My very public battle with TRIMET-another email to Greg Larson

Mr Larson;

I am in receipt of your letter informing me of a “MANDATORY” meeting on November 29.

 I am unable to meet the time as requested; Jeff Ackerson will be contacting you about that.

Your letter states “you marked off sick during the last scheduled meeting”.

Your memory must be failing because on November 9 I was summoned to your office to discuss the releasing of the MAX crash video.  At that time we discussed the call stop problems.  I told you then that I have been calling the stops and have been doing so for years. You said I overreacted to the call stop violation letter. I then offered to pull the bus over at every single point where there is supposed to be a call stop, put on the parking brake and make the appropriate announcement. You said that was unnecessary.

In addition I sent you an email about this situation, which was ignored and unanswered:

Hello Greg;

I have been pondering this latest �€œADA violation�€ and am quite confused.
I have been, for many years now, calling the stops on my bus routes.
Obviously I am not calling them correctly because I have now gotten yet another citation on this issue.
One thing I want to make clear before I continue with this letter is I am not sure TRIMET management is fully aware that operators are human beings and cannot function like machines no matter how much discipline you throw at us. Are there occasions where I might not call a stop of several stops?  I�€™m sure, guilty as charged.  The weather may be hazardous; I might be talking with a passenger, etc. But I have been very diligent overall in this area.
Obviously getting a citation when I thought I was doing the job properly is very disheartening. Added together with all the recent situations I have been through at this company I am beginning to wonder if I am being targeted. I have heard many stories about the management targeting and setting up operators that they want to get rid of. I imagine that my off the job interests has created many managers that would love to see me out of here.
The citation I received was yet again vague and uninformative, just like the last citation.
. Don�€™t you think in the interest of fairness we should get the actual report?
How am I supposed to know what actually happened?  How am I supposed to take corrective action?
With that said, it would be nice if TRIMET management gave me an actual list of what stops to call.
From this point on, I will stop the bus at each of these locations, put on the brake, and make an announcement in the exact words you wish me to use. I cannot use the microphone while the bus is moving due to severe safety issues, but would be happy to stop the bus apply the brake and use the mike at each of these stops, or I can get out of the seat and make a verbal announcement, I really don�€™t care.
An actual call stop list, like we used to have might be helpful.
1-do I need to announce upon leaving the BTC that I am turning on Lombard? If the answer is yes exactly where do I need to pull over the bus, apply the brake, and make that announcement?
2-Do I need to announce when I am turning on Canyon Road, and exactly where shall I pull over the bus apply the brake and make that announcement?
3-When I get to the last stop in zone three I will pull over the bus, apply the brake, and announce that, correct? (91st ave)
4-When I get to the first stop in zone 2 three I will pull over the bus, apply the brake, and make the announcement. (87th ave)
5-When I get to the last stop in zone two three I will pull over the bus, apply the brake, and make the announcement. (Skyline)
6-When I get to the first stop in zone 1 three I will pull over the bus, apply the brake, and make the announcement. (18th)
7- I will pull over the bus, apply the brake, and make the announcement at each of the following stops-
12^th-10^th-park-5^th-5^th-Broadway-11^th-13^th-16^th-18^th-goose hollow.
Then as I reverse I do this procedure all the way back to BTC.
This might create schedule difficulties and plenty of questions from riders but I will keep copies of my disciplinary letter with me to hand out to people with questions.
Will thisAl Margulies 2387

I am your to command, you just have to be clear what it is the management wants.

Currently I am out on sick leave so I am unable to inform Jeff Ackerson when I will be able to meet with you.  I�€™m unsure if I�€™ll be well by Monday or not, but I will let Jeff know when I am feeling better so I can be fully safe when on the road when I do return.
Thanks very much for your help in this matter;

Now it appears that yet again I am being accused of NOT CALLING THE STOPS, which I find incredulous.

Obviously I am doing something wrong.

I request the following for the meeting:

1- A copy of the complaint

2- Detailed written specific  instructions as to how I am supposed to handle the issue of calling stops, which stops and the procedure to accomplish that

3- At the conclusion of the meeting a document is prepared stating clearly the outcomes of this meeting to be signed by myself, you, and Jeff Ackerson

Al Margulies