“Should I wait for the bus over there?” Silence. No response from the operator. Can he or she see where you’re talking about? Does the operator see your finger and guess which corner or direction you are pointing toward? This question usually is not answered. If I am in the middle of something like the …
Author Archives: driverdoug2002
Pulling In
One common comment people make when waiting for the bus is the question, “How come I see like three buses going in the opposite direction when I have been waiting 15 minutes for a bus and nothing is coming?” And this has to do with where the buses come from, and where they are headed …
Crunch Zone
I picked up a man in a wheelchair near downtown at Third Street outbound and was amazed at how smooth and fast he boarded and locked in. I could tell he was a regular rider. Instinctively, I knew he was going to get off at 16th and Mission, and sure enough, when I asked, he …
Always In Service
Unlike motor coaches, trolleys are always in service. This is in the rulebook although very few people understand this. If I put up the sign that says “Garage,” it does not mean I will not pick you up. I am putting up “Garage” so you can see my destination clearly. Many times when I put …
Moms and Babies
After morning rush out come the moms and babies. Well, sometimes they are on morning rush if the day care center is on your way inbound. But generally, the babes come out from 10 a.m. to noon, or before school gets out around 3 p.m. What a wonder to see a newborns’ face. Or even …
The Stroller Incident
Without even having read this chapter, I am sure there are operators who once they saw this subheading, rolled their eyes to the back of their head. Likewise, regular riders of the 22 Fillmore certainly have paragraphs of stories they could add to this chapter. Anyone who has rode past Fillmore and Haight has the …
I can be Positive even if I’m not Happy
We asked Driver Doug to list his top Thirty things that make him happy. 30. Seeing the “On Time” arrival and departure display at an airport next to my flight number. 29. Hearing my barista say, “Would you like to use your points for a free drink and sandwich?” 28. Logging on to zoom and …
The Argument You Cannot Win
A good bus driver should be seen and not heard. Well, I certainly don’t fall in to this category, no way. Most operators follow the golden rule of: Information gladly given but safety requires avoiding unnecessary conversation. When a passenger wants to “be right,” the best advice is to let them “win,” so I can …
The Bigger They Are. . .
“The bigger they are the harder they fall” seems to be completely unrelated to this, but after filling out the number of accident reports I have over the years, I think somehow this does seem to matter. Every occurrence relates to what I was first told in my final interview upon hiring, and in my …
New Year’s Eve
Halloween is only three days away as I write this chapter, and it’s a Saturday and already I have seen costumes last night, and even earlier in the week. But the holiday season vibe is picking up and everyone is in the change of gears of the season. The air is crisp and clear. The …
The Dao of Doug: A Bus Driver's Perspective 