About six months ago, I started riding the bus to and from work.  There are many reasons why I decided to start riding the bus.  It was partly because I hate driving in the snow and ice, partly because I want to reduce my impact on our environment, and partly because of rising gas prices.  I have to admit before I started riding the bus, I had all sorts of biases concerning people who ride on the bus.  I thought, “They must be poor if they can’t afford a car; they must be out of work or too lazy to work.”  My friends and family worried that I would be accosted by perverts, thieves and junkies.  But my experience has been anything but unpleasant. 

I have many people that have been very nice to me.  Of course there are people who are indifferent, but I have not met anyone who is the least bit threatening.  The buses are clean and warm in winter and cool in summer.  I have one bus driver who is extremely friendly, respectful of the riders and makes the bus experience a pleasant one.  Other drivers are not as friendly but not rude, just doing their job. 

I have decided to write about my bus experiences as they happen so here goes.

Today, I noticed my morning bus driver is very courteous.  We had a mentally challenged man get on the bus and show him a picture of where he needed to go and the driver assured him he would get him to his destination.  There was also a disabled woman who got on the bus; he waited until she was fully seated before he drove away from the bus stop.  The same for a young mother with a child, he waited until she was seated and had the child in her lap before moving the bus.  You may not think this is a big deal, but I have has bus drivers start driving as soon as I swiped my card.  It is difficult for me, a fully-abled person, to walk while the bus is moving, so I am sure it would be very difficult for a person with disabilities.

That is all for today.  I hope I will keep up with my bus riding experiences…