The Window Seat: Some people just aren't cut out to be TransLink bus drivers in Vancouver
(The following is a write-up of an incident that occurred on a city bus today [July 6]. It will be sent to TransLink as a formal complaint. I regret the length, but I wanted to make sure all the relevant details were included. Perhaps it will generate some discussion about the suitability of certain people to be employed in a job as stressful as that of a bus driver in a large city.)
So there I was on the #9 Alma bus, westbound on Broadway, just about three hours ago. Once or twice a month I have to pick up some medications at the Children’s Hospital pharmacy for one of my kids, and this entails my taking four (yes) buses to work on those mornings.
The #9 is the last of those four buses, and I pick it up at Broadway and Oak; my destination is the Straight building at Broadway and Pine, a bit too far to walk when you are 45 minutes late for work, even on a beautiful day like today.
A stop or two into the westward trip today, I noticed, without paying full attention, that the driver was speaking to a few people outside the front door. By the time I was alert enough to the situation to focus on the exchange, I heard the driver say that “the bus is too full” and they would have to wait for another bus.
Well, the bus was actually only about half-full. I was standing near the rear exit, but there were still some seats available. That’s when I saw that the people outside had an infant in a stroller.
If there are already two strollers (or wheelchairs or passengers with walkers) taking up the designated seating areas (for such mobility aids, the elderly, and those requiring assistance, etcetera) upfront, the driver would be justified in saying what he did.
But if there aren’t, he is supposed to request that those occupying said clearly marked seats vacate them to make room.
There were no strollers, wheelchairs, walkers, people with canes, or even very elderly people in that front third of the bus. There were about six people in those seats, and there was one middle-aged guy with a box about metre long, but nothing that would be an impediment to those people getting aboard.
But the driver shut the door in their faces and moved on. I made a mental note of the bus number and time (#2235, at about 11:05 a.m.) in order to shoot off a complaint email to TransLink about the incident. I believe in being aggressive about such things in order to let drivers know that their actions are noticed and noted. Most Vancouver bus drivers are courteous and diligent in their obligations to their less fortunate or vulnerable passengers. When they are not, though, they deserve to have it brought to their notice so it doesn’t happen again. (Between genuinely crowded buses and cranky drivers, depending on the route and time of day, a parent and baby could be stranded for quite some time, even hours.)
A stop or two later, three or four people waiting to step off the rear exit had to yell at the driver when the door failed to open and he started to pull out of the stop. Now, this happens all the time. Sometimes it’s the driver’s fault; sometimes it’s the passengers’ fault for not pushing the door strip so marked.
This time, though, the driver yelled back, rudely, that it was the passengers’ fault.
The two incidents hadn’t gone unnoticed by some of the riders besides myself. One man seated to my left yelled out loudly that it was the driver’s fault, that he should have let the people with the stroller at the previous stop board the bus, and that he shouldn’t even be allowed to drive a bus. He capped it off by stating that the driver was, in his opinion, “an asshole”. A few people muttered in agreement.
That got the driver’s attention. He looked back in the mirror, pulled in to the next stop (Hemlock Street), then stood up and yelled at the guy to get off his bus. When he didn’t move, the driver yelled that everyone might as well get off because he was parking it and calling security. To make his point clearer, he pointed to the offending passenger.
Except he wasn’t pointing to the guy next to me. He was pointing at me.
When I said, thinking that either he or I had made a mistake, “You mean me?” he said “Yes.” I quickly told him that I hadn’t said a word. He told me to get off. I said, louder this time, that I wasn’t moving a step and that he should be a little more sure of himself before accusing someone, losing his temper, and inconveniencing every passenger on his bus. I had medication that required refrigeration and it was uncomfortably hot on the bus. I was also getting later for work by the minute.
Other people stood up for me, but he refused to listen. I appealed to the guy who had spoken out to admit he had said it and just file a complaint with TransLink or the supervisor when he came along. He wouldn’t do it, perhaps a bit overwhelmed by the furor his remark had caused. A departing young guy yelled at him that he should “man up” or he was as much an asshole as the driver. It had no effect.
By this time, the bus had emptied and the passengers were milling about outside, waiting for the next bus. Some walked over to Granville Street close by. I noticed a few others, including the original commenter, speaking to a transit supervisor who had pulled up ahead of the bus and was listening to their stories, with the driver hovering nearby and offering his two cents’ worth.
I walked up and chipped in my version of events and reminded the driver he had the wrong person to begin with (he didn’t seem to care). I asked him if he would give me his name for the complaint. He refused. The supervisor told the three of us to call in a complaint and supplied the phone number, three times. I advised him that I would be writing a complaint and publishing it, instead. He said, politely, to go ahead, and that the on-board cameras would have recorded both video and audio of the incidents.
The supervisor also implied that—although “not to downplay in any way” what might have happened—that perhaps we should cut the operator some slack because he knew the driver had been involved in an incident earlier that morning with a “Native male” that might have put him on edge, so to speak.
I replied that I didn’t see what some unconnected person’s ethnicity had to do with what an entire busload of people had just witnessed: three unacceptable incidents by one driver within three stops.
The bus wasn’t going anywhere and the medications weren’t getting any cooler, so I walked the rest of the way to work. The bus still hadn’t passed me by the time I arrived, meaning the other passengers were still stranded back there on the sidewalk.
So, TransLink, here’s my complaint.
Comments
64 Comments
Mark Fornataro
Jul 6, 2012 at 3:11pm
Re:"because he knew the driver had been involved in an incident earlier that morning with a 'Native male' that might have put him on edge, so to speak."
