Letter: Transit driver tells her side of story
I have been wanting to write letters regarding several things but never seem to have the time. But after the recent school bus accident I decided it was high time
I write, not to mention how tired I am of reading all of the complaints in The Red Line regarding our transit systems, the MAX and the Dial-a-Ride. You see I am an employee at First Transit, a bus driver in fact. I have worked in this field for two years. First Transit is the company that contracts with the City of Madera to provide transportation services for our community.
Our services include the MAX or Madera Area Express which is the fixed route service that provides transportation within the city with timed stops and transfer points. We also have the Dial-a-Ride service as well, which is curb to curb service, that is a client calls in for an appointment and we arrive at scheduled time within a 30-minute window. We also provide the MCC or Madera County Connection, which provides service to outlying areas such as Lavina, Eastin Arcola, Ripperdan, Chowchilla, Coarsegold, Oakhurst, and Bass Lake. We also run to Valley Children’s so that our clients can catch connections to Fresno Area Transit. We also contract with CVRC to provide transportation services to special needs clients.
We are not city employees and receive none of their pay rates or benefits. We are employees of First Transit.
We are a very close-knit group of people. Some of the more senior drivers have been driving 10-plus years in the community. I was a passenger when MAX first started in 2001-2002 for approximately 2 years. I rode the bus to go to work, take my children to daycare, go to doctor appointments, and to get my shopping done.
I came to know Pat, Marisela, and Dianne very well; they listened to my stories, watched my children grow, and I came to know them as people.
Pat told me how much she loved her job so; did the others. Little did I know that years later in 2006 that I would end up working with these fantastic people.
I can honestly say that I love my job and I am blessed that I have the ability to look at both view points — that of the passenger and that of the driver.
As a passenger I depended on the bus to be on time, and I learned that I needed to be a responsible rider, to be prepared with my fare or tickets, to make sure my stroller was folded, to never have more than the three bags per person maximum, and to mind my kids on the bus.
I was only left two times and that was when I was sitting on the grass, when I should have been at the stop. Trust me I called the office plenty. I also rode the Dial-a-Ride with Angelina and Heather, had times where I was late to my first class at college. I would sit and wonder why they didn’t drop me off or when they were going to. I remember phoning the office from First Baptist Daycare to tell Liz, the dispatcher, to have her driver look for us at the Natural Vision stop — a very treacherous stop, and I would be happy when I would see the familiar marker lights of the bus and Delie would see my kids and me at 6 p.m. in the dark of night.
As a driver my goal is to be firm and fair to my riders. I deal with a wide variety of people, with as many personalities. I have a huge responsibility to get my clients to their destinations safely. There are so many variables that we encounter on a daily basis, I would love to challenge anyone to do the job of a bus driver. Some of us drive 8 to 10 hours a day which is governed by the Department of Transportation and Labor Commission. I have had a lot of jobs, and by far this is the most mentally draining. The physical part is minimal, but to have to be alert and aware of your surroundings inside and outside of the bus is crucial.
We also have the weather to deal with out in the cold and the blazing heat of the summer. Our mountain drivers have the snow and its adverse conditions.
When you factor all of those variables, and add the fact that we need to meet timed stops, we are doing a great job.
We are also active in the community, participating in parades and doing a toy, coat and food drive last Christmas, with the majority of the donations coming from our employees. We chose needy families from local schools and gave them the opportunity to have a Christmas dinner and gifts. We hope to be more involved in the community in the future.
I read so many negative things in the paper and a lot of these things are not always the driver’s fault, and when things do happen — and they do — remember we are human too. Our livelihood depends on us being safe and consistent drivers, none of us wants to lose our license, we worked really hard to get it and we try to the best of our abilities to drive safely to keep our jobs. Most of us have families to support.
Kudos to the school bus driver for driving safely in the fog that morning. On that particular day I listened to Alview School dispatch and their drivers reported how cars were passing one another in visibility conditions that were practically zero. I watch people talk on cellphones and I am cut off at the railroad tracks at least four times a week at the Cleveland and Country Club Drive tracks. I always honk to get your attention. I see it all!
