Atlanta Metro News

By Michael H. Smith

February 16, 2008 2:15 AM | Link to this

If there are cheaper ways to get to Atlanta, then what is the substance of the complaint, simply take advantage of the more economical alternatives, which probably is what should have been done previously, if these �cheaper ways� truly exist?

According to GTS: Fuel budget for 2008 is $2,358,000 compared to $1,200,000 in 2003, a 96.5% increase.

If fuel costs are at issue here, which likely they are, it is rather doubtful that MARTA or the individual can avoid, or absorb, these rising operating costs concurrent to these fuel price increases any more than GTS.

Taking the arguments at face value, even at $300 a month it is doubtful personal means of transportation, apart from carpool/ridesharing, would prove anymore economical in the case of this blog subject.

Broaching the broader issue relative to fuel costs, which has relevance in the costs upon everything thing else in this country, there are �cheaper ways� to sustain, prosper and secure all aspects of our economy by ending our dependence on, and use of, oil � mainly foreign oil.

Meantime, MARTA is not smarter than the train with a brain � �The Brain Train�.

By Bruce Wilcox

February 16, 2008 1:34 PM | Link to this

It’s typical Gwinnett politics, we never raise taxes, we either add or double fees (taxes).

Mr. Smith raises a good point about fuel costs, but fuel costs effect the other counties with mass transit. As far as I know there isn’t a mad dash to double ridership fees and they’re cheaper than Gwinnett’s to begin with.

We should be encouraging more to use the system, not discouraging them. The ‘Brain Train’ is a great idea, but it serves so small an area it would have little effect.

Bottom line, if we can subsidize the ‘Field of Dreams’, we should be subsidizng mass transit to an even greater extent.

By Michael H. Smith

February 16, 2008 2:40 PM | Link to this

Lets see how MARTA copes with these rising fuel costs. It is doubtful MARTA can hold off raising fares, unless of course, more taxpayer subsidies are provided to off-set these increasing fuel costs.

The Brain Train is only a first step in the right direction, in what should become a comprehensive statewide rapid rial solution, which “limited MARTA” will never be able to match.

http://www.dot.state.ga.us/dot/grpa/index.shtml

By Lee

February 16, 2008 5:48 PM | Link to this

MARTA may be smarta, but you’ll smell funny when you get there.

I ride one of the express buses in from Powder Springs. If my employer didn’t provide the tickets free of charge, I wouldn’t do it. Why would I want to pay more money than it would cost me for gas AND add 20-30 minutes to my commute?

Beside that, I’ve been impressed with the Exress bus service though. Clean buses. Business people on board, which means you don’t have to deal with the panhandlers and wino’s - like, say, a MARTA train.

By D

February 16, 2008 6:29 PM | Link to this

18 years ago, Gwinnett voted against bringing MARTA into the county. Maybe now is the time to get those trains up here. Doesn’t the system already own property going up to Gwinnett place? The trains offer a great alternative to even the buses because they are not competing for right of way. Even the buses can get caught in rush hour traffic. They also need to extend the east line past Indian Creek out to at least Stonecrest which would put a station within reach of people in the South Gwinnett and Shiloh areas.

By Mr. Jones

February 17, 2008 8:48 AM | Link to this

It sounds is Mr. Smith is ready to go to Washington. Of course the bus system is ran with Federal, State, and County subsidies. The purpose of the Gwinnett County Transit (GCT) Express Service is to reduce the traffic on the highway. Of course other Counties must pay the higher fuel costs. Other Counties have maintained reasonable rates, and even though they are proposing raises, the cost is still reasonable; unlike GCT. The County Commission must determine whether the purpose of the Express Service is worthwhile. Then they must decide it is more important to charge the astronomical fees that GCT proposes and defeat the purpose by putting people on the highway, or to keep rates reasonable to achieve the greater purpose. Mr. Smith I’m sure you are very intellectual; but buddy you have missed the boat on this one. Try using common sense sometimes. I would say the Mr. Appling deserves a decrease in his fairs; not an increase.

By Michael H. Smith

February 17, 2008 11:39 AM | Link to this

Cute doesn’t sole problems…. er’ Mr. Jones. Do take some time to review my comments again. First it would be totally unrealistic to think you can have “fares” remain the same while the costs of fuel and maintenance continue to rise. Second, two county commissioners are less than warm and friendly toward �mass transit�, as my commissioner put things:

As Gwinnett County Commissioner Kevin Kenerly said about the proposed commuter rail line from Athens to Atlanta, ” … this is not mass transit. It is intended to move professionals from their home to work.” The same goes for riders on GCT from Gwinnett to Atlanta.

