"But the other driver ... "

Driving a bus should be fairly easy, aside from the external challenges of maneuvering through traffic and avoiding taxicabs, unlicensed drivers, road ragers and of course challenging passengers. But, bus operators shouldn't have the added challenge of having to explain away the negligence of other bus operators. Sad fact however, is that we do.

Now every large public entity has a list of rules and regulations longer than both forearms. And, to some extent, I can understand why employees would be reticent to "study" the rules with the same fervor as that of a second year law student cramming before the bar exams. But there are a dozen or so ground rules that every bus operator should know and enforce; it just makes things easier.

However, the lazy, lackadaisical operators (and there are not that many) who don't enforce ANY rules, make it difficult for the rest of us. We know all too well when one of our passengers has encountered one of these operators when I explain a rule to a passenger and they reply, "But the other driver doesn't do it that way."

Just last night, I had a half dozen of these conversations.

Marin County Red Tickets:

Marin County issues $2.00 vouchers that look like raffle tickets and they're red. They are issued to charity cases through homeless service centers, hospitals, soup kitchens, the Salvation Army and any number of non-profit service agencies. These tickets are good for one trip on any Marin local bus. That means they can be used to travel anywhere in Marin county as long as the bus (not the passenger) doesn't leave Marin County.

Last night, while driving the route 80 (a bus that passes through three counties) no less than four people presented the infamous "red ticket" for a ride. When I explained that "red tickets" were not valid on the route 80, each of them responded, "But the other driver let me use them!" Now I have no doubt that the other driver let them and I tell them so, but I also tell them that "the other driver" is not following the rules.

While three of the four passengers accepted this explanation, the fourth proceeded to argue with me. One of my passengers in the front seat, tired of the exchange, started in on the passenger and gave him the what-for. She told him to just pay the $*@(^)@! fare because he was holding up the bus.

After he relented and paid the fare, he went to the back of the bus. The passenger that spoke up for me said, "I know you can't talk smack to the passengers so I did it for you!"

Driving up Lincoln Avenue:

The last three route 80's of any given night take a slightly different route than the other 80's. They go through downtown Sausalito and after serving the transit center in San Rafael, drive up Lincoln Avenue.

Last night as I turned onto Third Street, a passenger in the front asked why we were going a different route. I explained that the last three 80's of the night drive up Lincoln. His response: "But the other driver last night didn't go that way."

Bicycles on Buses:

All of our buses are equipped with bicycle racks that carry two bikes. We have three-bike, bike racks in the warehouse, and why we don't get them installed I haven't a clue, but every now and then, I'll have to refuse service to a bicycle because my rack is full.

I approached Tiburon Wye with two bicycles on the rack and as I pulled into the bus pad, I saw a passenger with a bicycle waiting for me. When I came to a stop and opened the door, he asked, "Would you open the back door so I can load it in the back?" I explained that I could not allow bicycles in the bus.

His response, "But the other driver let me do it last night!"

Excessively Large Luggage:

... to be continued