Calling Cranbiz: Bad Bus Problem

[EeyoresButterfly]

Cranbiz: I found this quote in a post on another forum. Cranbiz, oh God(dess?) of all things busses, we need your divine wisdom! Apparently they experienced problems all trip with CMs being very inconsistent and unprofessional when it came to loading the ECV onto the busses. The following quote represents the most disturbing experience:

The worst night however was yet to come! We had gone to Downtown Disney to do some shopping and had tickets to the Pirate Party at MK. Since there is no transportation to MK from DD we went over to Saratoga Springs to catch the MK bus there and also because we wanted to see that resort as we were considering becoming DVC members before this trip. We arrived at the bus stop and 6:50 pm. At about 7:15 the first MK bus arrived however the bus was having troubles and broke down. No problem those things happen. At about 7:40 another MK bus shows up this bus had room for us and was one of the low buses with a ramp however the bus driver comes out and tells that there is too many people waiting that we will have to take the next bus even though we were the 2nd family in line of all the people who were waiting. So then 20 minutes later at 8pm another MK bus shows up there are about 10 people already on the bus and about 6 other people waiting in line with us. This bus was the type with the lift. The bus driver gets off the bus and tells he won't take us because the lift takes too long and is difficult and that there is a lowboy bus 2 buses behind him which will be much easier for my mom to park the ECV on. We tell him we have been waiting since 6:50 (now over an hour at this point) and that we have no problems using the lift as we have used it several times before on this trip and we are trying to get to the Pirate Party and the parade at least before it starts at 8:30. He proceeds to argue with us saying that's not true as he was at the stop 45 minutes ago. This guy was a total jerk. So on he goes without us. 5 more buses come in the meantime none of them for MK so much for him telling us that there was another MK bus 2 buses right behind him. This guy totally lied to us then has the nerve to accuse us of lying to him.

So now it's 8:15 and finally an MK bus comes from the other direction (it was finally the replacement for the 1st MK bus that broke down) and takes us to MK for the pirate party. Thank goodness the parade started in Frontierland or we would have totally missed it. So we ended up waiting 1 1/2 hours for an MK bus at Saratoga Springs. We could understand 40 minutes due to the bus breaking down but 1 1/2 hours and being what we felt to be discrimination was uncalled for.

[felinefan]

I hope the person who reported this also went to City Hall and complained. There's no excuse for that.

[EeyoresButterfly]

She did go to City Hall, and the solution according to her was to give them a GAC (which they felt was kind of stupid since they had the ECV). The bus driver who loaded them also mentioned talking ot the hotel concierge, and she talked to them and got FP for one ride and was told to meet the manager of the busses at a specific place at a specific time- he never showed.

[felinefan]

That doesn't sound like much of a solution. I think the next step is to go up higher.

[EeyoresButterfly]

She is writing a letter to GR.

[Cranbiz]

If what she said was true and not exagerated, then that is completely against policy and totally uncalled for.

The only reason to pass on a disabled guest is if your bus is completely full and you would need to ask a guest already on board to exit. No excuse for the RTS driver, the lift does not take that long.

If I'm Signal 72, then I'll explain the situation to the guest and call a coordinator for another bus. If I have room to get them on and not cause injury to a guest on board, then it's load em up and go.

As a w/c / ECV needs to be loaded before any other guests at that stop, it does not matter how many are in line at the door, the EVC is susposed to be loaded first. Period!

I'm very surprised that a manager did not meet them. It's not like a transportation GSM to blow off a guest.

I hope that they got bus numbers and times (although I bet not).

Unfortunately, some of this is due to MiM's phase 2.5, most of it is just the type of person being cast into a bus driver role. This will never happen on my bus or would have happened when BW was driving.

[February]

If what she said was true and not exagerated, then that is completely against policy and totally uncalled for.

The only reason to pass on a disabled guest is if your bus is completely full and you would need to ask a guest already on board to exit. No excuse for the RTS driver, the lift does not take that long.

If I'm Signal 72, then I'll explain the situation to the guest and call a coordinator for another bus. If I have room to get them on and not cause injury to a guest on board, then it's load em up and go.

As a w/c / ECV needs to be loaded before any other guests at that stop, it does not matter how many are in line at the door, the EVC is susposed to be loaded first. Period!

I'm very surprised that a manager did not meet them. It's not like a transportation GSM to blow off a guest.

I hope that they got bus numbers and times (although I bet not).

Unfortunately, some of this is due to MiM's phase 2.5, most of it is just the type of person being cast into a bus driver role. This will never happen on my bus or would have happened when BW was driving.

Cranbiz, is it true that soon there will be no more human dispatchers? A man with a clipboard at the GF bus stop told us this last month, and asked us to write to Guest Communications about our bus experiences on the trip because they 'listen to guests more than they listen to us'.