So for the benefit of all bleeding hearts liberals�. �er Mr. Jones, it is safe to deduce that GCT is not seen by the county commission as having �a mission to serve the poor.� Third, MARTA has twice been defeated, rejected by Gwinnett County voters at the ballot box and if MARTA was put on the ballot again the results likely would not change. Fourth, the advantages of running buses to take cars off the road cannot compare to using rapid rail where �both buses and cars would be taken off the roads�. Fifth, the inter-county buses were not put into service to take cars off the road. They were added in an agreement made to build additional roadway � namely the GA HWY 20 expansion. Sixth, the Express Service does not serve the �greater purpose�, which is not simply to take cars off the road. The “greater purpose” is served in not having to build more roads, where in fact, there simply is not enough available land to build, say, another HWY 78 or I-85. Seventh, ballyhoo all you like about what other counties are doing, about MARTA and about defeated purposes, the dynamics of this problem need a completely different approach in practicality and politically to solve the mobility problem; so my friend�. er� Mr. Jones, first trying finding the dock before talking of missing boats.

By Bruce Wilcox

February 17, 2008 1:36 PM | Link to this

Let me understand this Mr. Smith, anyone who dare disagrees with you is a liberal. You must hold a powerful position to speak for all conservatives and somehow magically know which way a person leans.

The commission decides our tax dollars should be spent on the ‘Field of Dreams’ to serve the few, instead of Mass Transit to serve many, is a sound conservative stance?

Your grand plan of A train to carry the population of Gwinnett to Atlanta has a few problems of it’s own. What do trains run on, faith, hope and yes charity? They use enormous amounts of fuel, more fuel than all the buses combined. How many trains would you need to have it make any sense, would it be government subsidized?

I checked the link you provided and all I found were yearly studies, no suggestion as to when or even if the project will ever get off the ground. Now that is a typical conservative solution, let’s study the problem to death.

A Proud Liberal.

By Michael H. Smith

February 17, 2008 2:41 PM | Link to this

The liberal who most disagrees with me is you Mr. Wilcox, under a sundry of names. (LOL)

But now for some real answers, something you are usually very short on possessing, Mr. Wilcox.

Our county commissioners need to be challenged on meeting the transportation needs of the county at large, as much the same can be said of our state leaders. Their focus is obviously not in order with that of the average citizen of this county or state. Fact, our commissioners and state leaders cannot build the road capacity to accommodate our mobility needs. Fact, buses and even carpooling are at best short term partial fixes to a problem that will only worsen with every passing day. Fact, our commissioners and many of our fellow citizens� best realize that in our society there will always be people who lack a wholesome character, not everyone looks like us, not everyone smells like us or in the case of the fortunate industrious few, not everyone will produce six figure incomes. Fact, we have limited resources, a scarcity of time and a dependency on oil that is holding us hostage, engages us in war, is robbing our wealth, stifling our prosperity and driving up costs beyond affordability. Fact, politics being what they are, MARTA is not the answer outside of Fulton and DeKalb counties and GCT is not the answer outside of Gwinnett County. Fact, people and business demand efficient means of affordable mobility. Fact, neither Democrat nor Republican seems prepared to reach for the reasonable solutions immediately available. The Democrats want “a mission to serve the poor” controlled by government and unions where the Republicans affinity is purely to serve busine$$. Fact, the worst place to be in all of this is some where in the middle, because you�re not poor enough to own a Democrat and you�re not rich enough to have a Republican in your pocket! Now that both political sides have been sufficiently lampooned can we turn the page and write a new chapter?

What is the item most missing from our mobility picture? We have buses, we have cars but what we don�t have, is comprehensive rapid rail. Forget the tired old arguments about subsidies please. Every form of transportation mentionable is TAXPAYER SUBSIDIZED. So, how do we get comprehensive rapid rail into motion in the most cost effective means available?

Well, just so happens a few brilliant people have been working on answering this question over at the Georgia Rail Passenger Authority:

http://www.dot.state.ga.us/dot/grpa/index.shtml

After reviewing the maps � the commuter and the intercity routes � it should become very obvious what can be developed � in a public private entity - that will meet certain objectives that otherwise would never be met. In answering the Democrats who no doubt will demand �a mission to serve the poor� and for the elites and Republicans who will demand they not be forced to suffer the smelly shake-down artists, there is always the convenience separating rail cars into first-class and those rail cars reserved for Ms. Cynthia Tucker�s �stinky scruffy white beggars�.

