’s shoes ‘requires a distinct skill set from other sales associates due to the unique nature of the product they are selling.’"While the men’s shoe salesmen—or any other type of salesmen—at the store will not get a say in the union’s presence, these excluded workers will share in all the risks and downsides of unionizing. Strikes will also harm them, and if the union bankrupts the company, they will also lose their jobs.
With private-sector union membership down to 7 percent, labor leaders are desperate. Even the government unions are seeing workers quit en mass—when they have a choice. Columnist Charles Krauthammer described this lesson in Wisconsin:
"Without the thumb of the state tilting the scale by coerced collection, union membership became truly voluntary. Result? Newly freed members rushed for the exits. In less than one year, AFSCME, the second-largest public-sector union in Wisconsin, has lost more than 50 percent of its membership."Labor leaders and the NLRB have made several attempts to curb workers’ rights in recent years. They have tried to take away the secret ballot in union elections and to shorten the amount of time workers have to decide on unionizing. They have threatened to demand access to workers’ email addresses and phone numbers in workplaces that are targeted for unionization. The NLRB itself has its own scandals and has served as a revolving door for union big shots.
The board’s tactics are in step with the Obama Administration’s penchant for skipping Congress completely.
“The recent decision at Bergdorf Goodman is an example of the labor board’s doing through regulation what we ought to be doing through legislation on the floor of the Senate,” said Senator Johnny Isakson (R–GA), who introduced legislation last year that would reverse the NLRB’s decision on the so-called micro-unions.
The practice will have devastating consequences for businesses and workers alike. Management could face contract negotiations with multiple union cells under one roof, which “increases the likelihood of industrial unrest and workplace disputes as different unions with differing goals represent different employees,” said Fred Wszolek of the Workforce Fairness Institute.
In addition to divided workplaces, workers will face diminished professional opportunities. As Heritage’s James Sherk has explained, “Over time, unions destroy jobs in the companies they organize. In manufacturing, three-quarters of all union jobs have disappeared over the past three decades, while the number of non-union jobs has increased.”
With organized labor cells, workers would be stuck in their current roles without the chance to advance through departments. Fragmenting the workplace into multiple bargaining units will make it very difficult for workers to work their way up through departments. They wouldn’t have the opportunities that Joe McFarland had when he took an hourly job at Home Depot in 1993.
McFarland started out working in the electrical aisle. Over the next 20 years, he learned all he could about other departments in the store, worked hard—and got promoted. He rose from his hourly job to Western Division President, where he now oversees more than 440 stores and 78,700 employees in 13 states.
If the electrical aisle employees had chosen to unionize, McFarland could have been stuck there. He wouldn’t have had the opportunity to train across departments and move up into management.
But big labor’s strategy isn’t about growing skills and advancing careers. It’s about grasping for any amount of power—and union dues—they can grab.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Bus Rapid Transit - Here It Comes!
How many of you (us) saw the Artic "BRT" Bus at the Market Street Station today?
For all intents & purposes it's just a modern version of the current "9000" series Articulated buses we have in the Fleet.
Many of you recognized it.
Some of the differences:
Low Floor
Fewer Seats (Less Room for Passengers)
Plastic
Ramp rather than Lift in front
Can be "Hybridized"
Basically a combination of the current 1400 (Blue Hybrids) & the 9000 (Accordions)
The one on display today was on its way to be delivered from the factory to San Antonio.
Nabi swung through Denver to show us what we could be getting.
The configuration we saw obviously won't do for us here in Denver.
We need the 60+ seat max, windows that open, more room in back for strollers & bikes, etc etc etc.
This version of the Artic is heavier, ranking in at close to 70,000lbs - 35 tons!
Same 60' length as our current Artics and has a 125 (150 optional) gasoline tank.
The Nabi Rep said that this bus being delivered to Texas, as displayed was $838,000...
Gulp!
Obviously that doesn't represent (only suggest) what RTD might be paying for our new buses.
BUT STILL...
Whatever we end up getting, we'll have more of them and they'll run more frequently that the Light Rail would have to Boulder.
All told, this BRT system will cost less and provide more service than the Light Rail would have.
Nice.
Listening to Drivers talk about each of the model series of buses we have in The Fleet, you get to hear what they like and dislike about each model.
Drivers went ape when they were actually asked what they liked and disliked about the first of the new Mall Shuttles (1640) - freaking happier than pigs in mud that we get to have some input into a bus we'll actually drive.
But listening to Drivers about all the series of buses we have, the most common gripe/complaint is that it feels, seems and appears that the bus manufacturers don't have any actual Drivers in the Research & Design departments of their companies.
For the most part, the buses are neither intuitive nor convenient.
One or two things may be really well placed and really good ideas but those get offset by three or four things that seem to have been thrown in to frustrate and confuse.
So I asked the Nabi representative that all important question:
"Have you ever considered coming to Drivers while you're in the R&D phase of these new buses? Active Drivers, in the field, using the buses?"
This Rep up until this point was asking me questions, answering mine - up to and including the cost of the vehicle!
But as soon as I asked this, he turned and walked away.
Didn't even fake like he was turning to talk to another person.
Not even a grunt or pish.
LOL
Guess I hit a nerve...
Anywho, we got a glimpse of the new BRTs coming to Denver.
I hope you got your glimpse.
There will be a few more showings in Boulder & Brighton (I think?)
Call our info line at 303.299.6000 and ask them for more information.
They'll point you in the right direction.
As Always, "Welcome aboard, Smell that new bus smell, Find your seats - Let's Roll!"
For all intents & purposes it's just a modern version of the current "9000" series Articulated buses we have in the Fleet.
Many of you recognized it.
Some of the differences:
Low Floor
Fewer Seats (Less Room for Passengers)
Plastic
Ramp rather than Lift in front
Can be "Hybridized"
Basically a combination of the current 1400 (Blue Hybrids) & the 9000 (Accordions)
The one on display today was on its way to be delivered from the factory to San Antonio.
Nabi swung through Denver to show us what we could be getting.
The configuration we saw obviously won't do for us here in Denver.
We need the 60+ seat max, windows that open, more room in back for strollers & bikes, etc etc etc.
This version of the Artic is heavier, ranking in at close to 70,000lbs - 35 tons!
Same 60' length as our current Artics and has a 125 (150 optional) gasoline tank.
The Nabi Rep said that this bus being delivered to Texas, as displayed was $838,000...
Gulp!
Obviously that doesn't represent (only suggest) what RTD might be paying for our new buses.
BUT STILL...
Whatever we end up getting, we'll have more of them and they'll run more frequently that the Light Rail would have to Boulder.
All told, this BRT system will cost less and provide more service than the Light Rail would have.
Nice.
Listening to Drivers talk about each of the model series of buses we have in The Fleet, you get to hear what they like and dislike about each model.
Drivers went ape when they were actually asked what they liked and disliked about the first of the new Mall Shuttles (1640) - freaking happier than pigs in mud that we get to have some input into a bus we'll actually drive.
But listening to Drivers about all the series of buses we have, the most common gripe/complaint is that it feels, seems and appears that the bus manufacturers don't have any actual Drivers in the Research & Design departments of their companies.
For the most part, the buses are neither intuitive nor convenient.
One or two things may be really well placed and really good ideas but those get offset by three or four things that seem to have been thrown in to frustrate and confuse.
So I asked the Nabi representative that all important question:
"Have you ever considered coming to Drivers while you're in the R&D phase of these new buses? Active Drivers, in the field, using the buses?"
This Rep up until this point was asking me questions, answering mine - up to and including the cost of the vehicle!
But as soon as I asked this, he turned and walked away.
Didn't even fake like he was turning to talk to another person.
Not even a grunt or pish.
LOL
Guess I hit a nerve...
Anywho, we got a glimpse of the new BRTs coming to Denver.
I hope you got your glimpse.
There will be a few more showings in Boulder & Brighton (I think?)
Call our info line at 303.299.6000 and ask them for more information.
They'll point you in the right direction.
As Always, "Welcome aboard, Smell that new bus smell, Find your seats - Let's Roll!"
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
The Bolder Boulder 2012 & Memorial Day.
The Bolder Boulder 2012 & Memorial Day.
I commented about the Bolder Boulder a couple of years ago - the organization was some of the worst I'd ever seen.
From construction during the event that clogged the streets to traffic jams that had folks jumping off the buses far from the starting line and running to the race!
Last year they moved the Starting Line and this year the city of Boulder & RTD coordinated one of the best events yet.
My hat's off to the planners.
The traffic was nearly nonexistent.
In 2010, it took so long to get around the "loop" of the city that there were children and grandchildren being born on the buses (lol - not really, c'mon!)
This year I could loop the city in just a few minutes.
I saw danged near EVERY Driver I know working the event and I think RTD had every single bus available in Boulder.
In 2010 when I was parked (Layover) between the start and finish of the race, waiting to take folks back to their vehicles, I sat for HOURS.
This year it was a slow crawl and I ended up spending only about twenty minutes creeping my way back to the front of the line and back into circulation and back onto the loop, picking runners up and returning them to their vehicles.
The taxpayer got their money's worth as I drove for more than 8.5 of the 9 hours I was "on the clock" this year.
Runners/Passengers voiced their thrill & joy over and over all morning long when they got on the bus quickly and were whisked around the loop in almost zero traffic to the Starting Line.
And because traffic was so minimal, buses/Drivers were able to move as we know how, by leap frogging each other at stops.
One bus stops to pick runners up and the other buses leap frog around that bus to the next stop and the buses behind that one leap frog around him, etc.
The conveyor belt moves smoothly and continuously.
AND folks waiting at the stops only had to wait a minute or two for the next bus to arrive.
AND the city buses like the Skip, Bolt, etc were able to stay on schedule and pick up their passengers so that nobody got behind schedule.
I really have nothing but good things to say about this years record race.
More than 51,000 people ran this year.
At least 93% of them finished the race.
Boulder City planners and RTD coordinated and orchestrated everything perfectly.
If there were issues and problems (challenges) I didn't see them.
That's how smoothly everything went and how the folks running the show responded and corrected any issues that arose.
Thank you RTD, thank you Boulder, and thank YOU the passenger/runner for coming this year and breaking records.
Another great year, another great run and another great event.
As Always, "Welcome aboard, find your seats, 3 Cheers for Boulder - Let's Roll!"
I commented about the Bolder Boulder a couple of years ago - the organization was some of the worst I'd ever seen.
From construction during the event that clogged the streets to traffic jams that had folks jumping off the buses far from the starting line and running to the race!
Last year they moved the Starting Line and this year the city of Boulder & RTD coordinated one of the best events yet.
My hat's off to the planners.
The traffic was nearly nonexistent.
In 2010, it took so long to get around the "loop" of the city that there were children and grandchildren being born on the buses (lol - not really, c'mon!)
This year I could loop the city in just a few minutes.
I saw danged near EVERY Driver I know working the event and I think RTD had every single bus available in Boulder.
