Has it come down to us throwing ourselves in front of a bus? Bus driver ignored by bus driver (I know, read it again)

If you see me standing near the stop.......drive on by!

as told to Ali Gator

Dear Passengers:

I am writing this to all the passengers like those in the Twitter posts that follow, who at one time or another have "missed the bus".

1.     http://bit.ly/1zeezok

@GOtransit your 1800 bus SQ1 to union didn't stop even though I flagged him.

— Omar (@Omar_Touri) July 19, 2014

2.     http://bit.ly/1EDQhEJ

@GOtransit pls ask your 91 bus to take a closer look at the Hwy 2 & Rudell Rd. stop in the mornings. Drove past me twice now. #NotImpressed

— Laura Hart (@lauraahart) October 15, 2014

3.     http://bit.ly/1GGmQl1

@gotransit driver of bus 2454 (31) intentionally missed a stop this morning, leaving passenger confused at bus stop

— Thomas George (@thmsgrg) December 3, 2013

@GOtransit driver MOST DEFINITELY saw passenger and hesitantly slowed down. But ultimately didn't stop.

— Thomas George (@thmsgrg) December 3, 2013

I just wanted to say that I really feel your pain!

On April 28, I took my bike to Burlington from Niagara Falls for the first time.  I had errands to run and needed some bicycle supplies.  It was a great trip in, and a fine spring day.  I was hoping to catch the return 13:54 from Burlington back to The Falls.

I was quite fatigued and thought that if I waved the bus down from the Plains Rd. local transit stop I would be able to board the bus from there, you know, using the old "Flag the Driver" technique, so common not too long ago.

I stood in the curb lane and waved at the bus with both hands, quite obviously attempting to flag the driver.  Although it is not a GO Transit stop, I was clearly able to get the attention of the driver as she descended the hill, even as early as part way down.  Also clear was my indication that I was an intending passenger.  Standing near the Burlington Transit bus stop, there was sufficient access (platform room for the bus) ahead of the stop available to the driver.  I was given the outstretched hand gesture part way down the hill, so common with drivers, meaning “What do you want me to do?” – like that needs an answer!

The bus didn't stop.  It proceeded to enter the left-turn lane at the intersection of Brant Street and Plains Road.

There was no attempt to accommodate an intending passenger.

This is not, as mentioned, a "Designated Stop", but that is not to say other drivers haven't made the stop for pick up, specifically if a passenger is making eye contact with the intention of catching the bus.

I thought that GO Transit stressed the requirement to accommodate passengers "wherever and whenever" it is safe to do so, and not necessarily at a designated stop.

On numerous occasions buses have returned to the origin of a trip or waited for passengers who may be running to catch the bus, and drivers have waited patiently.  IMO, there were no mitigating safety issues to prevent such action on that day – no heavy volume of traffic, no inclement weather.

The incident left me feeling a little exasperated.

Ample room to pull over ahead or behind the stop was clear.

I don't get it!

Not everything in a driver’s travel day is "cut and dried".  Exceptions can be made at "Undesignated Stops", wherever and whenever it is safe to do so.  At least that is what I remember from my training days with GO Transit, not so very long ago.

There are many reasons why people can't make it to a stop, e.g. perhaps they were dropped off at the wrong place, or they are seniors and could be disoriented, or there were family issues.

Yes, I am a driver for that same Route 12 and have many, many times gone out of my way to pick up a passenger who caught my attention, or stopped many hundred meters from a stop for a passenger who was scrambling to catch the bus.  How was this occasion so different?

Recently, I stopped at Tim Horton's and bought a coffee for a weary WMA passenger who had to wait at the chilly Burlington station because the prior bus had a wheelchair lift equipment problem. For that seemingly simple act, I received a commendation.

A little effort in the direction of Customer Service is not too much to ask – it’s within every driver's ability, whenever and wherever it is safe to do so!

Sincerely,

A Caring Driver