(Mori)Bus Philosophorum: Bring Around the Shuttle! Or, How I Learned to Love the Fare Hike

This morning, getting off the shuttle I tripped on my pants and almost took a header down the stairs.  As I righted myself with a, “Whoa!” the driver, M, barely stifled a giggle and said, “Watch your step, there, Leigh!”  We both laughed and wished one another nice days free of twisted ankles.  That’s indicative of how you can’t help but get into comfortable driver/passenger relationships when you’re shuttle-busing it daily.  The drivers see you coming and going every day and get to know your schedule and try to do right by it.  I love that one driver, R, will, on especially cold days, swing through my building’s parking lot so we can wait inside the lobby and stay warm.  I love that he’ll do his darndest to catch up with and get us on the line bus if it’s pulling away from Crossgates.  I even love how when I’m late (most mornings) M will call me on it, teasing that I must have, “partied too hard the night before.”  He’s right more often than not and while sometimes it’s painful to smile through the hangover and accept my lumps, I do really appreciate the personal touch.  M asks after my grandmother and R knows about the new big project at work.  I look forward to hearing about vacations and kids and the current CDTA gossip.  It’s almost like having a chauffeur who genuinely cares about what’s going on in your life and remembers the little details that are important to you.  For $1.50 I think that’s kind of a bargain.