In 2010 when I was parked (Layover) between the start and finish of the race, waiting to take folks back to their vehicles, I sat for HOURS.
This year it was a slow crawl and I ended up spending only about twenty minutes creeping my way back to the front of the line and back into circulation and back onto the loop, picking runners up and returning them to their vehicles.
The taxpayer got their money's worth as I drove for more than 8.5 of the 9 hours I was "on the clock" this year.
Runners/Passengers voiced their thrill & joy over and over all morning long when they got on the bus quickly and were whisked around the loop in almost zero traffic to the Starting Line.
And because traffic was so minimal, buses/Drivers were able to move as we know how, by leap frogging each other at stops.
One bus stops to pick runners up and the other buses leap frog around that bus to the next stop and the buses behind that one leap frog around him, etc.
The conveyor belt moves smoothly and continuously.
AND folks waiting at the stops only had to wait a minute or two for the next bus to arrive.
AND the city buses like the Skip, Bolt, etc were able to stay on schedule and pick up their passengers so that nobody got behind schedule.
I really have nothing but good things to say about this years record race.
More than 51,000 people ran this year.
At least 93% of them finished the race.
Boulder City planners and RTD coordinated and orchestrated everything perfectly.
If there were issues and problems (challenges) I didn't see them.
That's how smoothly everything went and how the folks running the show responded and corrected any issues that arose.
Thank you RTD, thank you Boulder, and thank YOU the passenger/runner for coming this year and breaking records.
Another great year, another great run and another great event.
As Always, "Welcome aboard, find your seats, 3 Cheers for Boulder - Let's Roll!"
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Treat Her Like A Prostitute!
Good Ol' Slick Rick...
On occasion I'm allowed to drive routes that go West over a variety of stops.
If I'm on the 38 I get to stop at Federal, Irving, Lowell & Perry.
If I'm on the 44 I get to stop at Federal, Hooker, Julian, Lowell then Perry.
I'm the kinda Driver who likes to call out every stop as we leave the current stop so the Passengers know what's coming next and have time to decide whether they want off.
But on the 44, I almost always skip calling out Hooker street.
The one time I called it out, on one of my first trips on the 44 I just happened to have boarded at Federal, a few pretty young Ladies who were laughing and joking with me.
As they sat down and I pulled out of the stop, I called out, "Hooker!"
The gals got quiet, serious and gasped as one, "Excuse Me!?"
I could have avoided it with, "The Next Stop Is, Hooker!"
Since then, I've simply fallen silent since I rarely have folks disembark at the stop anyway.
The other day I was heading East and around Kipling I picked up a spry older Lady who asked for the lift (she had a full load of luggage)
While she was coming up I asked her where she'd like to go today.
I always ask so that I can watch for the stop and stop in such a way that I can deploy the lift without issue.
She looked at me and gave me the, "Wait a minute" finger.
o_O
As she got on the bus, she approached my ear and whispered, "I'm going to Hooker!"
"I happen to know where that is," I laughed.
"I don't like saying that word out loud," she quietly laughs back.
She sat beside me so as we approached Hooker I simply called out, "Next stop, the street that won't be named!"
We all had a good giggle then moved along.
As Always, "Welcome aboard, Watch out for Hooker, Find your seats - Let's Roll!"
On occasion I'm allowed to drive routes that go West over a variety of stops.
If I'm on the 38 I get to stop at Federal, Irving, Lowell & Perry.
If I'm on the 44 I get to stop at Federal, Hooker, Julian, Lowell then Perry.
I'm the kinda Driver who likes to call out every stop as we leave the current stop so the Passengers know what's coming next and have time to decide whether they want off.
But on the 44, I almost always skip calling out Hooker street.
The one time I called it out, on one of my first trips on the 44 I just happened to have boarded at Federal, a few pretty young Ladies who were laughing and joking with me.
As they sat down and I pulled out of the stop, I called out, "Hooker!"
The gals got quiet, serious and gasped as one, "Excuse Me!?"
I could have avoided it with, "The Next Stop Is, Hooker!"
Since then, I've simply fallen silent since I rarely have folks disembark at the stop anyway.
The other day I was heading East and around Kipling I picked up a spry older Lady who asked for the lift (she had a full load of luggage)
While she was coming up I asked her where she'd like to go today.
I always ask so that I can watch for the stop and stop in such a way that I can deploy the lift without issue.
She looked at me and gave me the, "Wait a minute" finger.
o_O
As she got on the bus, she approached my ear and whispered, "I'm going to Hooker!"
"I happen to know where that is," I laughed.
"I don't like saying that word out loud," she quietly laughs back.
She sat beside me so as we approached Hooker I simply called out, "Next stop, the street that won't be named!"
We all had a good giggle then moved along.
As Always, "Welcome aboard, Watch out for Hooker, Find your seats - Let's Roll!"
Friday, May 25, 2012
Keep On Testing
Hola Folks!
I while back I mentioned the new Smart Card that's a coming.
More and more of you are noticing all the new consoles and card readers on our buses.
I've already described it pretty completely in a previous post and I'm pretty sure I linked y'all to the RTD page ------ CLICK HERE ------
So click those links again.
If you have any questions, we're told we can direct you to call them at:
303-299-CARD.
Bottom line is that we are aiming at the goal of being 90% cashless by the end of next year.
Obviously someone will always have cash to pay his fare.
But we're consolidating all of the Eco, school/college and monthly discount passes onto one card.
No more tickets or transfers (well, if you use cash you'll get a transfer)
If you have a card meant to be used on RTD, you'll eventually be issued a Smart Card that will replace what you're using now.
No more confusion over whether you can use a transfer coming back or whether your transfer lasts long enough.
No more "The Driver" forgot to give me a transfer or losing your transfers.
No more passing monthly passes or transfers back to your friends about to board behind you or handing them out the windows.
No more not having enough change or trying to sneak on with a discount pass but not having the proof of discount.
That card reader will blare very loudly when you try to cheat the system, and everybody else on the bus, including the fare inspector sitting right there will know.
So read up, ask your Drivers for more information.
We all know what's coming and what that card will do.
Or call the number: 303-299-CARD
As Always, "Welcome aboard, Toss your cash and get a Smart Card, Find your seats - Let's Roll!"
I while back I mentioned the new Smart Card that's a coming.
More and more of you are noticing all the new consoles and card readers on our buses.
I've already described it pretty completely in a previous post and I'm pretty sure I linked y'all to the RTD page ------ CLICK HERE ------
So click those links again.
If you have any questions, we're told we can direct you to call them at:
303-299-CARD.
Bottom line is that we are aiming at the goal of being 90% cashless by the end of next year.
Obviously someone will always have cash to pay his fare.
But we're consolidating all of the Eco, school/college and monthly discount passes onto one card.
No more tickets or transfers (well, if you use cash you'll get a transfer)
If you have a card meant to be used on RTD, you'll eventually be issued a Smart Card that will replace what you're using now.
No more confusion over whether you can use a transfer coming back or whether your transfer lasts long enough.
No more "The Driver" forgot to give me a transfer or losing your transfers.
No more passing monthly passes or transfers back to your friends about to board behind you or handing them out the windows.
No more not having enough change or trying to sneak on with a discount pass but not having the proof of discount.
That card reader will blare very loudly when you try to cheat the system, and everybody else on the bus, including the fare inspector sitting right there will know.
So read up, ask your Drivers for more information.
We all know what's coming and what that card will do.
Or call the number: 303-299-CARD
As Always, "Welcome aboard, Toss your cash and get a Smart Card, Find your seats - Let's Roll!"
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Gimme All Your Money...
All your hugs and kisses too...
So it turns out (I missed this reading The Contract) that the union extorted a profit sharing entitlement from RTD, but less surprising is that RTD doesn't and won't ever make a profit.
RTD can only spend what it receives from the taxpayer, from the ads on vehicles and from the fare boxes.
When those revenue sources atrophy we have to cut back operations as we saw at the beginning of this year.
There are no profits or shareholders to go to in order to fill in the gaps.
That's like expecting the Fire department or police to make a profit.
Just can't and won't happen.
So why does the union have a profit sharing entitlement program in place?
More liberal greed of course.
But they used 2008 numbers to force a .4% increase from then to now in revenue in order to pay thousands of employees $750!
That's money that could have been used to keep the buses cleaned or repaired or even running one hour longer when you are getting off or going to work.
One Senior Driver told me it is a ploy to get our union fees paid each year.
Fees the union has increased to just this side of a grand each year.
Again I ask, "Why do we have a profit sharing entitlement program when our employer doesn't make a profit and why do you, the tax payer slash customer support this entitlement?"
As Always, "Welcome Aboard, Pay our union fees, Find your seats, Let's Roll!"
So it turns out (I missed this reading The Contract) that the union extorted a profit sharing entitlement from RTD, but less surprising is that RTD doesn't and won't ever make a profit.
RTD can only spend what it receives from the taxpayer, from the ads on vehicles and from the fare boxes.
When those revenue sources atrophy we have to cut back operations as we saw at the beginning of this year.
There are no profits or shareholders to go to in order to fill in the gaps.
That's like expecting the Fire department or police to make a profit.
Just can't and won't happen.
So why does the union have a profit sharing entitlement program in place?
More liberal greed of course.
But they used 2008 numbers to force a .4% increase from then to now in revenue in order to pay thousands of employees $750!
That's money that could have been used to keep the buses cleaned or repaired or even running one hour longer when you are getting off or going to work.
One Senior Driver told me it is a ploy to get our union fees paid each year.
Fees the union has increased to just this side of a grand each year.
Again I ask, "Why do we have a profit sharing entitlement program when our employer doesn't make a profit and why do you, the tax payer slash customer support this entitlement?"
As Always, "Welcome Aboard, Pay our union fees, Find your seats, Let's Roll!"
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Hit The Road Jack!
I got more than a few emails today asking why I was calling out that Driver in my previous post - why I was being so negative.
I wasn't being negative, I was making a point and I forgot to finish, sorry.
But I did call that driver out because that driver is an embarrassment to RTD, to the rest of us Drivers.
That driver is not from the privates, where you expect crappy behavior and service.
That driver is supposed to be one of us, one of the good guys.
And I mentioned that driver has been here a crap load of years.
There are a bunch of drivers like that driver:
Inconsiderate, sloppy, dirty and not team players.
Well, I take that back because if you're a unionist, an entitleist then you are the team for which these drivers play!
That's because in the real world, at normal companies these drivers (employees) would have been fired almost immediately.
But the union forces RTD to keep crappy employees like this.
And these drivers are so far up the food chain, having been here (survived) for years and years, through good and bad - that they feel like nothing can touch them, they are invincible.
And to tell you the truth, they are!
They get up to something like ten "occurrences" before they get fired.
Per year!
Meaning as the first occurrence expires and disappears from their records, they have another get out of jail free card.
And the union defends them to the bitter end.
And these older drivers are hard core solid through and through union supporters.
So the union keeps them really close.
