On Monday night while taking the Express home after 10pm, the bus driver refused to drop me off at my requested stop.
The MTA offers a program called "Request a Stop". After 10pm you can request the bus driver to make a specific stop and they will accomodate as long as the stop is on the route. I saw Anna Karenina on Monday night, (Beautiful production) and the film got out at 9:30pm. I waited over a half an hour for the bus home. Late nights it's best to take the BM3 because it drops me off closer to my apartment, but after waiting a half an hour the BM1 showed up. Now the first stop the BM1 makes in Kensington is Cortelyou Road, but since it was after 10pm, I asked the bus driver to please drop me off at the stop on Beverly Road and Coney Island Avenue. I didn't think it would be an issue because it's an actual bus stop, it's on the route, and since it was after 10pm the "Request a Stop" was in effect.
The bus driver refused. She insisted that she couldn't make the stop. I tried to remind her that she could because it was after 10pm, but she still refused. I asked the bus driver for her name or ID and the name of her direct supervisor. She refused to give me that information, but I got the bus number.
At nearly 11pm she passed my stop at Beverly Road and Coney Island Avenue and dropped me off on a deserted Cortelyou Road at nearly 11pm forcing me to walk an extra five blocks through some deserted streets. I know this neighborhood is pretty safe, but I like to be extra cautious late at night.
I called the MTA to lodge a complaint and I'm waiting for an update. I spoke with a "Mr. Hoffman" who asked me if I would be willing to testify against this driver. I told him I would. I am pursuing this because it's a safety issue. Over all I was okay getting home. But the next person might not be.
Again, love how you don't take shit. Good for you, and I'm sure it's not the first time that driver has done that. Even if "Request a Stop" wasn't in effect, human kindness and compassion should have been.
Posted by: Anne | November 29, 2012 at 01:22 AM