LTC Drivers - The Other Side of the Coin
For about 8 months LTC riders have read the ugly posters telling us to ride respectfully and not cheat on fares. The graphics are ugly, amateurish and not indicative of what riders could possibly look like.
That aside, I put the following incident to you and to Union President Steve Holmes who failed to take up the offer to post an article on the driver who was spat and kicked on by cowardly passengers on Kipps Lane last year. I don't know why he never submitted it. 
The other day I was on the #1 bus in mid-afternoon and two respectfull well-spoken females rang the bell to get off the bus. The bus driver sharply rebuked them for ringing the bell too late. Perhaps he was right. I could not see. We were on Huron and traffic was light. The bus was barely moving when the bell was rung. It had not stopped.
It was no skin off his back to stop quickly and let these two young ladies off the bus. They quickly apologized for their mistake and the driver offered no response whatsoever. I realize he has tight schedules to keep.
This incident underscores LTC's one-sided campaign to whip passengers' behaviour into line. For the most part riders get on, pay their fare, behave decently and get off at their stop. That's the norm on the LTC buses I've ridden for eight years in London. Their have been exceptions.
When I discovered that someone wrote "FUCK THE POLICE" in heavy marker near the back door the LTC response when I called them was blase.
My suggestion to them is to scrap the current campaign.
Rip off the ugly posters with the ultra-cheesy posters and use a professional ad firm to design an ad campaign respectful to both sides.
Remind your Drivers of their code of conduct and remind riders in large type please of their responsibilities. Perhaps once stops are read out or posted automatically to comply with the Human Rights Ruling, LTC could post them on there and have them read out with stops. This is coming in September.
As for the driver who barked at the two polite young ladies. Take a breath, Lower your voice and accept their apology.
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