Thursday, November 20, 2008

http://adronbhall.com/blogs/my_transportation_obsession/post/2008/11/15/TriMet-Bus-Driver-Fitting-of-Respect.aspx#comment

My dear pal Adron;

This is a job for ARMED POLICE, FARE INSPECTORS AND/OR ROAD SUPERVISORS, not for bus drivers.

One of these days this driver will get a bottle broken over his head for his trouble.

And how much money did he really "sniff out" anyway?

$2.00?
$2.30?
$5.00?

GIMME A BREAK, I aint doing it, and any S-A-N-E bus driver would risk thier health or safety doing it either.

I put it to you that the driver you refer to has an 'ego' problem and if he thinks he will be able to survive as a bus driver using this methodology every time he leaves fare less square he is in for a rude awakening.
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Well sir, you are indeed entitled to your opinion, and I have always respected your opinion.
The fact that the operators LEFT HIS SEAT, to confront passengers WHO ARE ALREADY BOARDED is prohibited.

If there had been an altercation that driver would have been in serious trouble.

The point that I am trying to make, irregardless of the TRIMET rules is that the way the system is set up, fare enforcement is not possible.

I CAN 'T EVEN READ THE TRANSFERS OR PASSES AFTER DARK.

That operator is entitled to do things his way.

He wants to make the job harder than it has to be, good luck to him.

And I still respect your point of view!
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Here is the actual regulation from the bus operators guide;

""When leaving fareless square make an announcement reminding customers of the fareless square policy.

+This is the last stop in fareless square, riders who have not purchased a fare need to come forward and purchase a fare at this time. Riders without proof of payment are subject to citation+
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The reason I am making an issue of this is not because I am a lazy slacker, but because I am realistic and cautious as to how I handle my responsibilities.

ALMOST ALL OPERATOR ASSAULTS ARE DUE TO FARE ISSUES.

CSI' ARE GENERATED BY FARE ENFORCEMENT. (customer service incident, and each one generated requires the operator to spend time and effort to "justify" whatever action was taken that precipitated the CSI. In TRIMET WORLD, bus drivers are always guilty unless they can prove innocence. The burden of proof is on the operator. I SAY THE HELL WITH THAT!

Your a bus driver, at the same place at the same time each and every day, YOU BETTER DO WHAT IS NECESSARY TO MINIMIZE THE CHANCES OF DEVELOPING ENEMIES.

For $2.30 it aint worth it.

TRIMET needs to handle these issues in another way, aka FARE INSPECTORS, or at the very least, change the transfer/zones/pass/ticket boondoogle that they have created so at least its not so damn complicated to enforce the fares.

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