Another really cushy job is what's called the loop extra.
A driver pulls out an extra bus, not on any route or schedule and he sits at a station and waits.
Waits up to 10 hours for a call to come that he needs to take the bus to another driver whose bus has broken down.
Then the loop extra sits with the broken bus until it either gets fixed or towed back to the garage.
And if that driver still has time, he pulls out another bus and goes and sits.
Many of these drivers brag about how they go to sleep during their shifts and can sit for usually the whole shift without having to move.
These runs are usually sucked up by the drivers with the most seniority and disappear quickly.
So when a lowly Driver like me has his bus break down and needs to get a new bus delivered by the loop extras, you'd expect that loop extra had the bus all ready - you know, team work and giving me the best possible advantage and chance to get ahead, back on schedule and to be successful.
Meaning that the bus would be cleaned, have all the needed supplies, windows & mirrors cleaned and clear and depending on the weather, cooled or heated up.
But without exception (in my experience) the buses have zilch...
No supplies, you can barely see out the windows AND the buses smell like nasty musty sweat from the driver being asleep inside, no deodorant (he knows he doesn't have to deal with the public so he doesn't give a crap and probably didn't even shower by the smell of it!) and smells like he soiled his underwear (please God let him have underwear on so I'm not sitting in his bare butt nasty sweat/feces...)
And they don't care.
No team work.
They are senior drivers, the union protects them and they can survive unscathed - any complaints from either customers or co-workers.
In fact, they are rubber and we are glue - complaints bounce off them and stick to us!
We get transferred to far away districts such as Boulder or East Metro and they survive to terrorize more co-workers and customers...
I've said this many times and will probably say it many more.
The union is VERY bad for RTD, for Drivers and for YOU - the customer/passenger.
They allow these entitleists to hang around like bad farts that you just can't shake.
LOL, that's another story.
Remind me to tell you about the passenger who asked me if he could hop off the bus for a minute - out of respect for the other passengers and me - so that he can "flatulate" and air out.
He did but he brought it back with him and we all thought we would die, even with all the windows open and me speeding, trying to get the wind blowing through!
LOL - there really is a devil and it lives in that guy's booty...
Ok, rants over for now.
As Always, "Welcome Aboard, Find your seats, Don't fart on the bus - Let's Roll!"
I wasn't being negative, I was making a point and I forgot to finish, sorry.
But I did call that driver out because that driver is an embarrassment to RTD, to the rest of us Drivers.
That driver is not from the privates, where you expect crappy behavior and service.
That driver is supposed to be one of us, one of the good guys.
And I mentioned that driver has been here a crap load of years.
There are a bunch of drivers like that driver:
Inconsiderate, sloppy, dirty and not team players.
Well, I take that back because if you're a unionist, an entitleist then you are the team for which these drivers play!
That's because in the real world, at normal companies these drivers (employees) would have been fired almost immediately.
But the union forces RTD to keep crappy employees like this.
And these drivers are so far up the food chain, having been here (survived) for years and years, through good and bad - that they feel like nothing can touch them, they are invincible.
And to tell you the truth, they are!
They get up to something like ten "occurrences" before they get fired.
Per year!
Meaning as the first occurrence expires and disappears from their records, they have another get out of jail free card.
And the union defends them to the bitter end.
And these older drivers are hard core solid through and through union supporters.
So the union keeps them really close.
Another really cushy job is what's called the loop extra.
A driver pulls out an extra bus, not on any route or schedule and he sits at a station and waits.
Waits up to 10 hours for a call to come that he needs to take the bus to another driver whose bus has broken down.
Then the loop extra sits with the broken bus until it either gets fixed or towed back to the garage.
And if that driver still has time, he pulls out another bus and goes and sits.
Many of these drivers brag about how they go to sleep during their shifts and can sit for usually the whole shift without having to move.
These runs are usually sucked up by the drivers with the most seniority and disappear quickly.
So when a lowly Driver like me has his bus break down and needs to get a new bus delivered by the loop extras, you'd expect that loop extra had the bus all ready - you know, team work and giving me the best possible advantage and chance to get ahead, back on schedule and to be successful.
Meaning that the bus would be cleaned, have all the needed supplies, windows & mirrors cleaned and clear and depending on the weather, cooled or heated up.
But without exception (in my experience) the buses have zilch...
No supplies, you can barely see out the windows AND the buses smell like nasty musty sweat from the driver being asleep inside, no deodorant (he knows he doesn't have to deal with the public so he doesn't give a crap and probably didn't even shower by the smell of it!) and smells like he soiled his underwear (please God let him have underwear on so I'm not sitting in his bare butt nasty sweat/feces...)
And they don't care.
No team work.
They are senior drivers, the union protects them and they can survive unscathed - any complaints from either customers or co-workers.
In fact, they are rubber and we are glue - complaints bounce off them and stick to us!
We get transferred to far away districts such as Boulder or East Metro and they survive to terrorize more co-workers and customers...
I've said this many times and will probably say it many more.
The union is VERY bad for RTD, for Drivers and for YOU - the customer/passenger.
They allow these entitleists to hang around like bad farts that you just can't shake.
LOL, that's another story.
Remind me to tell you about the passenger who asked me if he could hop off the bus for a minute - out of respect for the other passengers and me - so that he can "flatulate" and air out.
He did but he brought it back with him and we all thought we would die, even with all the windows open and me speeding, trying to get the wind blowing through!
LOL - there really is a devil and it lives in that guy's booty...
Ok, rants over for now.
As Always, "Welcome Aboard, Find your seats, Don't fart on the bus - Let's Roll!"
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
70 Bottles of Beer on the Wall...
Ok, so it's not bottles of beer on the wall - it's 70 days in this new vote.
Actually we've knocked three down by driving around so now there are only 67 left.
My bad, sorry - a "vote" is what we're taught to call each of the three schedule cycles that happen each year.
No voting or biding involved but rather than call them the Winter, Summer and Fall Schedules we're taught to call them votes!
But I've digressed...
This current vote started on Sunday and I've relieved my current driver enough now to be counting down the days left in what is - thank God - the shortest vote.
The driver is very unpleasant, grumpy, dirty, inconsiderate and from what I can tell (but I pray I'm wrong) a racist!
I've always caught the buses I relieve, early so that I can ride the route, feel the bus, talk to the driver, and check for detours not listed in our headquarters.
This driver has already told me not to ride his/her bus and I can't argue nor want to just out of fear and disgust!
Listening to the driver's interactions with some of the passengers made me both cringe and want to cry.
And I'm fearful because this is a very senior driver who reminds the passengers constantly of the very long term of service, as if that justifies the behaviour.
But that seniority causes me not to be able to complain about anything and if I did, the union would protect that senior and transfer me to Boulder if not fire me for the "accusations! "
And many of the passengers loved this driver!
I heard lots of thank yous, you're wonderfuls, etc but of course that came from those the driver showed favourtism towards.
So for now I hold my tongue, take a different bus and count the remaining days!
As Always, "Welcome Aboard, Find your seats, 67 Days to go - Let's Roll!"
Actually we've knocked three down by driving around so now there are only 67 left.
My bad, sorry - a "vote" is what we're taught to call each of the three schedule cycles that happen each year.
No voting or biding involved but rather than call them the Winter, Summer and Fall Schedules we're taught to call them votes!
But I've digressed...
This current vote started on Sunday and I've relieved my current driver enough now to be counting down the days left in what is - thank God - the shortest vote.
The driver is very unpleasant, grumpy, dirty, inconsiderate and from what I can tell (but I pray I'm wrong) a racist!
I've always caught the buses I relieve, early so that I can ride the route, feel the bus, talk to the driver, and check for detours not listed in our headquarters.
This driver has already told me not to ride his/her bus and I can't argue nor want to just out of fear and disgust!
Listening to the driver's interactions with some of the passengers made me both cringe and want to cry.
And I'm fearful because this is a very senior driver who reminds the passengers constantly of the very long term of service, as if that justifies the behaviour.
But that seniority causes me not to be able to complain about anything and if I did, the union would protect that senior and transfer me to Boulder if not fire me for the "accusations! "
And many of the passengers loved this driver!
I heard lots of thank yous, you're wonderfuls, etc but of course that came from those the driver showed favourtism towards.
So for now I hold my tongue, take a different bus and count the remaining days!
As Always, "Welcome Aboard, Find your seats, 67 Days to go - Let's Roll!"
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Teach A Man To Fish...
Speaking of passengers with special needs...
Did you know that out in the real world of free market capitalism, where you pay for that which you need, that passengers with special needs can call Access-a-Ride and get the attention they require?
Their fares run from $4.50 to $26.00 (One Way)
But in this age of entitlement, forget the real world and adopt socialism.
Where a man is forced to pay for an entitlement that he won't use, so that somebody else may use the entitlement for which he won't pay!
Rather than pay $4.50 each way, folks with Access-a-Ride cards hop on RTD buses for FREE, and still get far more attention than paying customers - at the cost of the paying customer by means of time and money.
When taxes are raised to pay for RTD and the fares are raised...keep in mind who is driving those raises:
It's the folks who demand discounts for various reasons, above and beyond the deserving and those in need.
It's the folks who refuse to pay their fares, who jump on with expired or invalid transfers, who buy discounted monthly passes but don't actually qualify then tell the Driver that their drug dealers boarding with them are the "Care Givers" or "companions" so they don't have to pay their fares either: those who board the bus pretending not to speak English or those who simply ignore the Driver and don't pay for their 98 kids who are boarding with them, and those who would rather ride for free at the expense of the Tax Payer, than pay for the actual service from Access-a-Ride.
These are they who steal from your pockets, from your kids mouths, from your family finances and paychecks, just so that they don't have to pay their fair Fares!
These are the reasons your rates are rising and your taxes are climbing.
Whether it's getting a free or discounted ride on the bus or a free or discounted visit to the doctor - it is those who feel entitled to your income who want you to pay more and more for their lifestyle choices.
I board and service at least 25% of my passengers each day who have Access-a-Ride cards.
99% of those (almost all of them) simply walk on the bus, show me their passes then walk off.
No idea on God's green Earth why they have that pass but they don't have to pay because of it.
On Access-A-Ride they'd be paying twice as much as you do on RTD but they don't want to pay, they want you to pay for them.
In fact, many of these passengers have "companions" with them - for who knows what reasons, I'm not allowed or supposed to ask or care - I simply allow them all to board without paying.
Because it is "politically correct" and it would be offensive to ask.
I truly am sorry for what seems to be an insensitive rant.
I truly believe that there are plenty of deserving and "in need" passengers who ride Access-a-Ride and for all I know, 100% of these folks who board my buses are deserving and in need of the service.
I just found it the perfect illustration of socialism, of the entitlement mindset that says that when given the option to carry their own weight, folks will make the choice of the "free" service that causes those who don't even use the service to support those who do use it.
We all know another tax hike and fare increase is coming.
And now we know just one more reason why.
