yesterday i took the #16 down to 29th ave station. typical route i take to go downtown or metro or anywhere else in between.
i’m a commuter. i take the bus all the time– it’s my only way of transportation, basically.
i’ve met some pretty rude bus drivers. ones that would give attitude and would just give you a grumpy look when you step onto the bus. those folks hate their jobs and they don’t even try to hide it.
i’ve also met some pretty outgoing and spunky bus drivers.
just the other day on board the 99 the bus driver said:
-and this is cambie, where the government is taking our tax dollars to tear up this street.
-next stop is granville…granny-ville
-at ubc for the egotistic elite. haha.
another time when i boarded the 99 it was the bus driver’s birthday. the entire bus ride he narrated it like it was an airplane.
-we’re experiencing some minor turbulence
and since it was his birthday…
-”instead of the 99 b-line, can we call this the birthday bus?”
-”happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me”
that morning, he received a lot of ‘happy birthdays’
so back to why i started this blog in the first place…
yesterday when i took the #16 i met a super friendly bus driver. he said ‘hello’ to everybody that came onto the bus. he would announce the bus stop prior to stopping and he was just so gosh darn jolly! the #16 gonig to 29th ave starts from arbutus. now, i’ve never taken the whole ’start to end’ bus ride so i don’t really know how long it takes. but i’m assuming over an hr. so, for the bus driver to keep up his enthusiasm and not lose spunk by the time he arrived at my bus stop is super impressive. aside from the said, translink said that the bus should arrive at 3 27 and it did! so he was punctual AND friendly AND helpful.
what more could you ask for?
so after we arrived at the station i went up to the bus driver and i told him how much i appreciated his friendliness and helpfulness. i asked him if there was a name i could reference or an employee number so i could make a compliment to translink. he was so gracious and flattered.
afterwards when i arrived at metrotown i called translink and i gave him all the bus information i knew. what time he picked me up and from where. the bus number. and when we arrived at the skytrain station. i think the lady on the phone was very surprised that someone was calling to make a compliment. but people should be acknowledged for their great job. i’m always so flattered when a customer asks for my name so she could compliment me to the manager.
and it made me feel good that i was able to encourage that bus driver for doing what he’s been doing. and to make him know that his willingness to go the extra mile is appreciated.
if everybody gave a little compliment, the world would be a happier place!
xox
