Shakeup!

Last week RantMom called RantWoman: did RantWoman want to come over for dinner? RantMom had left chili stewing in the crockpot. That very evening, RantWoman had been thinking of inviting RantMom over for some of the chicken soup RantWoman made the night before. Hot chili in the crock pot trumped reheated chicken soup andd off RantWoman went for Sunday night soup at RantMom's.

"Have you seen the new Rider Alert flyer?"

"Uh," thought RantWoman, "it makes sense; it's time for Metro's winter bus schedule shakeup." Oh Joy. More drivers driving 3 different routes in one day without any regard for whether they, say, know the routes well enough to direct passengers correctly to desired stops. A couple weeks of zigs and zags while people figure out their new routes and HOPEFULLY learn to call the stops. Yeah Bus driver seniority system which so efficiently ensures that drivers who actually know what they are doing get to rotate OFF all the hard routes that most NEED people who know what they are doing! Yeah bean counters who never ride the bus and completely miss important elements of customer service! Yeah passengers who keep our wits about us and try to help when the paid employees cannot!

No, RantWoman had not interacted. RantWoman had not even noticed any Rider Alert signs on the buses she had ridden recently. Understand, RantWoman not noticing does not mean they are not there, but back to the Rider Alert flyer.

RantMom pulled something out of her purse. It was about the thickness of one of those pocket Gideon Bibles--with print about that small too. RantMom unfolded and unfolded and unfolded. RantWoman could see lots of the tiny tables Metro favors for listing buses at different places. RantMom read the high points about major changes downtown and RantWoman asked for info about what was happening on Third Avenue. RantWoman is not sure what RantMom was reading from: RantWoman absorbed that there are changes in the stops for the 16 but RantWoman did not absorb anything else.

Then last night RantWoman read an item on the Seattle PI website:
http://blog.seattlepi.com/transportation/archives/238210.asp
RantWoman found it useful to hear that First Avenue buses she rides regularly are shifting to Third Avenue and was grateful for more detail about changes in bus routes at more Third Avenue bus stops. RantWman could probably call Metro and get help from live humans. RantWoman is versatile though and probably will solve her evolving needs by fogging around an asking people at different bus stops for help or MAYBE remembering to use the Trip Planner.

Meanwhile, Happy Shakeup to all!