Sunday, September 09, 2007

SCAMMIN' OLD LADY

I had some early morning stuff this past week on the 4 line. There was one old lady that got on at 27th and lyndale a couple mornings. She was going into downtown just after rush hour started.

The first day, she smiled and put in 50 cents and showed her senior I.D.. I told her the fare was $2 during rush hour. She instantly got snotty and said the other driver never charges her that. I explained that the farebox changes automatically to rush hour fares and I would not be able to give her a senior transfer. She continued to be rude and insisted on a transfer. I told her that now she was aware of the correct fare so I would give her a transfer, but she would have to start paying the correct fare. She sat down and continued to go off about what a jerk I was. I kind of got pissed. I had not only let her get away with paying only 25% of the fare, but I had given her a transfer. Still, she was ranting and raving all the way into downtown! Some other passengers near the in the front seats told me she did this all the time.

The next day, there she was again. She got on, smiled as she showed me her senior I.D. an put in 50 cents. She held her hand up for the transfer. I told her we went through this yesterday and we were not going through this again today. She needed to pay the correct fare. She again tried the excuse that the other driver lets her do it. I told her I had informed her of the correct fare yesterday and I wasn't going to go through this all week, she needed to pay the required fare. She said she would pay it tomorrow and held her hand out for the transfer. I told her she would not be getting one. I gave her one yesterday and she still put up a fuss all the way downtown.

She stomped away and went and sat down. She didn't say one word all the way downtown. The two guys up front said it was about time she not get away with her game. I told them it wasn't all her fault. The other driver should not be letting her get away with it. Obviously, she has come to expect to pay senior fare during rush hour. I blame the other driver, partially.

Because Monday was a holiday and Friday was my "golden" anniversary (been a bus driver for 7 years on the 7th of September) and she hadn't gotten on on Tuesday, I am just hoping that whoever did my work on Friday didn't let her get away with it.

C'mon ,drivers, we all need to be on the same page!! Don't let people chose their own fare and stop letting them use mobility transfers from the light rail with no I.D.! This has gotten to be ridiculous.

2 Comments:

Blogger Mr Kramden said...

NO doubt!

10:13 AM  
Blogger Jeanne Ree said...

Mr K - I've been told I'm the only driver that checks mobility ID...do you? ESPECIALLY on light rail transfers.

6:19 PM  

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