I was horrified at the thought of no human dispatchers- what happens when unexpected illness or something happens to the driver or a bus breaks down, then what? Seems to me they still need people to deal with the uncertainties.

Meantime, I got out of my chair (I know I am lucky to be able to, many can't) every time we boarded a bus this past trip and I will continue to do it as long as I am able. After our last trip when I was not secured properly at all and my chair went rolling after a hook that was too loose let go (my senior dad dove across the aisle and held me down to stop the chair!, and yes the brakes were on- we were going round a steep curve somewhere out by DTD at the time) I will not let them secure me on a bus again until the day I am totally unable to exit the chair.

I noticed the company I rented the chair from this time even added to the form you sign before hand that you will not stay in the chair on busses or monorails. I thought that was an interesting addition from the previous times I rented from them. . .

Btw, we had nice bus drivers the few times we did take them during our last trip- only once did we have to wait a long time for a bus (from HS to EPCOT) but overall, I know that monorail hotels are the only way to go for me- I just have to be able to get back to the room in pretty short order if my body pulls a SHT (Stupid health trick) on me. . .

Bru

[Big Wallaby]

The bus driver who loaded them also mentioned talking to the hotel concierge

Interesting. The way you describe it, it sounds like my roommate. I'll have to ask him if the story sounds familiar...

If what she said was true and not exagerated, then that is completely against policy and totally uncalled for.

Not to mention rude with no real reason...

The only reason to pass on a disabled guest is if your bus is completely full and you would need to ask a guest already on board to exit. No excuse for the RTS driver, the lift does not take that long.

Just for reference, I had to pass up a guest in a wheelchair twice in the nine months I drove buses.

If I'm Signal 72, then I'll explain the situation to the guest and call a coordinator for another bus.

And you let them see that you are doing everything you can. I never left until after that call had been made.

As a w/c / ECV needs to be loaded before any other guests at that stop, it does not matter how many are in line at the door, the EVC is susposed to be loaded first. Period!

They have to wait long enough for other things, and if they waited in line with everyone else it would actually make life harder on us, them and all the other guests around them.

I'm very surprised that a manager did not meet them. It's not like a transportation GSM to blow off a guest.

No kidding.

Unfortunately, some of this is due to MiM's phase 2.5, most of it is just the type of person being cast into a bus driver role. This will never happen on my bus or would have happened when BW was driving.

It's been interesting to see how old drivers that were not Disney took the new system as permission to change into something awful, and now , sadly, Casting doesn't care what kind of person you are to hire you into bus driving. I've even heard you don't need a pulse.

Cranbiz, is it true that soon there will be no more human dispatchers? A man with a clipboard at the GF bus stop told us this last month, and asked us to write to Guest Communications about our bus experiences on the trip because they 'listen to guests more than they listen to us'.

That's the plan, anyway. And that coordinator has it right. They gave us a hotline to call with complaints and questions about the system, but they never got back to us. I stopped calling. Ever.

I was horrified at the thought of no human dispatchers- what happens when unexpected illness or something happens to the driver or a bus breaks down, then what? Seems to me they still need people to deal with the uncertainties.

They say the system can cover that. I'll believe it when I see it.

I noticed the company I rented the chair from this time even added to the form you sign before hand that you will not stay in the chair on busses or monorails. I thought that was an interesting addition from the previous times I rented from them. . .

I knew about buses, and I always make people get out, but I don't know why you would need to transfer on the Monorail.

[February]

I didn't get that either, Wallaby- except the time my chair went over the side of the ramp trying to load (that was when the ramps were narrower) I much prefer sitting in the seat on the monorail facing forward than riding sideways loaded on the chair.

Only thing is there have been days when I literally was too weak to get out of the chair and had to be wheeled all the way back to the room in it- and then went straight to bed once back to the room. I know that people who operated the monorails at the resort must've thought it odd that at some times I was using my crutch and waiting with the chair folded when the train pulled up, other times we had to ask for the ramp. But with my body- there are times you can move, and times you just can't even if the house was on fire.

When you're sitting in the big cab, I know that your guests will be treated like gold :)

I am going to put my objections to the new bus system in writing. I meant to do it sooner but between my eyes and being so sick with that respiratory thing for 2 weeks after we got home, I haven't been able to. But I have the name of the Coordinator I talked to- he gave me the card with the address to write to himself- and he was a great guy so anything I can do to help the wearers of the Purple Pants, I'm all for it.

Bru

[Big Wallaby]

But I have the name of the Coordinator I talked to- he gave me the card with the address to write to himself- and he was a great guy so anything I can do to help the wearers of the Purple Pants, I'm all for it.

While I am not sure whether you want to mention said coordinator in a letter (other than that he was helpful, so as to not sound like you're just complaining), but I would love to get their name.