Praise for CTA bus drivers and all employees
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On the Foster bus today, two bus drivers behind me compared notes about their jobs and start times. Bus drivers are a big part of my day, as a consummate CTA rider, so I piped up: “And I’m grateful that you do” to the guy who arrives at work at 2:30 a.m.
I explained my love for CTA bus drivers, countless of whom have been SO nice. Twenty years ago, a driver waited as I shuffled half a block, suffering from painful plantar fasciitis. To this day, I remember that kindness with gratitude.
Today’s driver reported waiting through 3 green lights for an older woman using a walker to catch up to him. His passengers were irate.
These acts of kindness add up and warm the heart.
When I board the train, someone usually sweeps up the trash left behind by careless, unthinking passengers. I’ve gotten to know Armando by name. If our culture were more conscious, that menial job would be unnecessary but, as it is, if no one cleans up, the trains would be disgusting in short order.
A guy recently ranted on Reddit that it took 1.5 hours to get home from the opera due to many delayed buses and obnoxious passengers.
Fellow riders can be annoying, and sometimes the wait is long. I credit the CTA for transporting 908,800 people every weekday through the first quarter of 2025, mostly without incident. I love the CTA and wouldn’t want a car if you gave it to me.