As Always, "Welcome aboard, Take responsibility and Pay your danged Fare, Find your seats - Let's Roll!"
Did you know that out in the real world of free market capitalism, where you pay for that which you need, that passengers with special needs can call Access-a-Ride and get the attention they require?
Their fares run from $4.50 to $26.00 (One Way)
But in this age of entitlement, forget the real world and adopt socialism.
Where a man is forced to pay for an entitlement that he won't use, so that somebody else may use the entitlement for which he won't pay!
Rather than pay $4.50 each way, folks with Access-a-Ride cards hop on RTD buses for FREE, and still get far more attention than paying customers - at the cost of the paying customer by means of time and money.
When taxes are raised to pay for RTD and the fares are raised...keep in mind who is driving those raises:
It's the folks who demand discounts for various reasons, above and beyond the deserving and those in need.
It's the folks who refuse to pay their fares, who jump on with expired or invalid transfers, who buy discounted monthly passes but don't actually qualify then tell the Driver that their drug dealers boarding with them are the "Care Givers" or "companions" so they don't have to pay their fares either: those who board the bus pretending not to speak English or those who simply ignore the Driver and don't pay for their 98 kids who are boarding with them, and those who would rather ride for free at the expense of the Tax Payer, than pay for the actual service from Access-a-Ride.
These are they who steal from your pockets, from your kids mouths, from your family finances and paychecks, just so that they don't have to pay their fair Fares!
These are the reasons your rates are rising and your taxes are climbing.
Whether it's getting a free or discounted ride on the bus or a free or discounted visit to the doctor - it is those who feel entitled to your income who want you to pay more and more for their lifestyle choices.
I board and service at least 25% of my passengers each day who have Access-a-Ride cards.
99% of those (almost all of them) simply walk on the bus, show me their passes then walk off.
No idea on God's green Earth why they have that pass but they don't have to pay because of it.
On Access-A-Ride they'd be paying twice as much as you do on RTD but they don't want to pay, they want you to pay for them.
In fact, many of these passengers have "companions" with them - for who knows what reasons, I'm not allowed or supposed to ask or care - I simply allow them all to board without paying.
Because it is "politically correct" and it would be offensive to ask.
I truly am sorry for what seems to be an insensitive rant.
I truly believe that there are plenty of deserving and "in need" passengers who ride Access-a-Ride and for all I know, 100% of these folks who board my buses are deserving and in need of the service.
I just found it the perfect illustration of socialism, of the entitlement mindset that says that when given the option to carry their own weight, folks will make the choice of the "free" service that causes those who don't even use the service to support those who do use it.
We all know another tax hike and fare increase is coming.
And now we know just one more reason why.
As Always, "Welcome aboard, Take responsibility and Pay your danged Fare, Find your seats - Let's Roll!"
Do You Require Assistance With Your Restraints?
If you hop on the Bus with a mobility device, usually some type or variation of a wheeled chair, Drivers are required to ask if you need assistance with securing yourself - with your seat belts/restraints.
Rarely has anybody wanted my help, in my personal experience.
It's been needed enough that I'm kept in good practice with the restraint systems but not more than a once a day occurrence.
Recently I've come to learn that it's not just a job requirement but a personal & professional liability when I'm asked to restrain a passenger.
I've had more than a few passengers respond to my question with "yes please," in the past few weeks.
And more than a few of those have tried to curtail my efforts.
"You don't need the back/front/side (etc) - that one side/back/front will be plenty."
"Oh Lord, you've made that very tight, my chair can't move at all, you can loosen it up a hair?"
Oh heck no!
You've made me personally responsible (beyond the ordinary passenger's normal arrangement) for your security and safety.
You're lucky I don't break out tow ropes, wenches, welding rods, bungee cords and duct tape!
If you ask for my personal help and you slide around and injure yourself during the ride, I may not have done my job correctly or well enough.
If you ask for my help providing for your safety - be prepared for my own peace of mind that you're safe and that my job is going to be there after you leave the bus - safely...
I already take my job/responsibility as a Driver very seriously.
I am as safe as I'm able to be, careful, aware and vigilant while I'm transporting you - the passenger - to your destination.
You count on me to get you there in one piece, both safely and uneventfully.
Some of you go that extra step and ask me to provide for your safety in an unconventional seat.
So I need to take extra ordinary measures to ensure your safety.
That's a huge responsibility.
Again - don't scream when I break out the bright yellow & orange tie down straps and start strapping you in!
LOL
As Always, "Welcome aboard, Find your seats, Let me duct tape you in - Let's Roll!"
Rarely has anybody wanted my help, in my personal experience.
It's been needed enough that I'm kept in good practice with the restraint systems but not more than a once a day occurrence.
Recently I've come to learn that it's not just a job requirement but a personal & professional liability when I'm asked to restrain a passenger.
I've had more than a few passengers respond to my question with "yes please," in the past few weeks.
And more than a few of those have tried to curtail my efforts.
"You don't need the back/front/side (etc) - that one side/back/front will be plenty."
"Oh Lord, you've made that very tight, my chair can't move at all, you can loosen it up a hair?"
Oh heck no!
You've made me personally responsible (beyond the ordinary passenger's normal arrangement) for your security and safety.
You're lucky I don't break out tow ropes, wenches, welding rods, bungee cords and duct tape!
If you ask for my personal help and you slide around and injure yourself during the ride, I may not have done my job correctly or well enough.
If you ask for my help providing for your safety - be prepared for my own peace of mind that you're safe and that my job is going to be there after you leave the bus - safely...
I already take my job/responsibility as a Driver very seriously.
I am as safe as I'm able to be, careful, aware and vigilant while I'm transporting you - the passenger - to your destination.
You count on me to get you there in one piece, both safely and uneventfully.
Some of you go that extra step and ask me to provide for your safety in an unconventional seat.
So I need to take extra ordinary measures to ensure your safety.
That's a huge responsibility.
Again - don't scream when I break out the bright yellow & orange tie down straps and start strapping you in!
LOL
As Always, "Welcome aboard, Find your seats, Let me duct tape you in - Let's Roll!"
Dave's Not Home, Man!
Most of you may not know this, or care but despite the fact that marijuana use, sales, distribution, etc is legal in Colorado, state law cannot supersede Federal law and Federal law still views dope use, possession, sales, distribution, growth, etc - as illegal.
We've seen a boat load of growers and distributors in both California and Colorado busted by Federal agents on many occasions in recent years.
Keep that in mind if you're going to get on a Bus here in Denver.
Buses are governed by Federal regulation and laws.
It was explained to me that getting on the bus with dope - even as little as a big fat joint - can be classified as trafficking.
I've personally seen more than a few kiddos roll fatties and sell them to other passengers on the Mall Shuttles and buses for cash on the spot.
There's yet another Federal crime.
Will every passenger who commits these crimes be prosecuted?
Odds are, not even close.
Is it guaranteed that if you're caught doing these things on the bus, you'll be charged with Federal crimes?
Nope...but why take the chance?
We play the lotto and the chances are far slimmer that we'll win that lottery.
Just to put the "risk" into perspective.
It's a $2.25 ride that at most lasts two hours.
Why risk Federal fines & prison times?
Recently there was a passenger who left his backpack on the bus with around a pound of dope, a huge mayo jar packed with buds, a grip of cash and his cell phone with not only all of his information but with all of his friends names, numbers and his business associates names & numbers.
He was gone for only 20 minutes but us Drivers are trained to spot articles that are left behind and to either turn them into Lost & Found or in this case, call authorities.
The passenger was a bit shocked and freaked when he'd heard that his bag had already been found and turned in.
I can imagine that wait while he tried to decide whether to go home and wait for the authorities to come find him...that would SUCK!
Anywho...keep all that stuff at home or at work but just off the bus.
Less paperwork for your Drivers.
Less stress for you and the other passengers while enduring that ride to your destinations.
Less crime on the bus.
Less chance of you getting caught and busted.
As Always, "Welcome aboard, Ditch the Dope, Find your seats - Let's Roll!"
We've seen a boat load of growers and distributors in both California and Colorado busted by Federal agents on many occasions in recent years.
Keep that in mind if you're going to get on a Bus here in Denver.
Buses are governed by Federal regulation and laws.
It was explained to me that getting on the bus with dope - even as little as a big fat joint - can be classified as trafficking.
I've personally seen more than a few kiddos roll fatties and sell them to other passengers on the Mall Shuttles and buses for cash on the spot.
There's yet another Federal crime.
Will every passenger who commits these crimes be prosecuted?
Odds are, not even close.
Is it guaranteed that if you're caught doing these things on the bus, you'll be charged with Federal crimes?
Nope...but why take the chance?
We play the lotto and the chances are far slimmer that we'll win that lottery.
Just to put the "risk" into perspective.
It's a $2.25 ride that at most lasts two hours.
Why risk Federal fines & prison times?
Recently there was a passenger who left his backpack on the bus with around a pound of dope, a huge mayo jar packed with buds, a grip of cash and his cell phone with not only all of his information but with all of his friends names, numbers and his business associates names & numbers.
He was gone for only 20 minutes but us Drivers are trained to spot articles that are left behind and to either turn them into Lost & Found or in this case, call authorities.
The passenger was a bit shocked and freaked when he'd heard that his bag had already been found and turned in.
I can imagine that wait while he tried to decide whether to go home and wait for the authorities to come find him...that would SUCK!
Anywho...keep all that stuff at home or at work but just off the bus.
Less paperwork for your Drivers.
Less stress for you and the other passengers while enduring that ride to your destinations.
Less crime on the bus.
Less chance of you getting caught and busted.
As Always, "Welcome aboard, Ditch the Dope, Find your seats - Let's Roll!"
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Pull My Finger?
So I am tooling down the
So high that many of the other passengers complained and joked that they were all getting contact highs!
One of the drug addicts screams to the other, "Dude, smell my fingers!"
To which there was a collective EWWWW on the bus.
The druggie said,"Dudes, it's Alabama kush..."
Which I can only assume is the name of whatever designer drug he'd been smoking.
But I didn't skip a beat and had to jump through the open door he'd presented and scratched my butt as I said,"Dude, Italian toosh!"
I know it was inappropriate but...
The whole bus exploded with laughter and I felt satisfied that we'd defused some situation.
But I gotta mention that breathing those fumes, breathing in those toxic drug fumes in a closed environment for over an hour was not only seriously offensive to me and the sober passengers but could not have been good for our health!
As Always, "Welcome Aboard, find your seats, extinguish your dope and Let's Roll!"
So high that many of the other passengers complained and joked that they were all getting contact highs!
One of the drug addicts screams to the other, "Dude, smell my fingers!"
To which there was a collective EWWWW on the bus.
The druggie said,"Dudes, it's Alabama kush..."
Which I can only assume is the name of whatever designer drug he'd been smoking.
But I didn't skip a beat and had to jump through the open door he'd presented and scratched my butt as I said,"Dude, Italian toosh!"
I know it was inappropriate but...
