All tales from Route ?
Cell phone sin
My question is less a tale to tell and more a question to pose for busriders. What, if any, are the “bus cell phone rules?”
I’m guessing most of us have encountered a loud bus cellphone talker at some point. The person who blabs on and on in what seems to be an unnecessarily loud voice. […]
Nails flying in all directions
Many years ago (over 30) when I was a college student attending the University of Minnesota, I would take the bus from Northeast Minneapolis to campus (I can’t remember the number). A woman would sit in the front of the bus and clip her fingernails, with the nails flying in all directions. This […]
Lost in translation
I was describing this site to another driver, Leo, and he came up with a couple of good stories. Back when the fare was $1.50 he picked up five passengers at a stop, only one of whom spoke even a smattering of English. He believes they were German.
The Mental Makeover
It’s guaranteed that – depending on which bus line you ride – between 25 and 100% of your fellow riders will seriously need a makeover. So if it’s one of those days when you’re out of reading material and gazing out the window just won’t do, consider performing the Mental Makeover.
Tip-toeing to the bathroom
One morning while on the bus we were stopped at a very busy intersection where two city streets meet. I looked up to see that the light was green for us, and cars were passing us in the left lane. I wondered why we weren’t moving, and I looked out the window to […]
Take this, it’s free
I, as a driver found a “stored value” card with $8 bucks left on it after checking the bus after an a.m. express run. Because I usually have the same bus every day, I keep L & F items on board for a week or so, then if not claimed, it gets turned in. No […]
First day of college
My first day of college at the U of M will be a day that will live on in my mind as of the worst days of my life. I was very nervous about taking the bus as I had only taken the bus to the Mall of America two or three times and […]
Sleepy behind the wheel
The best bus stories are told in the garages where drivers swap tales. Perhaps there is a shared need to confirm that each is not the only one experiencing some of the strangeness that occurs out there. One day there was a discussion of getting sleepy while behind the wheel. John mentioned […]
Large Coke and Fries!
I was on a seemingly endless Greyhound ride from Missoula MT to Toledo OH many years ago. Somewhere during the night out in the middle of nowhere we stopped for a break at some lowly fast food joint. It was probably 3 or 4 in the morning and oddly enough, I was the only passenger […]
Unbathed and out of sorts
Twenty years ago, I was traveling from Corpus Christi to Boston. I remember being somewhere in South Carolina, feeling very sick, and a woman brought me cream of mushroom soup in a styrofoam coffee cup. I was so thankful.
Door-to-Door Service
Paul is a busdriver for Rochester City Lines, who has become a friend over the years. I first met Paul when he drove the last bus that left from the college, and arrived downtown at the transfer station around 10 p.m. My house was still quite aways from downtown, but I could easily […]
Good old 1040
I’m a retired bus driver! After nearly 27 yrs. of driving, I do have many stories. I will not relate them now. I just want to say “WHAT A TRIP THOSE YEARS WERE” The thing I miss most about the job? The wonderful people I met. this is “GOOD OLD […]
Breaking up is hard to do
This story goes back a couple of years, to the early 2000’s, and I remembered it while reading some of these fabulous stories on bustales.
Da-do-ron-ron
I ride the bus in Rochester, and have for several years. The bus culture is very diverse: You have your Mayo Clinic doctors and staffers going between Park ‘n’ Ride and clinic buildings; you have lots of ethnicity because Rochester prides itself in its diversity.
No you can’t ride
I have been a mechanic at metro transit for 23 years. One very cold winter, 1991 halloween snow storm, we were towing a bus south on central ave and I was steering the bus. I had to leave the front doors open to run the air supply hose for the brakes. We were stopped […]
Pure body stench
Im a driver on a suburban regional route, pretty quiet most of the time. Even on the burbs there are people who are “lacking hygenic skills.” Are they homeless making the rounds on MTC buses, as many do daily, or just folks afraid of water, I don’t know.
The Bitch Stare
I am a bus driver of 15 years, I would like to know one thing. When I greet each person that steps on the bus , Why can’t I get a simple response? I get the bitch stare instead. Is it something I might of said? Why do you get on and totaly ignore the […]
Exit by rear
Most of the time, fellow riders are kind and thoughtful of one another. The following situation bugs the crap out of me and if it’s been published before, please feel free to delete this entry (or edit at will):
Survival Tips
I am a frequent user of public transportation and can offer the novice rider some survival tips.
Lost & Found
I’m a bus driver, so will leave the route info off. Several days ago I had a passenger leave behind a full box of assorted “adult beverages”. There was beer, good scotch and tequilla as well. We never did find out who it belonged to, but probably cost over $100 bucks.
