Trimess

Friday, October 12, 2012

Mary Festch on stopping the bus in mid route

A: TriMet says this isn't a simple "yes" or "no" question.


"As a rule of thumb," said TriMet spokeswoman Mary Fetsch, "we expect operators to access facilities at the ends of the line when possible. However, from time to time for health and comfort reasons, an operator may need to stop mid-route."

So, it's allowed, but only in certain circumstances. An emergency restroom stop is copacetic. (Drivers tell me budget cuts and increasingly demanding schedules are making regular bathroom breaks harder to come by.) Let's say a driver is diabetic and needs food. Also cool.

But running into a post office to mail package? No can do.

"We would want the operator to turn off their bus," Fetsch said, "and let their passengers know the reason for the delay."

Joseph Rose: Don't worry, that TriMet bus driver isn't stranding you for a Big Gulp | OregonLive.com

1 comment:

Jason McHuff said...

There are definitely operators who make mid-route food/drink pickups regularly. The 1409 operator does it (once to order, once to pick up) and Leonard did it (darkstarpdx may very well be referring to him here).

Many break locations don't have good or any establishments nearby. Leonard argued that the gas station would fill his huge soda cup for cheap, and that Greyhound/Union Station/Clackamas CC was either too expensive or not open.