The whole bus exploded with laughter and I felt satisfied that we'd defused some situation.
But I gotta mention that breathing those fumes, breathing in those toxic drug fumes in a closed environment for over an hour was not only seriously offensive to me and the sober passengers but could not have been good for our health!
As Always, "Welcome Aboard, find your seats, extinguish your dope and Let's Roll!"
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Occupy RTD/Transit
From some random bus Driver to you, the passenger:
If you travel through The Civic Centre Station in Denver, reroute your trips/buses tomorrow or simply take the day off.
That's coming from me, somebody who doesn't want my riders, my customers, my passengers harassed by liberal entitleists who want more of your tax dollars to support their lifestyles.
That's not coming from RTD - remember that this is my personal blog, my personal thoughts and ideas and that RTD neither supports nor endorses my blog.
Seriously.
Don't go to the Civic Centre Station.
It's going to be occupied by teacher's unions, police and fire fighter's unions, every union in the city/state that the ATU (bus driver's union) can get to support them.
All in their orange shirts that will read something about the 99% and occupy...
Recently, the Liberal Senate has tried to increase spending (more of your tax dollars) on transportation and removed the caps that can be spent on wages/salaries.
Of course the Conservative Congress has offered their own version of The Bill that restricts how much unions can make/profit from the tax payer's dollar and budgets even more on transportation, including roads, bridges and buses/trains.
But of course the Senate squashed the Congressional Bill and Congress returned the favour when the Senate Bill reached them.
There's been a 90 day extension but none of this effects YOU.
RTD is funded by tax dollars, whether local, State or Federal.
Close to $1 in $5 of the budget comes from fares, those who ride and actually pay for their rides.
RTD has made cuts that keeps the service running for at least 6 more years, in the black.
Whatever the Congress & Senate do with their budgets really only affect the profits that the unions make.
Yes I am an RTD Driver, and that means I'm a union member.
But if Colorado gave us the freedom of choice to join the union while employed at RTD, the union would have almost ZERO membership - nobody wants them!
Anywho, you're going to see some orange shirted unionists, entitlement minded folks who think you, the tax payer should support them, the "99%."
They are going to be handing out leaflets, fliers and accosting and harassing RTD customers all day.
As a Driver, I notice that when the Occupy Denver nutters march through town, fill up the streets and down the 16th Street Mall, that the majority of folks, pedestrians make the choice to go some place else.
I recommend y'all make that same choice tomorrow, April 4th.
They are coming, the Occupy RTD/Transit entitleists.
Watch out!
As Always, "Welcome aboard, Screw Occupy, Find your seats - Let's Roll!"
If you travel through The Civic Centre Station in Denver, reroute your trips/buses tomorrow or simply take the day off.
That's coming from me, somebody who doesn't want my riders, my customers, my passengers harassed by liberal entitleists who want more of your tax dollars to support their lifestyles.
That's not coming from RTD - remember that this is my personal blog, my personal thoughts and ideas and that RTD neither supports nor endorses my blog.
Seriously.
Don't go to the Civic Centre Station.
It's going to be occupied by teacher's unions, police and fire fighter's unions, every union in the city/state that the ATU (bus driver's union) can get to support them.
All in their orange shirts that will read something about the 99% and occupy...
Recently, the Liberal Senate has tried to increase spending (more of your tax dollars) on transportation and removed the caps that can be spent on wages/salaries.
Of course the Conservative Congress has offered their own version of The Bill that restricts how much unions can make/profit from the tax payer's dollar and budgets even more on transportation, including roads, bridges and buses/trains.
But of course the Senate squashed the Congressional Bill and Congress returned the favour when the Senate Bill reached them.
There's been a 90 day extension but none of this effects YOU.
RTD is funded by tax dollars, whether local, State or Federal.
Close to $1 in $5 of the budget comes from fares, those who ride and actually pay for their rides.
RTD has made cuts that keeps the service running for at least 6 more years, in the black.
Whatever the Congress & Senate do with their budgets really only affect the profits that the unions make.
Yes I am an RTD Driver, and that means I'm a union member.
But if Colorado gave us the freedom of choice to join the union while employed at RTD, the union would have almost ZERO membership - nobody wants them!
Anywho, you're going to see some orange shirted unionists, entitlement minded folks who think you, the tax payer should support them, the "99%."
They are going to be handing out leaflets, fliers and accosting and harassing RTD customers all day.
As a Driver, I notice that when the Occupy Denver nutters march through town, fill up the streets and down the 16th Street Mall, that the majority of folks, pedestrians make the choice to go some place else.
I recommend y'all make that same choice tomorrow, April 4th.
They are coming, the Occupy RTD/Transit entitleists.
Watch out!
As Always, "Welcome aboard, Screw Occupy, Find your seats - Let's Roll!"
Sunday, March 25, 2012
New Toys Are a'Comin...
I mentioned Phil Washington in my last post and that reminded me...
He met with Drivers over the last couple of months and gave us information about a new system that is coming out as we speak.
We've also recently received more training as the system is going into testing mode here in Denver.
It's been testing in Boulder this last month so many of you may have already seen it - or even here in Denver, you may have already seen it popping up (the testing starts in Denver in April) on your buses.
It's the new "Smart Card" program.
Here's what I've heard and what I know:
Many of you have noticed that we've (RTD) done away with the Token this year.
The idea of this new system is to eliminate as much "media" and cash from use as possible.
I hear that Denver/RTD has more "media" than any other Transit system in the Nation.
For example, we have a myriad of schools and colleges here along the Front Range.
Each school has it's own ID and "sticker" with new colours for each semester and expiry date.
And it is very rare that more than one school/college/university has the same expiry date as another, so Drivers have to learn each date, each colour and each identification - whether student or faculty.
Then there are the Eco Passes.
While most are the green/blue passes, not all are.
And not all Eco Passes are all services included - some don't include the DIA routes, others don't cover regional or express routes.
We have monthly passes, and some are for AB, BC & CD Zones.
And each monthly is by degree of service, whether local, express or regional and some are "discount" - requiring further proof of eligibility of discount.
And on and on and on it goes, you can see that we have a TON of "media" and Drivers old & new find it tough to keep track of them all.
This new "Smart Card" has an RF chip inside.
Programmed for the specific customer, whether ECO, Student, Monthly, disabled or "gift card" - it's all ONE CARD, programmed specifically for the one customer - with photos included (when required) that will be read by a computer/scanner.
You wave your card across the scanner and your card is "charged" for the ride.
No need for a transfer, your card is remembered by the system along your route of travel for a specific period of time.
As you board your next bus within a set time period and scan the card, the system will remember you and not charge you.
Until you go back in the direction from which you came or you exceed the time / grace period - which to the system, tells it that you are in a new zone or that you're returning to your origination.
And there's no chance for the Driver to misread or mis-punch your transfers, you won't need those anymore.
There are three lights on the scanner - red, yellow and green.
Once you've paid, the light flashes green.
If you owe a full or partial fare, say you have a local monthly pass loaded onto your card and you're going to DIA or you're boarding an Express - the yellow light will light on the scanner, requiring you to pay the balance of the fare.
If it flashed red, run in shame and embarrassment - hide your face from the cameras and other passengers!
LOL - no, I'm just kidding.
There's a number you can call (the Drivers can't help and can only ask that you pay the full fare) to correct any issues.
303-299-CARD
It may hurt a bit here and there in the interim as we switch over to this new system but once it's fully up and running, the end game/goal is to be at least 90% cashless and pain free.
And I hear that end goal/game should be realized completely by the end of next year.
Ask your Driver about the new system coming shortly.
We all know about it by now and we all have received training on how to operate it during the testing phase so we can give you more details.
As Always, "Welcome aboard, Toss your cash and get a Smart Card, Find your seats - Let's Roll!"
He met with Drivers over the last couple of months and gave us information about a new system that is coming out as we speak.
We've also recently received more training as the system is going into testing mode here in Denver.
It's been testing in Boulder this last month so many of you may have already seen it - or even here in Denver, you may have already seen it popping up (the testing starts in Denver in April) on your buses.
It's the new "Smart Card" program.
Here's what I've heard and what I know:
Many of you have noticed that we've (RTD) done away with the Token this year.
The idea of this new system is to eliminate as much "media" and cash from use as possible.
I hear that Denver/RTD has more "media" than any other Transit system in the Nation.
For example, we have a myriad of schools and colleges here along the Front Range.
Each school has it's own ID and "sticker" with new colours for each semester and expiry date.
And it is very rare that more than one school/college/university has the same expiry date as another, so Drivers have to learn each date, each colour and each identification - whether student or faculty.
Then there are the Eco Passes.
While most are the green/blue passes, not all are.
And not all Eco Passes are all services included - some don't include the DIA routes, others don't cover regional or express routes.
We have monthly passes, and some are for AB, BC & CD Zones.
And each monthly is by degree of service, whether local, express or regional and some are "discount" - requiring further proof of eligibility of discount.
And on and on and on it goes, you can see that we have a TON of "media" and Drivers old & new find it tough to keep track of them all.
This new "Smart Card" has an RF chip inside.
Programmed for the specific customer, whether ECO, Student, Monthly, disabled or "gift card" - it's all ONE CARD, programmed specifically for the one customer - with photos included (when required) that will be read by a computer/scanner.
You wave your card across the scanner and your card is "charged" for the ride.
No need for a transfer, your card is remembered by the system along your route of travel for a specific period of time.
As you board your next bus within a set time period and scan the card, the system will remember you and not charge you.
Until you go back in the direction from which you came or you exceed the time / grace period - which to the system, tells it that you are in a new zone or that you're returning to your origination.
And there's no chance for the Driver to misread or mis-punch your transfers, you won't need those anymore.
There are three lights on the scanner - red, yellow and green.
Once you've paid, the light flashes green.
If you owe a full or partial fare, say you have a local monthly pass loaded onto your card and you're going to DIA or you're boarding an Express - the yellow light will light on the scanner, requiring you to pay the balance of the fare.
If it flashed red, run in shame and embarrassment - hide your face from the cameras and other passengers!
LOL - no, I'm just kidding.
There's a number you can call (the Drivers can't help and can only ask that you pay the full fare) to correct any issues.
303-299-CARD
It may hurt a bit here and there in the interim as we switch over to this new system but once it's fully up and running, the end game/goal is to be at least 90% cashless and pain free.
And I hear that end goal/game should be realized completely by the end of next year.
Ask your Driver about the new system coming shortly.
We all know about it by now and we all have received training on how to operate it during the testing phase so we can give you more details.
As Always, "Welcome aboard, Toss your cash and get a Smart Card, Find your seats - Let's Roll!"
The Tortoise Or The Hare?
Before I write this I want to preface my comments with two thoughts:
1) "...As I've repeatedly pointed out, I'm not in any way speaking for RTD, in fact they've asked me to remind you that they neither sponsor nor endorse my blog."
2) I LOVE, absolutely love serving the customer, which is why I've chosen this career - I get to serve my passengers, they trust their lives in my hands daily.
