I would like to publicly complain about the ignorance and rudeness of most of the Red Deer city transit drivers. I am fed up and have complained numerous times to the manager of the Transit Department and I am still finding drivers terribly rude.
The tip of the iceberg was July 15. I had taken my grandchildren to the fair and then to the water park, we had a wonderful day and on our trip home by Red Deer transit, my oldest was really tired and didn’t say a word, my one-and-a-half-year-old was still hyper from the day and was not screaming not crying, but playing like kids will, singing, just being a child.
The driver informed me if I did not keep the kids quiet I would have to leave the bus! When it comes to my grandchildren, I am a lion with teeth; you can mess with me but not the babies. I informed this driver that I knew my rights and if the children were screaming and crying I would have been happy to try to settle them down, but she was playing. He than told me that I would have to leave the bus and I told him not to start with me.
In the past, my daughter-in-law has gotten kicked off the bus in -20C weather because her children were crying. My son was asked to take his son off the bus in the middle of winter because he was crying. At this time, the kids were all under the age of two; what is it with people? Are kids not allowed to be kids anymore?
I have witnessed drivers leave people in -20 knowing they were running for the bus. I have even commented to one driver that it is cold, can you stop? Her reply was no. I have watched and complained to the city about drivers leaving a stop before people were seated and them actually falling and that is still going on.
Don’t get me wrong, there are a few awesome drivers out there, the one I had today is . . . not so nice.
I have been paying for and riding the bus because I have to. It is not a choice for me and this same driver has never said hello when people say hello and he has never commented when people thank him, he is rude and miserable. Is it too much to ask if you’re going to work with the public, then enjoy them. If you don’t like your job and don’t like people, get a new job! So what was a wonderful day with the influence of Red Deer transit drivers put a real damper on it!
Tammy Yvonne Pratt
Red Deer