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Act of kindness along a Dorchester bus route
By adamg on Thu, 01/27/2011 - 8:54am
Kate Norton reports that a driver on the 215 bus to Ashmont was doing more than just stopping at the regular bus stops: As he saw people struggling in the snow, he'd stop the bus and ask them if they were heading to Ashmont.
He did it for people his whole route. ... I want to write a letter to the MBTA. So amazing.
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Comments
Do write a letter! Sounds
Do write a letter! Sounds like this guy deserves it, and the T will be happy to have a compliment for a change.
I always send E mails to
I always send E mails to compliment a driver. the ignorant ones think your on welfare in the projects like some of them were before they got the job. a lot of people have cars but work downtown . my sister has to pay 400 a month to park because she has a disability and she grateful to pay it yet some of these drivers poor up bringing and you can tell sloppy dirty clothes hat on sideways slump over the wheel ect like they slept in them. acting rude.I know the T would get rid of them if they could.The system should be privatize like The Ride is. they have much higher standards.they get stuck with some of these retired t workers and they cant make the grade. My hats of to the good workers that seem to be in the minority.
Very cryptic
Lol @ privatizing the T.
How would that work chief? They would get rid of half of the system because it wouldn't be profitable. Thats why the MBTA exists, to deal with transport issues the private sector won't. Also, the Ride is operated by the MBTA as well and has seen skyrocketing costs according to a recent Globe article.
the t has a privatly run
the t has a privatly run system called the ride. it has small buses and crown vics for handicap and wheel chair person the t owns the equipment but it is run by private firms. each vehicle has cameras and they can track a driver no matter where he goes they can see him and the car if he opens the doors and assist the passenger. they can even check his driving. speeding constantly slaming on the brakes and burning them out like some t drivers will get you fired. after a few warnings.being privately run they have to adhere to strict requirements. the t could never do this because like the post office they treat it as a reward and not a job for political hacks and unqualified people.you would have to do something pretty outragious to get fired from the t. ps they also dont pay bus drivers 75 85 grand plus benifits a year and retire after 20 yrs i think they stop that on the t profits you say if you let 10 or 12 go thats a million bucks where i come 100 of them at thoes prices well you get the picture.
when you pay a bus driver
when you pay a bus driver more money than the average air line pilot you can go down to chinatown and take a bus to new york for 10 or 20 bucks they seem to make a profit. if you dont have a charlie card it can cost you 7 dollars round trip to take a bus and subway round trip. and you will stand up and be packed in for a 5 mile trip that might take an hour if your lucky.
hope they commend the guy because ...
...knowing the MBTA, they'll chastise him for breaking the rules by picking people up somewhere other than their designated bus stops.
Always ask
Always ask the driver if it's okay to send a compliment before you actually do it. They'll tell you if they don't want the MBTA to know!
Ugh. I hadn't thought of
Ugh. I hadn't thought of that.
If you do want to commend him, here's where.
That's wonderful of the
That's wonderful of the driver. My driver on the 80 this morning was pulling over for people who were obviously running to get to the stop.
I agree with others however, who've said that the letter of thanks may get the driver in hot water. I believe it's against MBTA and state regulations to let anyone on and off the bus anywhere other than a designated stop.
However, in a time when half of the stops aren't shoveled out or accessible, that should be overlooked.
Good on the 215 driver.
I sent in a commendation...
for my 50 Bus driver -- noting his high degree of courtesy and alertness (without giving any details that could get him into hot water).
Short on details, long on praise
I've also sent commendations without going into any details of the rule breaking acts of kindness that the Bus driver performed. Though I suppose supervisors could check the video tape.
The Captain Sully of the MBTA
Joe Pesaturo at the T forwarded a spreadsheet of other compliments sent in by T riders this morning (including one by somebody active in this thread). Some highlights:
I would like to highly commend MBTA Bus #66 Driver Tiffany (Emp#69892) for her exceptional service today (and everyday, but most especially today, Jan 27th). She is the most calm, cool and collected driver! Not only did she maneuver that huge bus along a treacherous route during this morning's snowstorm, but she once again, got me and the rest of her passengers to our destinations on time! This fine young lady is your Captain Sully of the MBTA! Please give her a huge commendation from me and all of the passengers for which she ensures a safe ride each day. She's incredible!
On Monday, 1/24 at 6:30 AM (that REALLY cold morning), I was at Mt. Auburn Street [Watertown] and saw the 71 bus on the other side of the road. I gestured sadly because I knew that I would have to stand in the extreme cold for 10 minutes. Well, the driver STOPPED and waited for me to cross the street. I was overjoyed! I unfortunately did not get his id, but I wanted to thank you for your extra efforts like this in such sub-optimal conditions.
Kudo's to our bus driver this morning! I ride the 505 and took an earlier bus in than normal (Operator 8756 was the driver). The bus stop was snowed in, so he stopped by a driveway (where I was waiting). He drove cautiously, but we arrived on time. Very courteous person.
I ride the #38 bus [ Wren St by way of Centre St, WR]. I only know the bus driver's first name is Barbara and she has been so dependable throughout all these snowstorms that she deserves a word of praise from her employer. I have to be to work during these storms and I have not been disappointed on this route with Barbara driving the bus. It is not an easy route with steep hills and narrow streets but she is fearless in her driving capabilities and makes every effort to be pleasant to everyone. I hope you will take the time to acknowledge her positive image she gives to the MBTA. I would just like to comment on our bus driver that we usually get during the morning commute. His driver number is 6072, he's a young guy, kind of quiet, but always has a smile and is very friendly. Drives the #1 bus weekday mornings (he usually gets to the Sellers St stop about 7:26am). He's also a good driver. This morning with yet another round of snow, he managed to get us from Central Sq to Back Bay in good time and in a safe manner.
I would like to commend everyone (crew,dispatchers, snow shovelers, etc.) involved in P502 from Worcester to Boston on this very snowy morning. It ran just a little delayed, but it was fantastic overall. Thank you!
Thank you to the operator of Red Line #01702 Braintree to Park St. (arrive approx 10:40A). I ran upstairs upon taxi arrival and the doors were closed - operator re-opened doors! That person made my day! Thank you T!
This morning I write to you from a dialysis clinic in Saugus. Gratefully, I made it here safely in the snow, with the help of G.L.S.S. RIDE driver Carlos Valentin (run #513). Mr. Valentin assisted me through foot deep snow all the way up the walk of my home to the van. I may have fallen without his excellent assistance. My highest regard for this RIDE employee. I'd like to see this note passed on to his managers and the highest at the T.
Great to hear good news for a change!
Bravo to the driver for these kind acts.
Good story to here. Too many
Good story to here. Too many times I got the opposite. I was typed in a story, but thinking about it, probably better to leave it unsaid in a thread like this. There are times when rules should be bent and shouldn't be reprimanded if bent when done in the name of service and courtesy. Rules are meant to protect, not punish then common sense says otherwise. Good to hear one of those stories.
Bending the Rules
A friend of mine is a manager for MBTA Bus Operations. My friend tells me that he has never heard of an employee being reprimanded or disciplined for something that was written in a commendation - even if it did bend or break a rule. They try to reward Bus Operators for good customer service and want to encourage more of it. He says that they get many more commendations than you'd expect given the negative press that tends to prevail.
I also asked him about the rules for bus stops. Here's the rule:
Rule 50 (b) ... "Although it is preferred that customers board and alight at designated service stops, Operators may allow customers to board and alight at nondesignated service stops when common sense and curcumstances dictate and providing it is safe to do so."
Useful information!
Thanksfor passing it on!