One of the simplest, most basic way to plan goals is with a pen and paper in a spiral notebook. Sometimes a pencil is better, and a smaller, pocket sized spiral notebook is better. The problem with phones is screen size, and the inability to read the font of longer bullets or outlines from page …
Author Archives: driverdoug2002
Upper Yard
At the Potrero trolley bus barn, we have two levels. Unlike the Presidio trolley barn (which has one level and a tricky pull-out from track one and a pull-out to Sutter) the Potrero barn has many lanes of challenging tracks. There is a horseshoe U-turn maneuver from tracks ten, eleven, and twelve that can lock …
Why Do I like to Write?
Writing helps me preserve my best thinking in a cleaner, clearer, more thoughtful way by slowing down my brainwaves into telling you what I really desire to say. Lord knows I have a lot to say–and if you know me–this is the cue to roll your eyes and lol your head! I’d say journaling and …
Over There
“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 …
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 Dao of Doug: A Bus Driver's Perspective 