Ceres: How long have you been a bus operator?
Nedrea: I’ve been a bus operator for MTA for three years. Prior to that I drove for other bus companies like Culver City, and Orange County Transit. I did Orange County Transit for three years until they laid us off. Then, I did Culver City for two years until they did a massive shakeup, and we got laid off again.
Ceres: So, why did you choose MTA after that?
Nedrea: Well, I figured that it was a bit more stable. It’s larger, more bus routes, and more
people. Job security here is also better, much better.
Ceres: Why do you do this job?
Nedrea: I do this job because I love people. I love meeting people. I love getting out and moving around, making sure passengers get to their destinations on time. Also, helping out old people because they don’t have transportation. Sometimes they don’t have much money, either. They only pay thirty-five cents, off peak, to go grocery shopping, run errands, go to the doctor, etc... So, I think it’s better for me to make sure the job is well-done, helping out everybody, at the end of the day.
Ceres: Is it difficult to be a bus driver here in LA?
Nedrea: Very. You have traffic, you have crazy people. You have the men that sometimes don’t want to respect you. They look at you like you’re crazy. Nine times out of ten, the male customers don’t respect women. You’ve got to let them know: “Look this is my coach, and I’m running it, so if you abide by the rules, you get to step in!”
Ceres: What is the most difficult thing to deal with as a female bus operator?
Nedrea: Some of the male passengers… that’s the most difficult because they feel as though they’re superior over women. They don’t want to pay. They don’t want to listen. Whatever you tell them to do, they do the opposite. So again, you have to let them know: “This is how it’s gonna be, this is what we’re gonna do.” Some of the passengers are very rude, very disrespectful. I’m called a b**** about fifty times a day. If I don’t let them ride for free, I’m a b****. If I tell them to put their beer out, I’m a b****. My thing is: "You
"I love the people, I love getting out and meeting everybody."
Nedrea Morgan
is a coach operator with Metro (MTA) Division 2. She moved from New Jersey to Los Angeles, a few years back, when her mother be-came sick, so she could take care of her. She retired from FedEx, where she worked 25 years driving tractor trailers, and now she crisscrosses LA behind the wheel of a bus.
Photos by Lands of Void
Metro logo used with Metro's permission.
28 - Ceres Magazine - Winter 2016