2/28/2008

Get on the bus

If Milwaukee County Transit ever hopes to generate broader support in the community, it will need to start appealing to a larger customer base. This means extending its appeal beyond those who ride the bus out of necessity to those who ride it by choice. As someone who's used the MCTS off and on for nearly fifteen years, I'm intimately familiar with just how poor the service is when it comes to customer interaction. Just this morning I witnessed yet another incident where a driver was completely in the wrong but argued non-stop with the rider, ending the argument by telling the rider to take his seat. Now while I've seen a fair share of good service from drivers, the negative incidents easily wash them away, and I'm certain that if and when the rider from this morning becomes someone who has a choice when it comes to riding the bus, he'll remember this experience and opt to take his car instead.

1 comment:

buzz said...

I've told this to you and others privately but I'll relay the story here for the benefit of your valued readers.

Once I was waiting for a bus at a stop where three different busses (two 15's and an 11) make regular stops. My bus showed up, and so that the driver knew I was waiting for him, I stepped to the curb and waved. The driver didn't even slow down, looked at me through the window, made some crazy waving gesture, shrugged, and kept driving.

There is a complaint form at the MCTS website, and I did make good use of it that day. I haven't seen that driver since then.

I have noticed that on my route the more pleasant drivers are generally on the morning buses, and the real curmudgeons are relegated to the night shifts.