Nedrea: We have to go through the bus to make sure that the seats are not loose, the windows are not open, the bars are steady, the seat belts for the wheelchairs are working, and the restraints are in place. If they are not, we have to get a mechanic ASAP to replace that because it’s a big ADA (American Disability Act) issue right there.
Then you check the outside of the bus to make sure that the bike rack is working, that you don’t have any cracks anywhere, that the tires don’t have any gashes in them, that all your lights are working, your blinkers, etc… Making sure also that there is no trash or debris on the bus.
We have to do a thorough check of those buses, then a break test, to make sure we have pressure, so that when we get out of here, on the road, we can stop.
It’s a lot of detailing, but you have to make sure that you do all that before you leave the division. If you don’t do it, and you get on that road and you have an accident, it’s your fault. So, it’s a lot when we start, from coming inside to clock in, to getting your paddles, which tell you where you start, and your different times and each time point.
You also have to make sure you have schedules, make sure that there is no detour or accident. If there is an accident, you have to go to an alternate route.
And voila! Me and my vehicle! Ready to go!
Bus Safety check with Nedrea
Us, commuters, we get on the bus, we get off the bus, and we expect everything to be fine, and it should. But, problems do happen, and mechanical break-downs can be one of the issues we encounter the most often, next to bad traffic. However, the bus agencies and their operators try to eliminate as many potential problems and variables to make our time on the bus or waiting for it as smooth as possible, along with making our trips safe. Up to now, I thought that the bus operator would just hop on the bus, and be on his/her way, out of the depot, rolling toward the passengers. The reality is quite different. Nedrea tells us a bit more about what goes on before they even leave the division.
Al Mohymont for Ceres Magazine
Photos by Lands of Void
98 - Ceres Magazine - Winter 2016