VIKINGS PLAYOFFS
Seeing as the Minnesota Vikings are in the playoffs (Eat your hearts out, Packer fans!!), bus drivers are allowed to put the "GO VIKINGS" sign on the destination signs on the bus and we are allowed to wear Vikings jerseys, t-shirts and "baseball style" hats. As usual, I pushed the envelope a little yesterday. I wore the purple hat with the horns sticking out to the sides and the yellow braids. It was fun. I'd guesstimate that about 95% of the people that got on my bus got on smiling! Of course, I had my Peterson t-shirt, Viking beads and bracelets and purple scarf on along with the lovely hat. By far, the passengers enjoyed the horn hat much more than the regular "baseball style" Viking hats I had been wearing. MANY more people got on smiling when I wore the horn hat.
I wasn't just entertaining my passengers either. I had people in other vehicles giving me the thumbs up, flashing their headlights and honking their horns. It was great!
I think this temporary dress code does amazing things for public relations. It makes people see that we drivers are just like everyone else. They warm up to you instantly. It opens up conversation on and off the bus and gives the whole bus ride a comfortable, friendly feeling. I'd like to give my own thumbs up to those in the Management positions that allow this to happen. I hope they realize not only how great this is for public relations, but how it makes the bus a FUN place to spend a part of your day! Of course, I was on the mellow 24 line. Next week I have the 18, so we'll see (hopefully!) how much difference that makes.
Hopefully, the Vikes will take it all the way to the Superbowl so I can keep dressing purple and people can keep enjoying the spirit of the ride! GO VIKINGS!!
I wasn't just entertaining my passengers either. I had people in other vehicles giving me the thumbs up, flashing their headlights and honking their horns. It was great!
I think this temporary dress code does amazing things for public relations. It makes people see that we drivers are just like everyone else. They warm up to you instantly. It opens up conversation on and off the bus and gives the whole bus ride a comfortable, friendly feeling. I'd like to give my own thumbs up to those in the Management positions that allow this to happen. I hope they realize not only how great this is for public relations, but how it makes the bus a FUN place to spend a part of your day! Of course, I was on the mellow 24 line. Next week I have the 18, so we'll see (hopefully!) how much difference that makes.
Hopefully, the Vikes will take it all the way to the Superbowl so I can keep dressing purple and people can keep enjoying the spirit of the ride! GO VIKINGS!!
posted by Jeanne Ree at 4:28 PM
17 Comments:
I generally think pro sports are a dumb waste of time, but I do agree that, especially on a Friday that is right after a holiday, it can help brighten people's moods. I also think it can better public relations to let people wear funny hats.
BUT, especially in the cold, it is a big pain in the ass when the destination signs wipe off the route info completely to show "Go Twins, Go Vikes, Go Wolves or Go Wild". It would be one thing if the route number remained but it takes everything off.
One other thing: pro sports are fine if the customers of the business pay for it, but I am pissed about the Pohlad tax, and the balls of this Wilf character to try to get money when everything will be cut this year and some of your colleagues are likely to be laid off...I want to take him to the woodshed.
Maybe I'll see you on the 18 this week. Then again maybe not; there's probably 15-20 of them on the road during Rush hour.
Wow, what a buzzkiller.
Though I'm not a sports fan, I think sports are good for the community. Too bad the community doesn't OWN the Vikes like Green Bay owns the Packers.
Yay to Metro for letting drivers have a little fun! As to the destination signs, "Go Vikes", etc. is supposed to *rotate* with the destination sign, not wipe it off completely.
Transit trivia: Did you know Carl Pohlad was the last owner of Twin City Lines before the MTC bought it in 1970? Yes, the same Carl Pohlad....
Good luck driving the 18. That's my home route so I might see you! I usually get on or off at 28th.
During much of December, our (Albuquerque's) bus displays flash the usual...route # and name... then switch to Happy Holidays with a Christmas tree next to it. I love it; seeing this always puts me in a good mood.
Keep wearing your Viking hat. I am sure your riders love seeing it as much as I love our Christmas trees. I think I will send a suggestion to our transit department to do similar things for more events.
Pohlad's first of many businesses to be bailed out by the government?
Minn - I agree...taxpayers should not have to pay for stadiums. Perfect example...I heard on the news that Pohlad was worth a few BILLION dollars. Why should those scraping to get by be taxed for their "office"??
Dale - Thanks...again...for the laugh. U R fun! :)
John - The signs do rotate, but it might not be a bad idea to leave the route number in place. Wouldn't look as good, but would be more functional.
Abq - Vikes messed up, no more fun hats...'til next year, hopefully. We can only wear the hats when the teams are in the playoffs. Hope the Twins do it for us!! We also have a "Happy Holidays" sign, minus the tree. Not many drivers use it.
Thank you all for your comments!!
Smiling Carl isn't worth a penny anymore. R.I.P.
Ain't nobody gonna miss 'm. R.I.H.
Carl! (The first word is "Roast", which should make the last one obvious.)
Hawaii?
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Go Philly !
We used to work there as a legal worker and had Ex from the city.
Yes We Can ...............!
Dale - True, but I wonder if he has any cute, single, fun sons that are just dying to meet me!! ;) Wait, how old was the guy? Grandsons maybe.
John - I thought U were a good guy!!!?? I'm sure his family will miss him greatly and he DID have lots of friends. Just because he was stinkin' rich is not a reason to hate him. Go to your room and sit facing the corner for one hour and think about what you said.
Red - GO VIKINGS...next year!
How come i'm allwas aday late and dollar short guss i should read the tree day board... Miss out on sants hats and vikings
I'm sure Smiling Carl did more good than bad. Being a good business man doesn't make you a bad person. We only hear one side usually from the Star and Sickle saying how cheap he is, I mean was.
Renegade - actually, they were quite late in putting up the bulletin authorizing the fun gear. I knew they were going to and actually wore the hats all week and had the sign on my bus...all week. I figured they wouldn't write me up...not my fault they are a little slow getting their memos out. It's a given that we are allowed to do it when they make the playoffs. I'm glad they added shirts/jerseys again. Makes it more fun...and comfortable to drive. Hope the Twins do it next...I have plenty of Twins stuff to wear!
Dale - Never met the guy. People just tend to dog out the wealthy. He actually did a lot for charities. Shows he had a good heart...or needed tax deductions. Either way, he helped other people. The ones that dog him out need to look in the mirror and see how many people they've helped lately!
When your meager charitable donations are far exceeded by your massive public subidies, then I don't think you come out ahead. Were John Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie good people just because they gave most of their money away? Not really, because they made it by not just underpaying their workers, but busting unions and treating them like garbage. Also, thru some sinister anti-competitive business tactics.
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