That said, I applied to work at the bus side of RTD, not in the Access-a-Ride or Call-n-Ride sides of the house.
While I love service and I've been reminded by some of my regulars (passengers) that I am patient to a fault - I personally don't feel that I'm up to the standards or that I'm a good enough "servant" to work for these other departments.
But as we make more and more cutbacks at RTD, we are seeing more and more of a blending of the services. More and more Access-a-Ride customers are needing to use the regular route side of the house and lately I'm seeing more regulars at the end of their patience, more schedules and connections tossed to the wind and more regular passengers storm off the bus in vulgar and vocal rages.
I'm very sorry to both sides of this coin.
But to exasperate the situations, I'm seeing more and more of the "entitlement minded" special needs passenger join the ranks.
I'm guessing this is because they've grown so used to being given more personalized services over the years, paid for by the rest of us - that as they make their way over to this side of the system, that they expect (and I'm to provide it - legally as well as morally) and demand intimate attention from the Driver as well as preferential treatment from both the Driver and the other passengers/paying customers.
The last couple of weeks I've been on some very busy runs/routes.
Almost every day I've run into the very demanding special needs passenger that have compounded the situations as more board and disembark on each trip.
Just one passenger requiring special attention can delay the bus by at least 5 minutes.
Just this afternoon I hit a 27 minute delay as I boarded three special requirement passengers AND two parents with stroller - the two seater types.
We were so far behind that my follower (the next bus on the schedule) was behind me picking up all the customers I could no longer fit on the bus.
Keep in mind that I'm paid by the minute.
I'm on the clock until I finish the route, whether that takes the scheduled amount of time or up to 10 hours of driving time a day.
The printed schedule is a courtesy to YOU, the passenger.
If I'm unable to keep that schedule while I'm your Driver, you can bet that there is either killer traffic jams, or the bus is so full/packed that there are arms and legs hanging out windows and folks are standing in their seats.
Or there are customers who require more time and schedules are not part of their concern.
My point of posting this is not to single out any group of passengers about scheduling or how much I'm paid to take care of all of the passengers.
As I've pointed out, I'm paid to complete the route, no matter whether I spend all my DOT time (10 hours) with one customer or 1000 customers in only 8 hours.
And the schedule is only third on my list of priorities: the first being safety, then customer service, then the schedule.
I will stop the bus, break out my trailblazer and look at all the routes I have to make sure you catch the right bus and get to your destination before I drop you off at the wrong street or take you to Golden when you needed to go to Aurora!
I will stop the bus and use every restraint on the bus to make certain you are strapped in like a mummy and feel safe and secure before I move the bus again.
That's customer service.
No, my point in posting this was that the Access-a-Ride side of the house is a social program that is set aside solely to support the special needs of the passenger who has those needs.
The other side of the RTD house is where I work, where folks spend 10 seconds boarding the bus and finding their seats before I hit the gas pedal and speed off to the next stop, keeping the schedule to the second in order to make every body's connections and get y'all to your destinations on time.
We shouldn't be blending the two services & passenger load but as we cut back services, we need to serve a wider variety of customer than we've been used to.
I'm sorry to the passengers who've boarded my bus, requiring extra attention getting ready for transport - sorry for the rude and vulgar comments, for the eye rolls, for the loud heavy sighs and for the screams of frustration from the other passengers.
And to you other passengers, I'm sorry for the extreme delays and for the frustration - but for those of you who have been both helpful and patient, I thank you.
I try to bust my rump and go as quickly as I'm able.
I try to accommodate everybody with equal thoroughness, compassion, consideration and care.
To all of my passenger, whether abled-bodied, I thank you for your patronage and your patience - I'm sorry for the rest.
I'll do my best and I appreciate your help to those ends.
To you folks who've been frustrated to the point of your heads spinning off and exploding I suggest you call your Regents, your Representatives and even RTD directly.
Just don't call the 303-299-6000 line.
Contact officials directly - for example, contact Phil Washington.
I've personally met him and he honestly cares what you think (not that others don't but I can vouch for Mr. Washington's sincerity)
To everybody, please try to enjoy The Ride.
Remember, I'm your Driver and I'm the guy who has to juggle both those who are frustrated and those at whom they are frustrated.
If you don't see me snapping at everybody, if you don't see my cussing and swearing - then please follow my lead.
Consider it an adventure, a challenge - an opportunity.
As Always, "Welcome aboard, Take a deep breath & relax, Find your seats - Let's Roll!"
1) "...As I've repeatedly pointed out, I'm not in any way speaking for RTD, in fact they've asked me to remind you that they neither sponsor nor endorse my blog."
2) I LOVE, absolutely love serving the customer, which is why I've chosen this career - I get to serve my passengers, they trust their lives in my hands daily.
That said, I applied to work at the bus side of RTD, not in the Access-a-Ride or Call-n-Ride sides of the house.
While I love service and I've been reminded by some of my regulars (passengers) that I am patient to a fault - I personally don't feel that I'm up to the standards or that I'm a good enough "servant" to work for these other departments.
But as we make more and more cutbacks at RTD, we are seeing more and more of a blending of the services. More and more Access-a-Ride customers are needing to use the regular route side of the house and lately I'm seeing more regulars at the end of their patience, more schedules and connections tossed to the wind and more regular passengers storm off the bus in vulgar and vocal rages.
I'm very sorry to both sides of this coin.
But to exasperate the situations, I'm seeing more and more of the "entitlement minded" special needs passenger join the ranks.
I'm guessing this is because they've grown so used to being given more personalized services over the years, paid for by the rest of us - that as they make their way over to this side of the system, that they expect (and I'm to provide it - legally as well as morally) and demand intimate attention from the Driver as well as preferential treatment from both the Driver and the other passengers/paying customers.
The last couple of weeks I've been on some very busy runs/routes.
Almost every day I've run into the very demanding special needs passenger that have compounded the situations as more board and disembark on each trip.
Just one passenger requiring special attention can delay the bus by at least 5 minutes.
Just this afternoon I hit a 27 minute delay as I boarded three special requirement passengers AND two parents with stroller - the two seater types.
We were so far behind that my follower (the next bus on the schedule) was behind me picking up all the customers I could no longer fit on the bus.
Keep in mind that I'm paid by the minute.
I'm on the clock until I finish the route, whether that takes the scheduled amount of time or up to 10 hours of driving time a day.
The printed schedule is a courtesy to YOU, the passenger.
If I'm unable to keep that schedule while I'm your Driver, you can bet that there is either killer traffic jams, or the bus is so full/packed that there are arms and legs hanging out windows and folks are standing in their seats.
Or there are customers who require more time and schedules are not part of their concern.
My point of posting this is not to single out any group of passengers about scheduling or how much I'm paid to take care of all of the passengers.
As I've pointed out, I'm paid to complete the route, no matter whether I spend all my DOT time (10 hours) with one customer or 1000 customers in only 8 hours.
And the schedule is only third on my list of priorities: the first being safety, then customer service, then the schedule.
I will stop the bus, break out my trailblazer and look at all the routes I have to make sure you catch the right bus and get to your destination before I drop you off at the wrong street or take you to Golden when you needed to go to Aurora!
I will stop the bus and use every restraint on the bus to make certain you are strapped in like a mummy and feel safe and secure before I move the bus again.
That's customer service.
No, my point in posting this was that the Access-a-Ride side of the house is a social program that is set aside solely to support the special needs of the passenger who has those needs.
The other side of the RTD house is where I work, where folks spend 10 seconds boarding the bus and finding their seats before I hit the gas pedal and speed off to the next stop, keeping the schedule to the second in order to make every body's connections and get y'all to your destinations on time.
We shouldn't be blending the two services & passenger load but as we cut back services, we need to serve a wider variety of customer than we've been used to.
I'm sorry to the passengers who've boarded my bus, requiring extra attention getting ready for transport - sorry for the rude and vulgar comments, for the eye rolls, for the loud heavy sighs and for the screams of frustration from the other passengers.
And to you other passengers, I'm sorry for the extreme delays and for the frustration - but for those of you who have been both helpful and patient, I thank you.
I try to bust my rump and go as quickly as I'm able.
I try to accommodate everybody with equal thoroughness, compassion, consideration and care.
To all of my passenger, whether abled-bodied, I thank you for your patronage and your patience - I'm sorry for the rest.
I'll do my best and I appreciate your help to those ends.
To you folks who've been frustrated to the point of your heads spinning off and exploding I suggest you call your Regents, your Representatives and even RTD directly.
Just don't call the 303-299-6000 line.
Contact officials directly - for example, contact Phil Washington.
I've personally met him and he honestly cares what you think (not that others don't but I can vouch for Mr. Washington's sincerity)
To everybody, please try to enjoy The Ride.
Remember, I'm your Driver and I'm the guy who has to juggle both those who are frustrated and those at whom they are frustrated.
If you don't see me snapping at everybody, if you don't see my cussing and swearing - then please follow my lead.
Consider it an adventure, a challenge - an opportunity.
As Always, "Welcome aboard, Take a deep breath & relax, Find your seats - Let's Roll!"
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Occupy RTD!?
Seriously?
Occupy RTD?
Oh yeah, that's what we're being told to do during the first week of April by the union.
The Union is calling on us (those it forces to join unions) whether teachers, drivers, police and firefighters, to go to the Civic Centre and hand out fliers to "the 99% who need transit!"
"Acknowledging their mutual concern about the crisis in mass transit, the General Executive Board of the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) has endorsed the National Day of Action for Public Transportation called by Occupy Boston to take place..."
There is no crisis, there is only a lack of funds for them to extort from you - the tax payer and rider/customer.
This is typical liberal entitleism.
I've mentioned this before and just recently I've pointed out how the union corrupts and inhibits RTD.
Many of the Drivers don't have the mindset that they are employed by RTD, they feel that their employer is the union.
The union provides their income, their benefits and time off.
RTD to them?
Just a means to their own personal gain.
I'm an RTD employee (but remember, these are my personal opinions which are neither endorsed nor supported by my employer!) and I feel that I must earn everything my employer gives me from a wage to a benefit.
I must serve YOU, the customer of RTD.
Neither you nor my employer OWE me anything, I need to earn it.
But the unionist has a different mindset.
I've had many conversations with these unionists who work at RTD.
They feel that you (called fat cats by these guys) need to be forced to pay higher fares, higher taxes and their higher wages. You owe them a social life, dating, marriage, mortgages and new vehicles.
It's only fair - at least in their minds.
You owe them weeks and weeks worth of sick, vacation, holiday and personal days off each year.
The average Coloradoan hasn't had a wage increase in a couple of years, we are still at close to 8% (14% actual) unemployment and because of a few liberal Govs we have a broken TABOR that's causing us to go into debt.
But that doesn't concern the unionist. The union leaders gave themselves a big raise last year.
The only reason they skipped strikes this year is because of the growing unrest and unpopularity of public unions across the nation.
