People on Public Transportation

The bus is short and only has seating for eighteen passengers. It is white on top, black on the bottom with a12 inch wide green stripe along the side of the bus and the letters K A T S, boldly displayed on the green stripe. There are 3 steep stairs to climb, to get on the bus. The day I rode it was raining and cold. The windshield wipers ticked back and forth, clearing the wind- shield of rain. There were three passengers, all of them where white; two men, one woman. The older gentleman was casually dressed. I think he was in his 60’s (I’m guessing, because he was gray headed). He sat in the third seat on the drivers’ side of the bus. Right across the aisle from him was a man, in his mid- 30’s, dressed in an olive green army surplus jacket. The woman on the bus was sitting in the front seat, behind the driver. She was wearing a pink wind breaker and was carrying a matching pink umbrella. She was approximately 50 yrs old and very thin. Wrinkles marked the corner of her eyes .I think she had a brain injury of some kind. Her eyes didn’t seem to focus on anything and she had applied her lipstick in such a way that it had smeared to one side of her mouth.

Shortly into the ride, the bus driver stopped and picked up an older heavy set black woman. The driver asked the woman “is it not too wet out there for yah, Lois?’ she responded with a big smile and said “how you doin’ Bill?” They knew each other and were on a first name basis. I came to find out, the driver “Bill” knew just about every ones name. Lois was wearing a ‘Burger King’ uniform and cap, she appeared to be going to work. Around the corner we picked up ‘Dwayne’.

The people seemed to genuinely like the driver; he addressed the riders courteously and seemed to take a ...

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... bags to Ms. Parry’s’ door . The elderly woman thanks him and we wait while he watches her reach her front door. I was pleasantly surprised by his chivalry.

When we got close to where I caught the bus, Bill asked me if I was getting off there or if I wanted to ride the rest of the way to the downtown transit office. I chose to take my leave and thank him for the ride. He responded with ‘anytime’ and I believe he meant it.

All kinds of people ride public transportation. People that are young and old, black and white, men and woman, some well dressed some not. I can guess that some would rather ride the bus than ask for a ride from friends, while others may no longer have the ability to drive themselves. I personally will ride the bus again. I liked the comradery and the idea that if I told Bill my name he most likely, would call me by my name the next time I rode.