Trimess

Friday, March 30, 2012

I CAN'T BELIEVE I GOTTA DRIVE A 67 TOMORROW

I can’t believe I actually have to go DRIVE A BUS tomorrow!
WOW, I REALLY do not want to go! My 'career' at Trimet ended on that last weekday 67. That's when I stepped out of the routine, for good.
People were saying “oh Al, you know you will miss it here”!
NO! I do not miss it there, at all to be honest.
I just lost all desire to drive a bus at Trimet , not really sure why.
I am pretty sure it has to do with my CIVIL RIGHTS being  under constant attack as an employee of Trimet.
The constant state of suspicion we all work under. Anything that happens and us drivers are immediately suspect. What sane human being wants to work under those conditions?
Of course I have the “making myself a target” problem, which is unique in the Trimet bus drivers arena.

Surprisingly, I am the most public figure of all Trimet drivers. Believe me, I never even thought about being in that role. It’s one of those things that just happen to you. I never consciously once tried to get any sort of attention. It just happened. Not exactly a 'respected' figure, like Dan Christensen, now he was a respectable bus driver figure. I was more of a comic book character I guess. Rude and crude and without any social graces.  Many 'respectable' blogs want nothing to do with me for fear of tarnishing their 'respectable' image. One thing I learned long ago, never give even a second thought to what others think about you. As long as you are OK with what ever you are doing, move forward, turn your back on the herd and march in the opposite direction.

I guess it  was being on the edge of the technology revolution and my fascination for the people that make up the universe of transit.
Working at Trimet turned into one of the most profound experiences of my life, interestingly enough.

I’m ready to walk now, follow in the footsteps of the managers I fondly remember and miss now.
PEGGY HANSEN, STEVE BANTA, even FRED HANSEN, only met with him once but I have a new respect for the man after watching this second stringer named mcfarlane. 
The difference in professionalism is profound.
Management now is totally second rate,  All careerists with no vision and no humanity.

How sad, the once proud TriMet turned into this pathetic  excuse for a transit district.
And they march blindly on, without a clue to what is going on around them.
It’s truly pathetic.

I DO NOT WANT TO DRIVE A BUS TOMORROW!