And because RTD had to make HUGE cutbacks in order to stay out of debt.
But look out next year, these greedy entitleists are out for blood (your money) and they are going to go to great lengths next year to get it.
Everybody in this nation and state who pays taxes, whether a state or federal income tax and all those in the state who purchase something from companies within the district, we all pay for those few who ride the bus/train.
And the large portion of those who don't actually pay a fare are fully supported by us (and the few who pay fares.)
Less than 20% of the operating cost of RTD comes from fares.
The rest is from the tax payer, whether through govt grants & taxes.
I think there is a 1% of income from advertisers.
That said, the entitleist/unionist identifies with the occupy movements and now they want to occupy transit and RTD.
Look out for them in the next couple of weeks and tell them how you really feel.
Tell them that you don't owe them a lifestyle.
Tell them that the system should be user supported, not the rest of us paying for the 1% who use it.
Tell them to go get a job to support their lifestyles, just like we told the occupiers here in Denver to go get a job and get a life.
These 1% don't represent us, the average Coloradoan - we all know it but these unionists/occupiers don't seem to realize it.
And keep in mind that there is a large portion of your Drivers (I personally believe it's far more than half of us) don't agree with these guys either.
We're not happy being forced to join this entitlement minded union.
We love RTD and we earn our keep, we earn your business and we love the customer.
We don't see you, the customer as a fat cat who owes us your wallets.
And we don't see RTD as a means to get to you.
We don't support this occupy RTD movement and neither should you.
As Always, "Welcome aboard, Screw Occupy, Find your seats - Let's Roll!"
Occupy RTD?
Oh yeah, that's what we're being told to do during the first week of April by the union.
The Union is calling on us (those it forces to join unions) whether teachers, drivers, police and firefighters, to go to the Civic Centre and hand out fliers to "the 99% who need transit!"
"Acknowledging their mutual concern about the crisis in mass transit, the General Executive Board of the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) has endorsed the National Day of Action for Public Transportation called by Occupy Boston to take place..."
There is no crisis, there is only a lack of funds for them to extort from you - the tax payer and rider/customer.
This is typical liberal entitleism.
I've mentioned this before and just recently I've pointed out how the union corrupts and inhibits RTD.
Many of the Drivers don't have the mindset that they are employed by RTD, they feel that their employer is the union.
The union provides their income, their benefits and time off.
RTD to them?
Just a means to their own personal gain.
I'm an RTD employee (but remember, these are my personal opinions which are neither endorsed nor supported by my employer!) and I feel that I must earn everything my employer gives me from a wage to a benefit.
I must serve YOU, the customer of RTD.
Neither you nor my employer OWE me anything, I need to earn it.
But the unionist has a different mindset.
I've had many conversations with these unionists who work at RTD.
They feel that you (called fat cats by these guys) need to be forced to pay higher fares, higher taxes and their higher wages. You owe them a social life, dating, marriage, mortgages and new vehicles.
It's only fair - at least in their minds.
You owe them weeks and weeks worth of sick, vacation, holiday and personal days off each year.
The average Coloradoan hasn't had a wage increase in a couple of years, we are still at close to 8% (14% actual) unemployment and because of a few liberal Govs we have a broken TABOR that's causing us to go into debt.
But that doesn't concern the unionist. The union leaders gave themselves a big raise last year.
The only reason they skipped strikes this year is because of the growing unrest and unpopularity of public unions across the nation.
And because RTD had to make HUGE cutbacks in order to stay out of debt.
But look out next year, these greedy entitleists are out for blood (your money) and they are going to go to great lengths next year to get it.
Everybody in this nation and state who pays taxes, whether a state or federal income tax and all those in the state who purchase something from companies within the district, we all pay for those few who ride the bus/train.
And the large portion of those who don't actually pay a fare are fully supported by us (and the few who pay fares.)
Less than 20% of the operating cost of RTD comes from fares.
The rest is from the tax payer, whether through govt grants & taxes.
I think there is a 1% of income from advertisers.
That said, the entitleist/unionist identifies with the occupy movements and now they want to occupy transit and RTD.
Look out for them in the next couple of weeks and tell them how you really feel.
Tell them that you don't owe them a lifestyle.
Tell them that the system should be user supported, not the rest of us paying for the 1% who use it.
Tell them to go get a job to support their lifestyles, just like we told the occupiers here in Denver to go get a job and get a life.
These 1% don't represent us, the average Coloradoan - we all know it but these unionists/occupiers don't seem to realize it.
And keep in mind that there is a large portion of your Drivers (I personally believe it's far more than half of us) don't agree with these guys either.
We're not happy being forced to join this entitlement minded union.
We love RTD and we earn our keep, we earn your business and we love the customer.
We don't see you, the customer as a fat cat who owes us your wallets.
And we don't see RTD as a means to get to you.
We don't support this occupy RTD movement and neither should you.
As Always, "Welcome aboard, Screw Occupy, Find your seats - Let's Roll!"
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Equal Work For Equal Pay?
We've all heard this a bazillion times over the last few decades.
Mostly we've been hearing it from American women and minorities.
And most Americans agree, mostly!
Oddly enough if you're a left wing, entitlement minded liberal who belongs to a public union...
You couldn't disagree more!
Most of you probably don't know and most likely don't care, but the public union that forces RTD to comply with its demands hates and has so much contempt for part time Drivers that not only do they keep them under employed at every opportunity but they also pay them less for the same work.
The union forces RTD to not only not give part timers any vacation/paid time off - not even sick days, so that close to 200 Drivers can be contagiously sick at any given time - but the union also forces RTD to pay part time Drivers less than other Drivers for the same hours worked.
I could (and have) go on but we all already know the hypocrisy of liberalism slash entitlists slash public unions.
They preach equality but unless it applies to them, they really don't mean it.
Lip service for the deaf.
Anywho...
As Always, "Welcome aboard, Demand Equal Pay, Find your seats - Let's Roll!"
Mostly we've been hearing it from American women and minorities.
And most Americans agree, mostly!
Oddly enough if you're a left wing, entitlement minded liberal who belongs to a public union...
You couldn't disagree more!
Most of you probably don't know and most likely don't care, but the public union that forces RTD to comply with its demands hates and has so much contempt for part time Drivers that not only do they keep them under employed at every opportunity but they also pay them less for the same work.
The union forces RTD to not only not give part timers any vacation/paid time off - not even sick days, so that close to 200 Drivers can be contagiously sick at any given time - but the union also forces RTD to pay part time Drivers less than other Drivers for the same hours worked.
I could (and have) go on but we all already know the hypocrisy of liberalism slash entitlists slash public unions.
They preach equality but unless it applies to them, they really don't mean it.
Lip service for the deaf.
Anywho...
As Always, "Welcome aboard, Demand Equal Pay, Find your seats - Let's Roll!"
Pravda Part Deux!
Wow - just wow!
I guess I can say that many of you may remember this post from about a month ago.
I got a butt load of emails from folks who said I was full of [poop] let's leave that editing in there just to be polite!
Drivers and Light rail alike, even a few "I used to be a driver at RTD and...." decided to write in and gimme their two cents!
Let me "re-explain" what's going on in this process.
A position opens up for light rail operators, let's say 5 openings.
30 plus full timers will apply and at least as many part timers will also apply.
Those accepting the applications are forced by the union to take the first 5, most senior applicants.
Those with the most time in their position as full time drivers.
So those with twenty, fifteen and ten years will usually fill the positions.
Some time later we see what is called an answer sheet posted that shows which 5 full time drivers got the job and the long long lists of full time drivers who didn't get the job but who applied.
The part timers aren't shown on this list because the union causes RTD to discriminate against the part timers as second class - as long as one full timer has applied for the job, part timers don't even count!
With that in mind, the 5 full timers who got the job go into training.
These 5 full timers have to start from scratch, giving up their pay grade, their seniority and they have to quickly learn to shed all the bad habits and records they've accumulated over their longer time as drivers.
Many if not most of these drivers "wash out," leaving the positions unfilled.
In fact, some time back there were two people from another department who, although they were not drivers, were chosen over the myriad of part time driver applicants because they were full time and lumped together with the drivers.
These two washed out almost immediately and instead of coming to the pool of part time applicants, the union forces RTD to re post the position so that more full time drivers can apply!
The newer drivers both full time and part time with less bad habits, less pay to lose, less seniority to give up and less bad driving records - the drivers who are better qualified were passed up for the job because the union forced RTD to discriminate and not pick the applicants who were best for the job.
The union set RTD up to fail.
And really that's all the union is good for, that's their number one goal when you look at all their policies and practices.
The union is all about them and nothing about the customer and the customer's customer (you!)
Anywho, those of you up at Elati who wrote in telling me that I'm full of [poop] and that none of the positions are being filled, from the applicant's point of view, they are being over filled.
From your point of view, the failed policies of the union are causing the positions to go unfilled.
Good drivers are dying to get over there, Elati.
Enough good drivers to fill all the positions coming by the end of this year and into next.
You may not get them all right away but eventually...
Unfortunately this is the entitlement mentality of the senior drivers, the union and those who support it.
Even though they either don't want it or don't deserve it, they demand that they are given it and if they wash out or are not qualified, they still don't want you to have it so it goes back to others like them!
As Always, "Welcome aboard, Ignore the union, Find your seats - Let's Roll!"
I guess I can say that many of you may remember this post from about a month ago.
I got a butt load of emails from folks who said I was full of [poop] let's leave that editing in there just to be polite!
Drivers and Light rail alike, even a few "I used to be a driver at RTD and...." decided to write in and gimme their two cents!
Let me "re-explain" what's going on in this process.
A position opens up for light rail operators, let's say 5 openings.
30 plus full timers will apply and at least as many part timers will also apply.
Those accepting the applications are forced by the union to take the first 5, most senior applicants.
Those with the most time in their position as full time drivers.
So those with twenty, fifteen and ten years will usually fill the positions.
Some time later we see what is called an answer sheet posted that shows which 5 full time drivers got the job and the long long lists of full time drivers who didn't get the job but who applied.
The part timers aren't shown on this list because the union causes RTD to discriminate against the part timers as second class - as long as one full timer has applied for the job, part timers don't even count!
With that in mind, the 5 full timers who got the job go into training.
These 5 full timers have to start from scratch, giving up their pay grade, their seniority and they have to quickly learn to shed all the bad habits and records they've accumulated over their longer time as drivers.
Many if not most of these drivers "wash out," leaving the positions unfilled.
In fact, some time back there were two people from another department who, although they were not drivers, were chosen over the myriad of part time driver applicants because they were full time and lumped together with the drivers.
These two washed out almost immediately and instead of coming to the pool of part time applicants, the union forces RTD to re post the position so that more full time drivers can apply!
The newer drivers both full time and part time with less bad habits, less pay to lose, less seniority to give up and less bad driving records - the drivers who are better qualified were passed up for the job because the union forced RTD to discriminate and not pick the applicants who were best for the job.
