Stupid Guest Tricks

And so, today, I was on a run from Saratoga Springs to MK, doing a mph over the speed limit on Bonnett Springs, when a big, yellow Mears bus passes me on the right doing at least ten mph faster than me. I hear startled wows, a couple people pull away from the right side of the bus. Then someone jokingly asks, "Why aren't we going that fast?"

My reply was one of the quickest I have ever given, and deadly serious. I didn't even need to think about it for a second. "Because you are my passengers and I hold your lives in the highest possible regard."

Silence for a moment, then, "Wow, thank you."

A few minutes later, we were on World Drive, coming up to Seven Seas Lagoon, where the Mears bus was turning left... or waiting to turn, rather. As we went by, I should have kept my mouth shut. I didn't do the most professional thing, but I couldn't help myself at that point. My foot depressed the microphone toggle; my mouth began to open and form words before I had thought about what I was doing. "Huh. Look how much time he saved."

The next thing I heard, I've never heard uttered by a guest before, only other Disney drivers. "Any particular reason his bus is yellow?" This time, I was able to keep my mouth shut.

One guy tried to tip his driver well as he got off my bus. He had his wife and three kids aboard with him.

I feel as though I am tooting my own horn, and that is not why I post this. Just one mistake can make me for a moment the worst driver in Florida when I am in a bus. The moment you start praising yourself on how good you are, you open up the door for that to happen, wider than your humanity already holds it for you.

Do yourself a favor, call Mears and let them know the bus number. That kind of crap shouldn't happen and they term drivers for that.

Unfortunately, when that type of thing happens, we are usually too busy trying to keep our bus and guests under control.

It's rare that I catch the culprit as to do so would recklessly endanger my guests.

First off Big Wallaby, congrats again on getting hired, and joining the team. Speaking of Mears, you should see them flying down 192 from MCO to the parks, when they are doing DME. They are going at 85 mph down the straightaways. I once came that way after picking a friend up fromTexas, and were headed for POR. Now I was doing over the speedlimit, and the DME bus passed me like I was sitting still. This happen back in February, and come to find out its "Common" among the DME and DCl buses.

Cranbiz wrote:Scheduling checks and say's that they don't show me as scheduled. She checks NOBrain and sure enough, I'm there.

I just transferred deparments, and racked up 6 NCNSU, while they were taking me out of My Disney Schedules. I almost got termed after my first week in my new role. I'm dreading the day they bring WorkBrain on for DRC. I've heard a TON of horror stories, and not to mention WorkBrain is not compatable with DRC and our programs as well.

Heya Brayon! Always good to hear from you, my friend.

As far as the Mears thing, if I ever decide to get into Transport management, one thing I would like to do is get rid of the Mears contract all together. They are a danger to have in the World, if they give guest service the way they drive, they can't be that good. I've been run off the road by about three different buses now when in my own car, where the bus, without signaling, just drifted over into my lane, despite my blowing my horn.

I come from having been in that business, and I happen to know that Prevost and Van Hool are crash tested to 65 mph; anything over is an experiment in guest safety. I've had quite a few run-ins with them in Disney buses (in my vast two months of experience driving a Disney bus); in training I had my first where I couldn't get into the parking lot at Pop Century where they do the Core training because the Mears bus was in the way.

If we could get rid of Mears and make it so Disney did all their own transportation, I would have no love lost for Mears Transportation.

Unfortunately, in the aforementioned bus, I didn't get the number. I've also been told that reporting them does nothing, so I don't look at numbers. However, I might start.