What About Us?: Tales from an Angry Mass Transit Bus Operator

Contents

The Streets Are a Beast

Knights and Dragons

The City Dump

Good Morning?

Bicyclists

The Goons and Goblins

A Special Message for Middle- and High-School Kids

All in a Day’s Work

My coworkers and I, all mass transit operators in one of the largest cities in the United States, are public enemy number one. We are greatly unappreciated and get absolutely no respect from anyone, starting with management and trickling all the way down to the riders. I often ask myself, Why in the hell am I getting dirt kicked in my face? I honestly cannot come up with one level-headed answer for why members of the public act like fools at a drop of a dime. Violence toward transit system staff occurs every day, 24/7. This disturbing behavior is scary because it is so unpredictable, and it is far too easy for transit system operators to become victims of brutal attacks.

There is nothing to stop anyone from bashing my head onto the steering wheel, spitting in my face, throwing rocks and bottles, stabbing me in my chest, wrapping their hands or a rope around my neck, licking my face, inappropriately touching my body, raping me, or even killing me. Nothing! We are in a constant battle, facing verbal abuse, the pure filth—both human waste and garbage—left by the public, and actual physical, blood-splattering fights. Transit bus and trolley operators are all alone, butt-naked in the jungle, surrounded by snakes, lions, tigers, and bears. We cry, Help! Protect us! to management day after day, week after week, month after month, and year after year, and still no one hears our cries. It’s almost as though we have been left here to die. We are being eaten alive.

I believe that transit system operators are more likely to face gunfire than cops are. Hundreds of thousands of people travel on mass transit each day. We do not know any of these people. But there is one thing I do know: we are driving around murderers, thieves, psychopaths, pedophiles, pickpockets, rapists. You name it, we drive it. For instance, along some bus routes in our city there is a whole strip of homes and prisons where former criminals live. They have some place to get to and, guess what, they ride our vehicles. And they are dangerous! Operators, you had better watch your backs. You had better hit that help button or call in sick so that a supervisor can relieve you of your duties.

News flash! Let the truth be told, and read all about it! Most problems are not caused by these ex-felons. The bulk of my problems—the dramas, altercations, and confrontations—are with females, females, and more females. If a woman violates a rule and regulation, it is my job requirement as the enforcer to issue a warning. But because I am also female, I usually get nasty attitudes and cussed out. That is not to say that I don’t have any problems with men; however, they are a low percentage.

I refuse to believe that the big city in which I live and work is the only one that experiences violence toward transit system operators. It isn’t possible! Daily violence in mass transit systems has to be a worldwide problem. Think about the horrific, deadly bombings and constant threats faced by the airlines. But airlines have taken great measurements not only to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public but also of their dedicated, hardworking employees. The laws protecting the airlines are enforced, and everyone on planet Earth knows what they are. Every airline has the same standard rules:

1. Arrive two to three hours before departure time.

2. Each passenger is allowed a limited number of carry-on bags.

3. Checked luggage may be opened and checked.

4. Passengers may be asked to comply with full-body x-rays and possibly a strip search.

Now tell me that is not a damn good evidence of management and the government stepping up and securing the lives of their employees and giving them a level of comfort and stability within their work environment.

Yet transit system operators work in this cruel world without an ounce of decent protection. They have obligations to fulfill and duties to perform. To ensure that we provide excellent service and a safe and comfortable ride, all we ask of the passengers is to obey the rules and regulations and allow us to keep clear heads, focus on the roads, and get the vehicles down the street. Are we asking too much? Is following a direct order so hard to do? It is always amazing to me that a request to a passenger can result in the transit system employee being called every foul name under God’s great, big, beautiful blue sky. After years of driving a bus, I have taught myself to become immune to the name-calling. I have grown a deaf ear. Being called a bitch does not even faze me. Bitch is my name when I am behind that wheel.