The union set RTD up to fail.
And really that's all the union is good for, that's their number one goal when you look at all their policies and practices.
The union is all about them and nothing about the customer and the customer's customer (you!)
Anywho, those of you up at Elati who wrote in telling me that I'm full of [poop] and that none of the positions are being filled, from the applicant's point of view, they are being over filled.
From your point of view, the failed policies of the union are causing the positions to go unfilled.
Good drivers are dying to get over there, Elati.
Enough good drivers to fill all the positions coming by the end of this year and into next.
You may not get them all right away but eventually...
Unfortunately this is the entitlement mentality of the senior drivers, the union and those who support it.
Even though they either don't want it or don't deserve it, they demand that they are given it and if they wash out or are not qualified, they still don't want you to have it so it goes back to others like them!
As Always, "Welcome aboard, Ignore the union, Find your seats - Let's Roll!"
Monday, February 13, 2012
You Got The Time, Driver?
I'm into my Third Year here as a Driver.
And while I understand that to many of the other Drivers, I'm still the new guy - but that's years of experience on the routes that I drive.
That means I know where I can make up a few minutes and knowing where I'm about to get behind by a few minutes.
That means knowing where I'll be stuck behind trains or lights that take 15 minutes to get through and where there are stretches that I can actually make the speed limit and not pick up customers for miles.
All that said...
If I'm behind schedule (I hate saying late!) it is not my fault.
I can only go as fast as traffic will let me, as fast as the cars who keep cutting in front of me allow me to go.
As fast as the lift on the bus will go up and down.
And as fast as the passengers walking all the way to the back of the bus to sit down, then change their minds and come to the front, then change their minds again and go to the middle - allow me.
And yes - I'm that Driver who will not floor it and take off while little old Ladies, Parents & their children or the disabled are still trying to find their seats.
I won't take off while folks with drinks in one hand, wallets/purses in the other and no free hands to grabs rails are still trying to sit down.
I actually had one passenger notice that and tell another passenger that the bus wasn't moving because the Driver was waiting for her to sit down - saying out loud what every other passenger on the bus was thinking while staring at her taking more than a minute to find her seat.
You healthy schlubs, I'll take off the second you get past that yellow/white line in the front of the bus.
If you're listening, you'll hear me warn you, "Hang on!"
But you can handle it.
And by the way (side note) you all know that the routes were timed/planned out by employees in companies vehicles who didn't have to stop at every single stop, use the lift at every stop, slow down so as not to run that red light...vehicles that can get up to the speed limit within a block and not slow down until they can no longer run yellow lights?
You know that, right?
It takes regular cars, your personal cars and those who time the routes for the schedules, it takes them 15 minutes to get from Walmart in Applewood to the Stapleton Park N ride.
In the bus it takes 6 hours!
LOL - ok, only a little over an hour but have you ever been on a 38 that's on time when it's not 12 Midnight on a Sunday?
As Always, "Welcome aboard, Find your seats - Let's Roll!"
And while I understand that to many of the other Drivers, I'm still the new guy - but that's years of experience on the routes that I drive.
That means I know where I can make up a few minutes and knowing where I'm about to get behind by a few minutes.
That means knowing where I'll be stuck behind trains or lights that take 15 minutes to get through and where there are stretches that I can actually make the speed limit and not pick up customers for miles.
All that said...
If I'm behind schedule (I hate saying late!) it is not my fault.
I can only go as fast as traffic will let me, as fast as the cars who keep cutting in front of me allow me to go.
As fast as the lift on the bus will go up and down.
And as fast as the passengers walking all the way to the back of the bus to sit down, then change their minds and come to the front, then change their minds again and go to the middle - allow me.
And yes - I'm that Driver who will not floor it and take off while little old Ladies, Parents & their children or the disabled are still trying to find their seats.
I won't take off while folks with drinks in one hand, wallets/purses in the other and no free hands to grabs rails are still trying to sit down.
I actually had one passenger notice that and tell another passenger that the bus wasn't moving because the Driver was waiting for her to sit down - saying out loud what every other passenger on the bus was thinking while staring at her taking more than a minute to find her seat.
You healthy schlubs, I'll take off the second you get past that yellow/white line in the front of the bus.
If you're listening, you'll hear me warn you, "Hang on!"
But you can handle it.
And by the way (side note) you all know that the routes were timed/planned out by employees in companies vehicles who didn't have to stop at every single stop, use the lift at every stop, slow down so as not to run that red light...vehicles that can get up to the speed limit within a block and not slow down until they can no longer run yellow lights?
You know that, right?
It takes regular cars, your personal cars and those who time the routes for the schedules, it takes them 15 minutes to get from Walmart in Applewood to the Stapleton Park N ride.
In the bus it takes 6 hours!
LOL - ok, only a little over an hour but have you ever been on a 38 that's on time when it's not 12 Midnight on a Sunday?
As Always, "Welcome aboard, Find your seats - Let's Roll!"
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Let's Go All The Way!
Lady gets on the bus.
She looks me dead in the eye and asks me,
"Do you go all the way?"
um
After 10 minutes of rolling on the floor, laughing my butt off...
On the inside of course - and it was for only half a second...
I answered, "Yes Ma'am!"
But I spent the rest of the day giggling to myself like Beavis & Butthead.
Thanks Ma'am!!!
As Always, "Welcome aboard, Find your seats - Let's Go All The Way!"
She looks me dead in the eye and asks me,
"Do you go all the way?"
um
After 10 minutes of rolling on the floor, laughing my butt off...
On the inside of course - and it was for only half a second...
I answered, "Yes Ma'am!"
But I spent the rest of the day giggling to myself like Beavis & Butthead.
Thanks Ma'am!!!
As Always, "Welcome aboard, Find your seats - Let's Go All The Way!"
Friday, February 10, 2012
T.A.N.S.T.A.A.F.R.
When I was a kiddo I was deep into SciFi.
I actually got to meet and interview Ben Bova for a school project.
Yesterday I was reminded of a book, "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress," by one of my top SciFi authors.
The reason I remembered it so well and during a conversation with a passenger yesterday was because of a saying that was part of the story of the book and which was repeated in my eighth grade economics class:
"There ain't no such thing as a free lunch!"
A phrase with which I am about to take a bit of poetic license and change to:
"There ain't no such thing as a free ride!"
I'm going to print this up and hang it on my fare box every day for every passenger to read and ask about.
LoL
As Always, "Welcome aboard, T.A.N.S.T.A.A.F.R., Find you're seats - Let's Roll!"
I actually got to meet and interview Ben Bova for a school project.
Yesterday I was reminded of a book, "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress," by one of my top SciFi authors.
The reason I remembered it so well and during a conversation with a passenger yesterday was because of a saying that was part of the story of the book and which was repeated in my eighth grade economics class:
"There ain't no such thing as a free lunch!"
A phrase with which I am about to take a bit of poetic license and change to:
"There ain't no such thing as a free ride!"
I'm going to print this up and hang it on my fare box every day for every passenger to read and ask about.
LoL
As Always, "Welcome aboard, T.A.N.S.T.A.A.F.R., Find you're seats - Let's Roll!"
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
It Just Ain't Fare!
My new routes take me through a bunch of park n rides, stations and light rail stations.
And whether it's because of all the cut backs or the simple fact that they are busy stations, lately I've had a ton of fare inspectors, both uniformed and plain clothed hop on my routes.
I think they've learned that the low hanging fruit is plentiful on my routes as they usually hop off within a stop or two to hand out tickets!
I'll tell you the correct fare and remind you that I'm not authorized to waive the fare giving free rides.
I'll also leave you to make the choice whether to board and ride with out having provided the correct fare or proper proof of discount.
The only thing I won't do is point to the fare inspector waiting for your decision.
And while I say this to every passenger who doesn't provide proper fare slash proof, that doesn't mean you can just ignore me and ride for free, those tickets are hefty these days and lately the chances of receiving them on my routes have gone way up to one outta three or four offenders.
So beware folks and kudos to RTD and the fare inspectors for putting the fear of consequences back into those who feel the rest of us owe them a free ride.
As Always, "Welcome aboard, Pay your are, Find your seats - Let's Roll!"
And whether it's because of all the cut backs or the simple fact that they are busy stations, lately I've had a ton of fare inspectors, both uniformed and plain clothed hop on my routes.
I think they've learned that the low hanging fruit is plentiful on my routes as they usually hop off within a stop or two to hand out tickets!
I'll tell you the correct fare and remind you that I'm not authorized to waive the fare giving free rides.
I'll also leave you to make the choice whether to board and ride with out having provided the correct fare or proper proof of discount.
The only thing I won't do is point to the fare inspector waiting for your decision.
And while I say this to every passenger who doesn't provide proper fare slash proof, that doesn't mean you can just ignore me and ride for free, those tickets are hefty these days and lately the chances of receiving them on my routes have gone way up to one outta three or four offenders.
So beware folks and kudos to RTD and the fare inspectors for putting the fear of consequences back into those who feel the rest of us owe them a free ride.
As Always, "Welcome aboard, Pay your are, Find your seats - Let's Roll!"
Friday, February 3, 2012
February Snow - Winter Driving
Remember folks, this is all just my personal opinion, my two cents as it were.
That said:
If you drive a car and you're on the roads today, you're a big dummy!
If you drive a car and you've parked it on the streets downtown today, you're a big stupid dummy!
LoL, just saying folks.
As always, "Welcome aboard, find you're seats, I'll crank up the heat - Let's Roll!"
That said:
If you drive a car and you're on the roads today, you're a big dummy!
If you drive a car and you've parked it on the streets downtown today, you're a big stupid dummy!
LoL, just saying folks.
As always, "Welcome aboard, find you're seats, I'll crank up the heat - Let's Roll!"
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Pravda Comrades!
To my fellow RTD Drivers:
The scuttlebutt we've all been hearing for the last six months about Light Rail operators being in short supply...
Propaganda created and spread by the union and its entitlists to panic more full time operators into applying in order to keep the myriad of part timers who apply under employed so they quit!
Those who pay attention to such things notice that for every light rail train operator posting, whether for 4, 5, or 10 openings there are more than 30 full time operators listed on the answer sheet who didn't get the job
And that answer sheet doesn't list the at least equal amount of part timers who apply.
So don't believe the hype folks, it's simply a typical liberal tactic to spread propaganda created to fool the gullible into doing their bidding!
The scuttlebutt we've all been hearing for the last six months about Light Rail operators being in short supply...
Propaganda created and spread by the union and its entitlists to panic more full time operators into applying in order to keep the myriad of part timers who apply under employed so they quit!
Those who pay attention to such things notice that for every light rail train operator posting, whether for 4, 5, or 10 openings there are more than 30 full time operators listed on the answer sheet who didn't get the job
And that answer sheet doesn't list the at least equal amount of part timers who apply.
So don't believe the hype folks, it's simply a typical liberal tactic to spread propaganda created to fool the gullible into doing their bidding!
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