I'm really having a hard time right now feeling good about my job here.
I know the honcho's would be happy to see all us old timers out the door. They could replace all of us with new hires, with no vacation time, lower pay scales, and less retirement benefits, and that is what they really want apparently.
Last week I was subjected to two instances where management failure has jeopardized mine and my passengers safety. One day I had to drive a round trip with no signals or emergency flashers and the next day I lost my steering while doing down highway 26.
I suggest you folks that call yourselves managers stop talking about safety till you get our equipment up to standards that can qualify as safe.
Last week I was also subjected to a management "lecture" because I didn't make two attempts to call dispatch after having already sent them a 'ready for service' message that they did not answer. While they failed, I get lectures, its the usual bullshit abuse we operators take while in the employ of TRIMET.
It's all about blame.
ReplyDeleteWhen A driver makes an error, it's easy to blame the Operator. Why do you think Mary Fetsch makes the big bucks going on T.V. before any kind of internal investigation has wrapped up and already calls out driver error?
When it's a larger problem, TriMet then hunkers down and hopes for the problem to just boil over. They might make a statement or two. Seriously - how much safer is the TriMet system now than before Sandy Day? Remember all those big changes that were announced - the STOP BY STOP review, the review of every bus route, the elimination of as many left turns as possible? I still see Operators making double lane changes at 4th and Hall in front of my building - because they have to. Just today, PBOT put a big huge construction sign right at the bus stop so now Operators have to figure out where to stop the damn bus and let people on and off.
Where was TriMet to tell PBOT to move the sign? Isn't safety first?
Why doesn't TriMet work with PBOT to install a proper bus lane and a queue jumper light there that would allow buses to SAFELY move to the correct lane to make the left turn?
Of course, TriMet seems to be getting a free pass over the state of its bus fleet...nobody seems to want to call them out for telling ODOT and Metro that it won't buy buses - at least not with regional transportation funds - for five years (aside from the puny Gillig order...that TriMet will probably end up cancelling, just like TriMet cancelled its order for New Flyer artics a few years back.)