Now all it takes is action from the state, the studies have been done and all the talk in the world moves nothing more than the air.

By Mr. Jones

February 17, 2008 5:51 PM | Link to this

Mr. Smith, are you for real? Get a life. You really think you’re the most intellectual person in the world? I pity you. You’re so caught up in proving your intellect. Common sense might help you become successful. You’re “intellect” is too phony.

By Mr. Jones

February 17, 2008 5:55 PM | Link to this

Mr. Smith, are you for real? Get a life. You really think you’re the most intellectual person in the world? I pity you. You’re so caught up in proving your intellect. Common sense might help you become successful. You’re “intellect” is too phony. Mr. Kenerly would rather have mass transit to Las Vegas to hob-knob. Find the solutions to your own life. You certainly don’t speak for normal people.

By Michael H. Smith

February 17, 2008 6:37 PM | Link to this

Yada, yada, yada, er’ Mr. Jones. You would not know commonsense if it ran over your buttock, so pity your abnormal self. There is a reason why I went to the trouble of kicking this discussion up to the state level. Obviously that fact went over your bloated head.

Meanwhile, I’ll just step aside so that vast throng you have following you has plenty of room to broad the MARTA train here in Gwinnett at cut-rate prices(LOL). Sweet dreams on those bus fares not rising beyond your desires and watch-out for those falling gas prices too.

And by the way, it is commonsense to click on the post button when submitting a comment only one time, like normal people do.

By Mr. Jones

February 17, 2008 6:42 PM | Link to this

Mr. Smith. I hope you got it all out. You have so much bottled up inside. Try a laxative. Here’s to your elusive success. Good luck. You will sure need it. I’m bored now, good night.

By Brad

February 17, 2008 6:50 PM | Link to this

I am waiting for MARTA to come to Suwanee. I live in Suwanee and commute to Mid-town daily. A commuter rail would be great!

By Michael H. Smith

February 17, 2008 7:01 PM | Link to this

Oh goodie! Mr. Dolt Jones gives up for the night. After listening to you Mr. Jones I really don�t need a laxative.

By Cliff Clavin

February 17, 2008 7:14 PM | Link to this

Mr. Jones…Please leave my buddy Michael H alone. He is full of knowledge. I only wish I knew half as much. You are like my friend Norm. You probably sit at the bar and sip beer constantly. Have some respect for intellect.

By Bruce Wilcox

February 17, 2008 7:32 PM | Link to this

Mr. Smith can you tell us how the Lovejoy to Atlanta line is doing, remember that one, according to the map it was suppose to open in 2006. Which is the last time I believe your great assemble held a meeting. Lines on a map Mr. Smith, that is all you have, lines on a map. Did you happen to notice the price tags along your green lines, being the map is old, wonder what the prices it would be now?

I noticed a few opening on the board, there are not any meeting planned this year, none last year, sounds like a position right up your alley.

Please Mr. Smith, “under a sundry of names”, have you been taking your medication?

By Michael H. Smith

February 17, 2008 7:47 PM | Link to this

Hate to disappoint you Brad but waiting on MARTA defies logic. First, why reinvent the railroad? Norfolk-Southern has tracks already in place that run through the heart of Suwanee and likely owns more right - of - way to expand any additional needed commuter rail service into, not only Atlanta, but destinations far beyond as well. Secondly, you will have to get MARTA back on the ballot, with two commissioners opposed to mass transit and the track record MARTA has for defeat in this county?

But for the sake of argument, say the best wishes transpired. How long would you have to wait for MARTA to get the right - of - way into Suwanee, how many lawsuits would that produce, how many eminent domain cases will be produced, how much disruption due to construction are you willing to put up with and are you willing to pay the increase in taxes?

Remember the fluff survey that was recently taken and how many people who said they wanted MARTA but were unwilling to pay for it?

Not only would commuter rail be great, it will be absolutely necessary going forward. However, why should we settle for something that is less than adequate to meet our rapid rail mobility needs?

Take a look at the maps � the commuter and the intercity routes � over on the Georgia Passenger Rail Authority site:

http://www.dot.state.ga.us/dot/grpa/index.shtml

Then tell me which would you rather have: The limited mobility of MARTA or something that is more comprehensive in scope like what the Georgia Passenger Rail Authority has in mind.

Then also convince me how to sell MARTA, a government entity limited service model, to a group of Republicans that by credo oppose increasing government’s size and power. I think it will be far easier to get the Republicans on broad with a public private sector model that encompasses the state, than it will be to get their support for expanding MARTA.