Sounds like the supervisor is condoning racism. Several years ago while on a Vancouver bus on Hastings the driver loudly started making racist stereotype remarks about Chinese people. I went to the front of the bus- with a tape recorder running- and taped the driver admitting making a racist remark. I turned the tape over to CBC's Belle Puri who did a piece for CBC TV news on the matter eliciting a public apology from BC Transit. I too, made note of the time and bus number and also recommend others do the same in similar situations. And I also was falsely accused by a Vancouver bus driver of short-changing him and was basically pushed off the bus. Sounds like they indeed have to be more careful when hiring.
Benedict Canale
Jul 6, 2012 at 3:32pm
I think you're right - the main point here is the suitability of certain people to be employed in this position! This driver obviously has a few issues he needs to sort out before he sits behind the wheel of a bus again.
Hopefully this gets the attention of Translink!
Daniel Blair-Johns
Jul 6, 2012 at 3:47pm
I was on the 312 to Scottsdale yesterday having just left Scott Road Station a few minutes past 7pm. There was a gentleman on the bus who was talking very loudly on the phone to someone and I was doing my best to ignore him with my head phones in place so I didn't hear most of the audio of that conversation. But what I did hear was his approach to the TransLink driver.
Apparently the driver had given him some directional advice based upon her knowledge and he had discovered from his phone call that he was actually going in the wrong direction. Instead of courteously excusing himself from the bus, he went on a vitriolic rant about the Translink drivers failings, deficiencies and a plethora of swear words. I do believe he even made comments about strangling her.
These comments obviously had affected her as she seemed a bit curt and rude to some of the subsequent fares, and it makes me wonder if the employees shouldn't be reporting incidents like this so they can be pulled off of active duty so they don't carry these prior incidents with them throughout the rest of their work day and subconsciously taking it out on other customers.
Jeannine
Jul 6, 2012 at 4:05pm
I agree that they should be more careful with who they hire. They are dealing with all kinds of people plus traffic, I'm sure it can be very stressful. You have to like people for one and secondly have a lot of patience for driving in this city of horribly bad drivers. Being a driver means you are the public face of Translink and if you don't like your job it really shows and every choice you make can make or break someone's day.
Jeannine
Jul 6, 2012 at 4:08pm
I do have to say there are some pretty awesome drivers out there they go out of their way to brighten their passengers day. There is one in particular I sometimes see on the Davie route who's funny, friendly and courteous. He always gets a laugh out of someone. I myself try to smile and say hello to every driver even if I don't get anything in return as I know the things we passengers do can make or break their day as well.
Tracey F
Jul 6, 2012 at 4:13pm
Thank you for bringing this to Translink's attention. While I have had mostly good experiences with Translink and their drivers, I did have a situation a few years ago, just after my daughter was born. We were on her first outing (she was only 5 days old) and decided to go to Granville Island. I boarded the bus at Waterfront and put the stroller in the designated spot. As the bus started to fill up, the driver kept glancing back at me and asked if I could fold the stroller to make more room. I told him that I couldn't - for one thing, I didn't have enough hands to hold a newborn and fold a stroller at the same time, and for another thing she was fast asleep and I really didn't like the prospect of holding her on a bus in case there was some kind of accident. He tutted but continued on. At the last stop before the Granville bridge, a man in a wheelchair wanted to board. There was still room on the other side of the "designated" area and the people sitting there immediately got up and moved toward the back of the bus. The driver got out of his seat, came over to me, and told me that either I fold the stroller or I get off the bus. Other passengers pointed out that there was plenty of room for the wheelchair, and the person in the wheelchair even said that he was happy to wait for the next bus. It made no difference to the driver, he stood his ground and told me to fold or leave!!! I didn't want to cause a scene or inconvenience other passengers, so I got off the bus - the poor man in the wheelchair just kept apologizing and telling the driver to let me stay on. By this time, the baby had woken and was starting to cry, so I gave up all hope of having a day out and just headed back home (by foot, I might ad...) I wish that I had filed a complaint or brought this to the attention of Translink and I admire you for doing so in your situation!
Ashley Clagg
Jul 6, 2012 at 4:19pm
I think that if that driver had an altercation earlier in the day that was bad enough for the supervisor to know about (and to acknowledge as something that would put him in an emotional state and stress him out), they should have had someone substitute for him and sent him home for the rest of the day.
I take 3 buses everyday to and from school and I have experienced both great and terrible bus drivers, but I have also seen them take a lot of disrespect from people. It would be nice for their management to look out for their mental health and well being, perhaps counselling line they could call or people they could talk to in person?
Now, I'm not saying that any of his actions were justified, but with a little bit of thought and consideration on behalf of the bus company, this could have been avoided.
ugh
Jul 6, 2012 at 4:19pm
Those complaint lines do absolutely nothing. I've reported drivers for being irresponsible and dangerous, as well as rude and confrontational, but nothing ever comes of it. The union has Translink dominated and customers suffer for it.
Taxpayers R Us
Jul 6, 2012 at 4:20pm
Since the union will stonewall anything to do with disciplining one of their own, I wouldn't hold my breath on his pulled off the buses.
In the meantime though, give it about a week and Translink will announce a "modest" property and gas tax to offset the costs associated with responding to this complaint.
jonny .
Jul 6, 2012 at 4:22pm
I find most drivers in Metro Vancouver are quite horrible. Even if they are polite, they slam on the brakes and slam on the gas constantly throwing people around the bus. I used to live in Edmonton, where there were a few drivers like that, but most were decent (they had to be because when there is ice on the road for a large part of the year, you cant be slamming on the gas or the brakes). I have had my head slammed against poles and the window and a number of things many times on buses here. I try as much as possible to avoid buses in Vancouver.