Krisann Gonzales,
Operator, First Transit
Ms. Gonzales,
What a very nice commentary about how difficult your job is. Did you write it while at work … And why are you submitting a commentary about the inner working of you company? Shouldn’t any published comments come from the City of Madera or First Transit management? …
Driving around in a circle all day long isn’t hard… it’s tedious!
Given the fact that I’ve observed drivers running railroad tracks without stopping, speeding around in vehicles all day that you do not have to pay the fuel or maintenance for, and stopping at the hospital for 45 minute breaks seems to me that being a bus driver isn’t tedious, it’s a great way to make a living without doing any work!
Let’s also look at the fact that Dial-A-Ride customers must sometimes wait 1 1/2 hours past their promised pick-up time tells me how committed drivers are to on-time performance.
And don’t even get me started about some of the horror stories my son and daughter have told me about how rude and unprofessional the drivers are! …
What Ms. Gonzales has stated is true and is part of the problem why the bus services in Madera are run the way they are. When you have drivers that are in the situation they are in –understaffed, not good enough pay, etc.– then of course stuff like this will happen.
Of course, I , like others, have complained about the buses in the past. But never have I complained like certain people do, yelling,shouting,pretending to cry or complaining every second like a spoiled little kid — keep in mind that you knew the bus would probably not show up exactly on time but you chose to use the service instead of a different option…. the bus will get there when it does so wait without complaining every second.
But, it is always important to know the other side of the story too instead of thinking that you are perfect and everyone else is a slacker that just does whatever they want wherever they want. The true problem here is not the drivers, dispatchers etc. It is the way the whole system is run. So, before you blame someone you do not know, you should do some research and find out the other side of the story so you can make wise and informed decisions about whatever it is.
And about those who complain about the Dial-a-Ride drivers honking their horns like they should to let people know they’re there: thank you for ruining Madera’s bus services even more. And the same to those that complain about the radio too. While these problems could be corrected by training etc. — so that they don’t lay on the horn forever and wake you up or not let you sleep or play the radio so loud– you people have complained so much that now they have bought buses without radios –for a long and boring, quiet ride– and now people have to sit in one spot until they show up because they aren’t supposed to honk their horn — often involves not moving at all or you will miss the bus.
What really gets me is that people complain but won’t do anything. Or, they will complain and nag over and over again until the service –or whatever it is– is finally ruined. Thank you to the complaining and do nothing citizens of Madera for ruining this, among other things…
I haven’t had the opportunity to reply to any of these responses but first of all let me say that my letter was not published in its entirety, and if it was you would have read that I invited public officials to ride our bus systems so that they can see the problems that do exist. WEBMASTER’S NOTE: The letter was printed in its entirety in the newspaper itself, but was shortened online. I am so sorry that you think my job is tedious and that you think that I only drive around in circles. I am responsible for each and every passenger on my bus and the route that I do now is very dangerous and stressful. I drive to Northfork in the evening and let me tell you. It isn’t a great way to make money its a job.
With the economy the way that it is I am blessed to have a job. I’m not going to argue the point but if you would like to read my letter in its entirety I will happily send it to you QUAGMIRE.
I know what its like to be a passenger and I do feel for customers who continually have the same issues, but change will not happen unless you the public do something about it. Our transit system in Madera is in transition with the growth and demand of the public. To “people only amuse me” thanks for your response you are 100 percent right people who do not take a proactive stance on anything will never get anything resolved, a closed mouth never gets fed as they say.
QUAGMIRE I am sorry that you have had bad experiences with the system and if you knew anything about the system you would know that the drivers do not decide who to pick up first or where to go. This is all done through dispatchers in our office who do the best that they can to get us to our customers in a timely manner. I do also agree that their are horror stories out there and that works both ways.
As for drivers crossing tracks in certain situations we do not have to stop for instance when we turn left, because we are parallel to the tracks when making that turn. I can only speak for myself I genuinely try to be a good driver and I try to be understanding as much as possible. I have had passengers that are intoxicated , passengers that have cussed at me and threatened me I have even had an instance where an adult male passenger sexually harrassed my 16-year-old daughter who was a passenger on my bus. Do you know how hard it was for me to maintain my professionalism in this situation. (it was verbal harrassment) , but I will tell you QUAGMIRE that if it were your daughter I would have responded in the same way.
