The article is headlined "Local man has some struggles with bus system". Frankly, everybody has "some struggles" with Star Tran. Tag Jackson's problem is he sometimes can't get drivers to notice him. That's a big problem when the bus is your only way around town.
Having been a daily bus rider for five years, Mr. Jackson's core complaints -- that drivers sometimes don't see people waiting, and some drivers are jerks -- are valid. StarTran's rules allow riders to wait at almost any street corner in the city. That's a lot of territory for drivers to scan. It's not surprising that drivers miss a person or two now and then. I've been missed; I've seen others get missed; if riders are awake, they usually holler out to the driver, who then stops a block or two late. And as for a couple of them being jerks? Well, yeah, some people are jerks. A few drivers are naturally jerks, while others only become cranky after an especially rough day filled with more-annoying-than-usual riders. It happens.
One things gets me, though. StarTran's drivers know "the regulars". Not just daily riders on a particular route, but riders with unique characteristics who rely on StarTran to get around town. Mr. Jackson is one of them, and I could easily name two dozen more. Spend a month riding the bus and you'll be able to pick out most of them. "The regulars" are easy to spot around town once you have met them. If drivers are, as Mr. Jackson asserts, missing those folks, something is wrong.
StarTran head honch Larry Worth is unapologetic. He blames Mr. Jackson's woes in part on Mr. Jackson's large scooter. What that has to do with drivers not picking him up, I don't know.
I do know that I don't want public officials making comments like this: "He’s kind of a hard-headed guy, to be honest with you." Come on, Mr. Worth. That's just tacky. Let's try sticking to the issue and not resorting to name-calling, shall we?
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I like how the bus drivers are severe defensive drivers. They tear around and will cut lanes and cut people off. I guess being a large bus allows you to do that.
I encounter many a bus on my way to work since I travel down Lincoln mall. I have pretty good relations with them though. They know hand signals, which I use, and will wave or smile.
I know that guy. I have had many encounters with him. He was the one who almost shut the ZOO bar down because their restroom was not ADA compliant. There are other things as well, which I will not go into. Lets just say I am not surprised he has raised a stink.
But it is a bummer that the bus is passing him by. I would flag the bus down like a cab if I thought there might be a possibility that the bus driver might think because I have a scooter and the driver might not realize that I would like a ride even though I am sitting on a transportation device.
Although I don’t agree with a bus passing you. However, I have seen Tag racing to a bus stop from a bolck away and he expect it to wait. He HAS a schedule of when the busses run. I too, have been passed bus a bus on occasion, but I don’t call the paper to complain. I heard about the Zoo bar incident. I also have seen Tag around town. Try greeting him with a “Good Morning” or “Hey, How’s it going”....you’ll be met with a sneer. Perhaps an attitude adjustment is needed here. On both Tags’ part AND the bus service.
I cannot feel sorry for someone who is insistent on his OWN wants and needs being first and foremost. He does need to realize that people DON’T make their schedules to revolve around him.
After the Zoo bar incident it doesn’t surprise me that he is raising a stink. Wonder what’s next for Tag…..the bumps in the sidewalk????....OOPS…shouldn’t give him any ideas…....
I’ve had Star Tran blow right by me when I’m standing at the bus stop. Granted, three buses arrived at once. I thought they would take turns pulling up to the stop but clearly I was supposed to walk down the street to where my bus ended up in line. I learned that the hard way. If I was in a scooter or wheelchair, though, there’s no way to navigate onto the grass and into the bus.
I’ve also had the bus driver completely blow past my drop-off stop.
Ninety-five percent of the time, however, the bus drivers I’ve encountered go above and beyond their call of duty.
I too have had similar situations where I missed the bus. ESPECIALLY at the 11th and “O” street stop.
BUT…I have seen MANY drivers go out of their way to help someone. Example….the older lady with an armful of groceries…..the person in the wheelchair (ELECTRIC) on a snowy day that has too much snow caked in the wheels to get onto the ramp.
It goes BOTH ways I am sure. But whenever I have greeted a driver with a “Mornin’” or “Afternoon” I have always, at the least, been acknowledged that I spoke. UNLIKE Mr. Jackson…....
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