I've started taking the bus again. No, not to school. That was many decades ago. Now, I'm riding the local transit bus to the office about once a week. But I'm finding many similarities to my school bus ride from so long ago.

First, I notice that how I'm greeted by the bus driver has an impact on my ride. Each driver is different. One of them ignores my "good morning" and just looks right through me. Another is quick to greet me and even has a hint of a smile on his face. As you might guess, I prefer the latter. That simple gesture, a hello and a smile, makes a big difference.

Although it was probably a coincidence, the stared-right-through-me driver has also driven through my bus stop, even though I properly requested the stop, and then not offered a word of apology after letting me off a quarter-mile later. A simple "sorry" would have sufficed. It wasn't the extra distance that bothered me, but the lack of remorse. If I had a mobility problem, a quarter-mile would be quite a bit more than an inconvenience.

Like a school bus, a transit bus transports passengers from point A to point B. And like its yellow counterpart, the transit bus offers an experience that is greatly influenced by the driver. Those who make an effort to be friendly and courteous are promoting their employers and the mode of transportation they represent. The others, as I'll call them, are also providing a service by moving people, but they are simply doing a job. In a perfect world, all drivers would offers smiles and pleasant greetings to every passenger. But, the world being what it is, sometimes we have to settle for those who can safely move people to their appointed destinations — or a quarter-mile beyond.

Let me know what you think.

Until next time.

Steve