All that Norcross, Duluth, Suwanee, Sugar Hill and Buford needs are commuters trains on those Norfolk-Southern tracks to give you what you want and then some.

By Romulus Ledbetter

February 17, 2008 7:55 PM | Link to this

It’s true Michael, the Georgia Passenger Rail Authority is controlling the world. There is nowhere to hide. We must give in the them.

By Michael H. Smith

February 17, 2008 7:56 PM | Link to this

Poor Brucie must be positioning for a MARTA appointment. How many times has MARTA failed passage in Gwinnett? If you think MARTA is going to pass and bus fares are going to drop, because you and a few rant, then it is you who needs that medication my friend.

By Michael H. Smith

February 17, 2008 8:07 PM | Link to this

Ah now Romulus, I doubt the Georgia Passenger Rail Authority rules the world but I will venture a gentleman’s wager that the chances of seeing rapid rial ever become a reality in Gwinnett are better with GPRA, than they are with MARTA.

By Romulus Ledbetter

February 17, 2008 8:08 PM | Link to this

The mind controlling beams come from the top of the MARTA trains. We must stop them Michael.

By Romulus Ledbetter

February 17, 2008 8:14 PM | Link to this

GPRA = Georgia Passenger Rail Authority GPRA = Government Performance and Results Act.

Now we know, it’s a Government conspiracy to control us.

By Michael H. Smith

February 17, 2008 8:19 PM | Link to this

Sure thing there Romulus, join Mr. Wilcox in a dose of that medication, will ya?

Meantime, the sensible few of us will continue to press forward at the state level to get those commuter rail-lines for the Brain Train and the Norfolk-Southern side of the county.

By Mae West

February 17, 2008 8:24 PM | Link to this

Don’t let them get you down honey. Any time you’ve got nothing to do and lots of time to do it come on up. You know what they say: “Don’t keep a man guessing too long - he’s sure to find the answer somewhere else.” I have always believed that a man in the house is worth two in the street. Keep pecking away at that keyboard.

By Aaron Neville

February 17, 2008 8:31 PM | Link to this

Don’t you listen to them Michael, son. Everybody plays the fool sometimes. It may be natural; it may be cruel. But, everybody plays the fool.

By Michael H. Smith

February 17, 2008 8:33 PM | Link to this

PIFF.

I think Mr. Wilcox can better do the honors there Mae, besides he has many more personalities. MPD (Multiple Personality Disorders)is tragic, though, at times entertaining.

By Mae West

February 17, 2008 8:39 PM | Link to this

Michael, Do you think his mother should have thrown him out and kept the stork?

Nite-Nite Michael, I see you’re a man with ideals. I better be going before you’ve still got them.

By Mrs. Smith

February 17, 2008 8:45 PM | Link to this

OK Michael, it’s almost your bedtime. Tell your new friends good night and brush your teeth.

By Romulus Ledbetter

February 17, 2008 8:48 PM | Link to this

Hey Michael, Don’t forget to put on your tinfoil cap to block the MARTA and GPRA rays. Later buddy.

By Michael H. Smith

February 17, 2008 8:50 PM | Link to this

Whatever.

By Cheech Marin

February 17, 2008 8:54 PM | Link to this

PIFF. Wow man, do you share. That’s good S………..

By Brucie W. Fudd and Company

February 17, 2008 8:56 PM | Link to this

Waaaaaa Ha Haaa! I am such a woser.

By Cheech Marin

February 17, 2008 9:02 PM | Link to this

Great comeback man. What about that PIFF. After, we can get some of your mom’s (Mrs Smith’s) pie. Sound like a plan Mick?

By Michael H. Smith

February 17, 2008 9:06 PM | Link to this

Yep, any serious discussion really brings the loony tunes out, Mr. Badie. Think I’ll go watch the cartoon channel, the actors are better over there.

By Skitziod

February 17, 2008 9:06 PM | Link to this

Keep right on thinking you know I am. This is too much fun. You know this message is for you. I don’t even have to use your name. Your are so smart you can figure it out. Just look in the mirror.

By Stewie Griffen

February 17, 2008 9:16 PM | Link to this

See you next time. Can’t wait to you elevate us to a higher level again. That was soooo cerebral. Maybe the next time we can take a ride in the magical GPRA spaceship. That previous one….that…..that….was Elmer Fudd wasn’t it? Wasn’t it? So, hilarious. You take the pie; I mean cake. Haha….

