Issues with SamTrans

Be careful what you wish for: I've found the SamTrans service that is privatized (some runs on the ECR and 292 served by MV Transportation) less timely and more haphazard than the in-house service. As for the rest, I'm not sure contracting out would help -- Lateness can be a result of traffic or cascading delays that are not the driver's fault, and while some drivers are less friendly than others, I can understand some being unamicable, so long as they're not actively unfriendly -- it's a very stressful job.

John Baker's 'take' on Sam Trans service is pretty spot on. I ride the bus 6 days a week and the personality of the driver is secondary to their ability to safely drive a 'carriage' that can weigh 40 tons.

Also its a two way street. If you ride the same route it's imperative that you try and meet the driver half way as far as getting to know each other. Drivers who drive School routes are usually fried by the time they do ECR routes or trips to Foster City and downtown Foster City (250-251)

As far as Dirk van Ulden goes - his tongue in cheek response was unnecessary. For example - I would say ALL of us have had plenty jobs - that has no bearing on what the original LTE experienced. Prison Guard Dirk?

The stress drivers get on their El Camino routes is because of the unique type of clientele that rides from one end (Palo Alto) to (in the north) downtown SF.

Give it a try Dirk, that is becoming a Sam Tram Driver.

I would tell Doctor Brian Reis that NONE of the buses are late by design, it is always Traffic, bus malfunction etc.

Regarding being passed by, I'd be interested where this happened. Customers have all adopted their own way of 'hailing a cab', so as far as a Sam Trans *pass bye* that is very unusual in my own experience especially if you as a rider - Present yourself physically with a wave of the hand, for example.