Appreciation post: that one bus driver who actually waits

I've been taking the 7:15 AM bus downtown for about 8 months now. For most of that time, I'd get to the stop at 7:12 and watch the bus fly past me if I was 30 seconds late. Then about two weeks ago, a new driver took over the route. Now this guy will actually sit at the stop for a good full minute if he sees someone running from half a block away. He even held the door open after the light turned green last Tuesday when an older lady was still crossing the street. It made me realize I had been stressing out over catching the bus for no reason the whole time. Has anyone else had a random stranger just completely change how you handle your morning routine?

2 comments

2 Comments

parker_jones5019h ago

That driver gets it. The difference between a driver who's just going through the motions and one who actually pays attention to people is huge. My bus driver does the same thing, even flashes his hazards when he sees someone booking it down the sidewalk. Something about knowing you don't have to be in a full sprint before sunrise just makes the whole morning feel less like a battle. It's wild how one person's simple choice to be patient can pretty much break a cycle of daily frustration you didn't even realize you were stuck in.

mason_flores2119h ago

Hold up, I gotta push back a little here. Is it really that DEEP? Like I get it, having a nice driver is better than a jerk one, but calling it a "cycle of daily frustration" and a "battle" feels like a LOT for a bus ride. You're just going to work or school, not running from zombies. I think sometimes people romanticize little moments to make themselves feel like life is more cinematic than it actually is. Your driver being polite is cool and all, but let's not pretend he's single-handedly fixing your mental health with those hazard lights.