By Fred

February 18, 2008 2:43 PM | Link to this

Mr. Smith,

The proposals you outlined are doomed to failure for two reasons.

They make sense, (this alone is enough to kill any idea).

Kicking the mass transit to the state level eliminates the amount of graft and personal power each County official has or can acquire.

By Bruce Wilcox

February 18, 2008 7:36 PM | Link to this

Fred, read the link Mr. Smith provided, it is the state. The map is from 2004, the board hasn’t held a meeting since 2006, where’s the solution at the state level?

Back to bus fares, doubling the fares because of the cost of fuel is foolish, instead of promoting conservation, the increase will have the opposite effect by forcing more commuters back to the highway.

There are two openings on the GPRA board, maybe if both Mr. Smith and yourself put your names in for appointments you could force a meeting, otherwise it’s just an old map from 2004.

By Michael H. Smith

February 19, 2008 1:42 AM | Link to this

Brucie can’t accept defeat Fred, oh well.

Brain Train is still alive.

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2008/02/14/rail_0215.html

MARTA found twice dead in Gwinnett, no resurrection in sight.

By Bruce Wilcox

February 19, 2008 12:08 PM | Link to this

Mr. Smith enough with the childish name calling, it really doesn’t help your position.

So you finally admit that the only hope alive is the ‘Brain Train’. Now let us really look at this, a bill passed committee, but now it has to pass two houses and be signed by Sonny, hardly a done deal.

Let’s say it passes all the state roadblocks, all it does is give counties the right to raise taxes to pay for it. Do you think that the taxpayers of Gwinnett will be willing to have their taxes raised to benefit a few. After getting screwed on the ‘Field of Dreams’, do you really think it would have a chance of passing? Let’s say the taxpayers of Gwinnett are not the brightest and the commissioners could pull the wool over their eyes again, now the biggest problem.

Why, oh why, should the two counties picking up the tab for MARTA raise taxes to help Gwinnett when Gwinnett has never helped them?

Besides in those two counties that are far below Gwinnetts high standards, the area served by the ‘Brain Train’ are already served by MARTA.

In other words, like the 2004 map, all the ‘Brain Train’ is and always will be, just a line on a map.

By D

February 20, 2008 3:44 PM | Link to this

we can all thank the morons that voted for the best friends the oil companies ever had in the white house, oh wait, that’s right, Jesus would have wanted inflated gas prices for our children and for the U S of A, we get what we ask for, and if we want to be lied to and played it’s our own fault. I’ll say it again, “JUST BECAUSE SOMEBODY SAYS THEY ARE A CHRISTIAN DOESN’T MEAN JESUS THINKS SO!”…ahhhh, that felt better…

By Keon

February 20, 2008 4:01 PM | Link to this

You get what you pay for. They arrogantly said they did not want MARTA because it would bring undesirable elements to their community. Even now they have a pathetic excuse for transit with a miniature system because they refuse to have MARTA. They don’t want to pay a 1%tax! So if that is what the people want, they they have to pay the price and that means HIGHER fees.

By dunwoody in denver

February 20, 2008 4:43 PM | Link to this

All I can say is come out to Denver sometime.

I moved here 5 years ago and take the light rail system (RTD) to work downtown and back nearly every day. I also take it to Broncos/Nuggets/Rockies/Avalanche games downtown as well as whenever my girlfriend and I go out to restaurants and/or bars or any festivals downtown.

Currently the system has two main lines, each going from downtown out to the far southern suburbs (about 20 miles away). Back in 2004 the voters (throughout the ENTIRE metro area) voted for an enormous expansion of the system, called “FasTracks.”

This, when completed, will expand the entire rail system to nearly 200 miles of track, connecting the western, eastern, and northern suburbs to downtown, as well as commuter rail lines connecting to Boulder (35 miles away) and the airport (30 miles away). Union Station downtown will be redeveloped as a regional transit hub, and will be one of the largest mixed-use developments in the city.

The funny thing is that Douglas County (the one in CO) voted for the tax increase, even though it is over 75% Republican and over 90% white. Douglas County, CO is what Forsyth County will be in 10-15 years; 25 years ago there was nothing there (population was about 25,000) and now after being the fastest-growing county during the 90’s and early 00’s it’s around 275,000. If they can vote for it why can’t Cobb and Gwinnett?

By dunwoody in denver

February 20, 2008 4:46 PM | Link to this

All I can say is come out to Denver sometime.

