RESPECT THE JOB!

Newbie: An operator with less than three years service. Maybe an Extra Board Operator or veteran with an attitude. This post is for you. 

STOP being a slob, eh? Didn't yo mama (or whoever) teach you better than to leave a mess? 

So many times when I get a bus in the yard for my PM shift, I can tell it has been driven earlier that day. There's trash all around the operator's seat, scattered throughout the vehicle. Perhaps you think service workers pick up after you following your early morning run, but no. When you return a bus to any garage mid-day, chances are it will be a PM Operator's office until well past midnight. We have to pre-trip yo messy ass. Do you ever empty the garbage pail? Scout the bus for Lost & Found items? Evidently not, many of you. 

One of my favorite mentors taught me early (and often) how to represent. Her uniform was always flawless. A flower in her hair. A smile and helpful attitude. Yeah, Freddi kept everything about herself  tidy and respectable. "Never leave a mess behind you," she taught me. "Every bus is your office, every restroom you visit can always use a polish. Always think of your followers, because they deserve your respect."

Freddi was not only a sweet representative of humanity, she was an admirable person. She taught me so much I couldn't help but offer a hug every time we met. She was a fountain of sweetness in the form of advice which helped shape the kind of operator I learned to be. Cancer robbed many of us the example she set.

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Always wave to a passing operator.

Every uniform is a bus stop.

If you come upon a bus with 4-ways flashing, stop to check if that brother or sister is okay.

Check your run's reroute sheet to make sure you understand what's going on. Never assume where you park is acceptable; you might block another's vision or create a safety hazard.

Talk to other operators if you're new to a route. Better yet, ride with an operator who knows what's what before the new signup happens.

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Be prepared. Be  thoughtful. Be respectful. Be polite. Be safe.

These are points I repeat to myself every day, before each shift. Whether it's a friendly wave or actually looking into a stopped bus's windows to make sure that operator is safe, it's vital we look out for one another.

We're alone out there. All we have is a steering wheel, a brake pedal, and our wits. Help could be minutes or several away. Even if you're having a hard day, keep in mind another operator might be facing a grave situation on their bus. Help might not be readily available. Supervisors are spread thin and could be tied up far away. We depend upon each other for support. That's where the "wave" originated.

Long before any of us even thought of this career, operators used "the wave" to ensure the safety of one another. Instant communication was not available as it is today. Operators depended upon each other to just say hello or signal they were in trouble and to PLEASE HELP. Long before passengers became "customers", operators could depend upon their brothers and sisters to come kick some ass if need be. Now, management seems more concerned with misleading public videos than its own operators' safety.

We're supposed to not fight back while some drug addict whales fists, spit, knives, piss or any other assault possible. Gotta protect the public from us menaces once admired as public servants. 

Management will not protect you brothers and sisters. They'll suspend or fire you for the most ridiculous bullshit they can think of. I know several excellent operators who lost their jobs for ridiculous reasons. Doesn't matter you drove millions safely hundreds of thousands of miles. Management's logic defies the most basic reasoning. 

Respect for those who do the same job as you is paramount. We're the only ones who truly admire you for what you're doing right now, each moment of every day. That's why it's vital to do the job the right way, not how you might think is simply "okay" by your standards. Remember that there are operators on your route who have many more miles in the seat. Their guidance is much more valuable than what you might think is acceptable. And they are your best ally "out there", rather than your ill-informed ideas of how someone else thinks it "should be" according to some bullpen bullshit you might have heard.

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When you leave a bus in the yard, pick up the trash. Close the windows. Turn OFF the HVAC, windshield wipers. Leaving accessories on when you shut down causes an electrical overload when  starting the engine. Think of those who will drive that vehicle next.

If you use a restroom our transit agency pays any entity for us to use, show respect. Clean up after yourself. Wipe the sink after washing your hands or brushing your teeth or administering self first aid. If you use the last of the toilet paper, put a fresh roll in the dispenser.

You are paid to be professional. Your mommy isn't here to clean up after you. Be a respectful adult, one who represents a few thousand others who wear the same uniform. It's embarrassing to be told about another who leaves a mess behind, or to have to clean up after them.

It's not a high school "clique" out there, folks. It doesn't matter which garage you're out of or what run you drive. We are part of a 100+ year tradition of providing safe, reliable and courteous service. Cooperation and acknowledgement of our collective service is paramount to our respective experiences "out there." You are one of many who are under fire every moment of service. Think of your fellow brothers and sisters rather than what may seem convenient. Do the right thing.

That's what Freddi defined respect for the job we all do. If we cannot respect our fellow transit workers, why should others? This position we hold is precarious. The public does not respect us. This is a fraternity/sorority of hard-working individuals who are not properly honored for the safe service we provide. 

It is imperative we support and honor one another in every way imaginable. Having another operator thank me for any assistance or advice is infinitely more valuable than some silly certificate of merit management might offer.

So yeah, my beloved brothers and sisters, please help us all "out there." Think. Seek advice. More importantly, accept advice thankfully, even if you believe you know it already. Chances are you're missing the obvious. If you don't learn something new every day, you're not paying attention. After 13.5 years, I learn something new every day. Tomorrow I expect to do the same. I might make a mistake or two, but hopefully not something I've done in the past.

Wake up, brothers and sisters. We all depend on you to do what we were all trained to: do it the right way, and make it easier for others. If you do, you will earn the respect of your fellows.

Thank you. Be respectful and stay safe. Oh, and your chicken bones belong in the trash, not scattered around my seat. Fuckin' yuck, dude.