Some folks who enjoy the public announcements of U bus driver Robert Moore were very unhappy to see him silenced after a recent complaint. So much so that they started a petition:
Dear Mayor Kevin Foy
For the duration of his ten years of employment with Chapel Hill Transit System, bus driver Robert Moore has consistently used the vehicle's intercom system to speak to the passengers on his various routes. These verbal exchanges involve Mr. Moore wishing riders well as they board the bus, exit the bus, and inspiring them with positive, self-affirming encouragement during the actual commute. Some of the addresses take on a call and response format between Mr. Moore and the passengers, for those who wish to participate. There is no coercion used on passengers who do not wish to speak, nor are there consequences of any kind for those who choose not to participate.
Earlier this year, a complaint made by a passenger to the Chapel Hill Transit Department resulted in Mr. Moore's superiors prohibiting him from using the intercom to speak to his passengers as made customary by his decade-long tradition. We, the undersigned, represent the majority of taxpaying consumers of the Chapel Hill Transit System (specifically the routes driven by Robert Moore), and find this change of affairs thoroughly unacceptable.
Given that:
- Mr. Moore's commentary is uplifting and non-incendiary in nature, and
- is popularly supported by the vast majority of his passengers, and
- interacting with his passengers allows Mr. Moore to take pride in and enjoy his job, and
- such a public display of job satisfaction is rare and should be encouraged, not discouraged, and
- an occasional complaint is unavoidable, since not everyone can be fully satisfied,We strongly request that Robert Moore be granted the same full intercom freedom he (and we) enjoyed before the complaint was lodged, and executive action taken.
Issues:
Comments
Although I ride the bus
Although I ride the bus everyday, I don't think I've had the pleasure of being on Mr. Moore's route. And, I do think it would be a pleasure. Next stop, tearing down the quotes that another driver tapes to the front of the bus. Then, those pesky "non-profit" ads.
The only more mainstream thing i wish we would do is accept money for exterior paint. Sorry, but those bus paint jobs aren't adding to the beauty of the community, but some tasteful ads could bring in much needed revenue without being gaudy.
I'll accept (not having
I'll accept (not having heard him) that his remarks are uplifting and "non-incendiary", but even so, persistent yammering on a public address system I can't escape while riding the bus would drive me up the wall. I'll admit it: I like to be quiet sometimes, and one of the pleasures of public transportation, for me, is the opportunity just to sit and notice my thoughts going by.
As much as I am a fan of
As much as I am a fan of free speech, I have ridden Robert's bus, and I disagree that his commentary is non-coercive. He does get irritated when people do not respond in the way that he wants, and suggests that something is wrong with you if you don't feel like being pleasant & chatty on a hot crowded bus at the end of a work day. I find his cheerfulness to be false-- when you try to greet him pleasantly while boarding, he does not return the favor. Also, I found it strange and disturbing that he tapes his remarks and the passengers' responses to play back over the PA-- surely an unsafe distraction for a driver, but what does he do with those tapes? I think bus drivers deserve kind human interaction, a greeting when you board and a "thanks" when you disembark, but while the bus is in motion, I'd prefer their eyes and minds to be focused on driving.
I never saw him get
I never saw him get seriously irritated. He just says something like "Come on now, I know there are more of you back there than that." I just can't get into the mind of someone who would be intimidated by this. It's very friendly. He's like the Mr. Rogers of bus drivers. And saying "Hello Robert" is hardly being chatty. And I'm not a very talkative or social person at all.