I moved here 5 years ago and take the light rail system (RTD) to work downtown and back nearly every day. I also take it to Broncos/Nuggets/Rockies/Avalanche games downtown as well as whenever my girlfriend and I go out to restaurants and/or bars or any festivals downtown.

Currently the system has two main lines, each going from downtown out to the far southern suburbs (about 20 miles away). Back in 2004 the voters (throughout the ENTIRE metro area) voted for an enormous expansion of the system, called “FasTracks.”

This, when completed, will expand the entire rail system to nearly 200 miles of track, connecting the western, eastern, and northern suburbs to downtown, as well as commuter rail lines connecting to Boulder (35 miles away) and the airport (30 miles away). Union Station downtown will be redeveloped as a regional transit hub, and will be one of the largest mixed-use developments in the city.

The funny thing is that Douglas County (the one in CO) voted for the tax increase, even though it is over 75% Republican and over 90% white. Douglas County, CO is what Forsyth County will be in 10-15 years; 25 years ago there was nothing there (population was about 25,000) and now after being the fastest-growing county during the 90’s and early 00’s it’s around 275,000. If they can vote for it why can’t Cobb and Gwinnett?

By dunwoody in denver

February 20, 2008 4:50 PM | Link to this

Sorry about the double post; the AJC’s submission process is screwy sometimes…

By Eric

February 20, 2008 4:53 PM | Link to this

I ride Gwinett Transit each day from te Discover Mill Park and Ride. Each day is an adventure. Will the bus get downtown without breaking down? Will the driver go at a brisk pace or will they move at 35-45 MPH wen there is no traffic on I-85? Will we have one of the really horrible small city buses? Will I get to the stop five minutes early and still have to stand for the ride downtown or wait on the next bus for a seat? Gwinnett Transit has not earned a rate hike increase rather they owe their riders who stick with the system because mass transit is the best option. I would be very happy with GRTA or MATRA taking over the system. At least these two groups want people to use mass transit.

Ask yourself, when was the last time you saw a broken down or on fire MARTRA train or GRTA bus? I have seen plenty of these on our Gwinnett system in the past couple years!

By pink panther

February 20, 2008 5:09 PM | Link to this

Riding from Gwinnett to downtown, I have no problem with the fare increase as long as it is reasonable. Jacking up the fare 55% per month is hard to swallow — I can see paying an additional 20.00 to 25.00 per month, but 55.00? Come on! Better yet, instead of the fare increase discussions, can we find a solution to the following:

Can we do something about all the arrogant, rude, thoughtless “it’s all about me” riders who spend the entire commute talking on their cell phones every morning and every evening? When did we become a society with so much to say about absolutely nothing? If you feel you and the work you do are so important that you have to share it with the entire bus every day, then perhaps you should consider a private limo for your important self. A one-minute cell call to your home to check on the kids, the office or the like is fine, but after that, please hang up the phone and find something to read, take a nap or look out the window. You cell phone screamers are forcing the rest of us to hear what we don’t want to hear, and it is a total invasion of personal space to the rest of us. Oh, and it’s rude, especially at 7:00 AM or after a long day at the office.

For those of you who want everyone to hear the music on your I-Pod — please turn it down! We all hear the tinny, brassy sound coming from your ears — we do not think you are cool — we think you are rude. We’ve been listening to telephones, copy machines, computers, printers, and people all day long - we don’t want to hear your music.

Please, no more boarding the bus with fast-food bags and Styrofoam dinner containers — the smell alone is sickening. I don’t see anyone on the bus ready to pass out from starvation, so please wait until you get to your car in the evening or eat in your car before you board in the morning. The stench of the fat and grease is sickening to pregnant women and anyone who may not be feeling well that day.

Piling your bags, purses, coats on the empty seat next to you does not keep others from taking that seat — it just means you have to pick it all up and let them sit down. Pretending you are asleep while we walk down the aisle for an empty seat is the oldest trick in the book — we know who you are.

When you arrive at the bus stop in the morning, please, please, please do not cut in line ahead of 40 other people who have been waiting for the bus. Walking up to the middle of the line and then pretending you don’t know where the line starts and stops doesn’t cut it. We know who you are and we will call you out if you cut in line.

The bus is not your private limo service, your personal space, your kitchen, your family room, your private phone booth. You are riding a bus with about 40+ other people who have to work for a living, just like you. We want to get to work on time, just like you. We want the best possible ride to work or home, just like you.

Please, a little manners and common courtesy go a very long way.

All aboard!

By pink panther

February 20, 2008 5:10 PM | Link to this