A TRIMET DRIVER WRITES

 Sunday was fucked because the schedule is so unbelievably impossible to keep on time. Many routes now are. Because its so long between buses, people are waiting for over a half hour for a 'frequent service bus' only to be passed up. Customers are so angry anyway right now, I might as well just wear a target on my back. I do what dispatch tells me and people get so angry. I am so anxious at work anymore. Inside the bus, pissed off at me, passed up, angry at me... I am so stressed from the amount of anger focused in my direction that when Im told to pass people up, just to catch up a little so I can take a few minutes to 'recover' at the end of the line, that its less stress to just run it very late and turn & burn. It's become so overwhelming and distracting to endure the publics growing hostility. Left with no other choice I am safer to drive without most breaks. Just forgo adequate nutrition, mental recuperation, refocus, timely restroom breaks, stretching, etc... Because being alone & trying to endure the increasing levels of anger, verbal aggression and open hostility from many of our customers, who have an undeniable reason to feel this way, has become more of a distraction & hazard to me than accepting deprivation of other needs.
I'm so ashamed to be associated with this company right now. I am thankful for employment, but I miss being a part of the trimet that truly did care about the public they served and supported their frontline. I miss being proud of what i do. What this company is doing to all of us is despicable.