However, if I get the feeling that a situation is about to get straight ignorant and flourish into an out-of-control, full-blown argument, I stop driving immediately and call my supervisor and the police. I have had to figure out how to protect myself, find sanity, and keep my peace of mind while driving this massive vehicle full of passengers eight or more hours a day. No, drivers are not looking for trouble with the passengers. And Lord knows we do not want danger coming our way. Do you know anyone who does? Nor are we trying to be jerks, as many passengers seem to believe. We have a J-O-B to do. Just because we are public servants does not mean we do not get stressed out! By way of example, I ask you to visualize a few of the many annoying questions that drive operators nuts!

It is two o’clock on a rainy afternoon; the windshield wipers move vigorously across my windows. The sky grows darker, my high beams are on, and the quality of my road vision is poor.

A passenger asks, with attitude, Why are you driving so damn slow?

My answer: You’ve got to be kidding. I’m sorry, but are you blind?

Passenger’s response: Bitch!

All I can do is roll my eyes, smirk, and shake my head at the stupidity. If school buses, Mack trucks, and sixty- to seventy-foot tractor trailers slip, slide, sway side to side, and flip over in the rain, what makes a public bus any different?

It is five o’clock, in rush-hour traffic. Three to four buses displaying the same routes come down the street at the same time, each one packed front to back with passengers like sardines.

A passenger asks, with attitude, Why are you so late? I’ve been waiting over an hour! This happens every day and it makes no sense!

I stand up and announce, It is called rush hour, which means there are traffic jams and delays all over the city due to people getting off from work and trying to go home just like you! Another thing, call the authorities or picket in front of their building. They have cut services, which means there are fewer mass transit vehicles on the streets to provide for the people! Yelling at me ain’t going to get you anywhere. Use that energy to make changes by contacting the mass transit system authority managers.

The passenger’s response: Whatever! Bitch!

Again, I roll my eyes, smirk, and shake my head.

I wish that daily rider would have gained some type of knowledge to answer her own simple question.

Picking up shiploads of people at every stop?

Accidents and incidents?

Traffic jams?

Broken-down vehicles?

Rush hour?

None of that seems to matter. Public transportation is unpredictable. But I do not know any operator who wants to be late at any time. We are trying to get down that street, to make it from point A to point B as promptly as we can so we can use those seven minutes at the end of our trips to use the restroom, stretch, catch our breath, and gather our thoughts. Those itsy-bitsy minutes are precious, and every little bit counts. Being a mass transit system authority operator has to rate in the top five of the most stressful and dangerous jobs in the world. We have the highest volume of face-to-face customer interactions, without any assistance from on-the-spot management, and often have to defend ourselves and handle the situation immediately. Protection or help from management usually comes later. Many of the times, to try and make people understand our points of view, we must make decisions ourselves using common sense, the knowledge of the business, a God-given strength for tolerance, and the belief that there is someone out there having worse day than we are. Aye, that is just the way it is. If you do not have a good home base or any outside activities other than the job, you will go crazy. This job will make you hate people, a feeling that a few of my coworkers have shared with me. Others develop medical problems or have nervous breakdowns: you become jumpy, everything scares you, and everyone irks you. Some drivers become hooked on medications just to get them through the day. The streets are a beast.

Most riders are entirely clueless about what operators have to deal with. Most seem to believe that I’m tooting my own horn and blowing smoke out of my ass. I have been told to my face that a five-year-old child could do my job. All y’all do is drive up and down these streets without any type of pressures. Who can’t do that? Think about those statements. Now question yourself, and reminisce about back in the day when you learned how to roller skate, skate board, or ride a bike. A broken nose, scraped knees, or an aching body likely made you realize that the only way to be good at what you set out to do is to concentrate. You must employ all your mental powers and give your exclusive attention to the thing you want to accomplish.

Transit system operators work under pressure and in stressful conditions. We do not make any of the rules. We have bosses. Instructions for how to deal with the public come directly from management. The managers are the culprits who are hiking up the fares and cutting services. Transit system operators have to abide with these rules and regulations because it is our job to do so. Still, I know, as do my coworkers, we will continue to be threatened, harassed, and assaulted for enforcing those rules and regulations. Until management shows it is concerned about operators’ lives and believes that we are worthy of having a decent work environment, violent actions against us will increase. We are not machines operating these massive vehicles. We have families who love us and care for our well-being just like everyone