Basically this is a job but one that I take pride in and one that I try to do to the best of my ability and ultimately my goal is to get home at the end of my evening to my children. Thanks for your feedback.
Cry me a river, Ms. Gonzales!
Blaming the dispatchers when it is the drivers who operate the buses and are responsible for the safe, efficient and timeliness of running the routes properly and on time.
Complaining about the low pay and the oh so stressful routes you must operate.
Complaining about how bad the paying customers are to deal with. Customers that you are paid to transport!
If you want to complain about the rate of pay, don’t blame your company or the City of Madera. Talk to your union since they are the ones that negotiated the contract.
If you are unhappy with your current job, you certainly have options to apply for other bus operator positions around this geographical area…
I am an operator myself with over 15 years of experience in fixed route, paratransit and school bus operations and I know first hand what is expected by operators and the challenges faced by operators. I have had my share of negative experiences but the positive experiences outweigh the negative ones.
My coworkers and myself are quite informed about the zoo that is Madera Transit.
The corrupt union! (currently being sued for embezzlement)
The pathetic union representative you employees have “representing their best interests”
The fact that operators stop during the middle of their route to take a break for a soda, lunch or a cigarette with passengers still on the bus!
To me, it seems as if the inmates are running the asylum!
As I asked in my first post, why are you making public comments about your company or the City of Madera’s transit service in an online forum?
… My husband owns his own company and if he had an employee like you making claims and statements like this in public, he’d fire you for cause in a heartbeat — union or no union!
Remember, you reap what you sow!
Being a professional doesn’t stop when you leave work! You are a representative of the company you work for 24/7!
My handle is exactly what is going on in Madera. A QUAGMIRE!!!! (My husband has a different word for it — ClusterF*@k)
Also, you should never use your real name online…
Ciao Ms. Gonzales.
WEBMASTER’S NOTE: The original opinion expressed by KrisannGonzales took the form of a letter to the editor published in The Madera Tribune, as well as here on the Red Line Web site. Unlike the comments on the Red Line, letters are rarely –if ever– published if the writer’s name is not provided to the newspaper.
Also, I should not have to remind Red Line commentators to try to avoid direct personal attacks here on a person who is not a public figure or in a position of authority. If such attacks seem to appear as part of a submitted Red Line comment, the webmaster will try –however imperfectly– to minimize them. As he cannot read minds, he may unintentionally remove parts of a comment that were not intended as a direct, personal attack.
Lastly, it should be noted that the standards for letters to the editor are different than that applied to Red Line comments precisely because letters to the editor can be traced to the person who wrote them. To a lesser degree, different standards may also be applied because different employees edit each.
wow i am so astounded that you seem to have it in for me and i have nothing to hide so using my real name isn’t a problem for me like it obviously is for you . its great that you are an operator and know the ins and outs of the business. obviously you are happy in your job. its sad that you have such a holier thatn though attitude. and for your information webmaster no the letter was not published in its entirety in the tribune i have a copy obviously, but aside from that . i am not discussing the inner workings of my company anything i have said is public knowledge.
WEBMASTER’S NOTE: My mistake then, but I do know that more of the letter appeared in the newspaper than appeared online. I assumed, apparently incorrectly, that the entire letter had been printed. Regardless, I know that it was abridged further for this Web site.
i have a right just like you to write an opinion on whatever i choose that is what is so great about the USA…
anyhow i am finding that if my letter has provoked some form of thought regarding the system than it can be a good thing. also just to let you know i don’t feel that i have complained about my passengers. on the contrary i was a passenger with my three young children for approximately 2 years, yes you are right that i am providing a service for them and you can ask anyone i have transported what kind of driver i am.
finally, quagmire it sounds as though you and your husband are a little jaded and that you are unhappy with madera in whole. i was born and raised here and have seen a lot of changes made and for good or bad things do change, well friend i hope that you have a wonderful day and that what ever i have written to stimulate you has been food for thought. i stand by my comments that i wrote in my original letter and being personally attacked is great for me it means i have provoked thought in someone! thanks webmaster and quagmire it has been fun.
drive safely,
krisann