12.05.2005

Praise for the T. What? Yes. Praise.

Just want to note that I saw something totally unexpected tonight at about 6:20 on LaGrange Street in West Roxbury: A T bus driver with heart.

The driver, I couldn't see him or her, of the 37 bus had stopped a red on LaGrange just after turning off the VFW Parkway when a guy came running down the hill pell mell to catch the bus. He waved and as the light turned green, the bus started to move. The look on his face said it all: The driver didn't see him and he missed the bus by seconds. It was clear he wasn't looking forward to waiting around for the next 37 bus in the dark and cold evening.

None of the above was unexpected, but the next was. The driver went through the light and stopped just on the other side of the intersection so the man could board. Perhaps it was Christmas spirit. Perhaps it was genuine kindness. Or, perhaps this is the type of improved service I have hoped for since Dan "The Fix-it Man" Grabauskas became the MBTA general manager.

For all the blogs out there that complain about the T (and there seems to be a new one every week), I figured I would take a moment to point out something nice. The gesture won't get the driver any special recognition, except in the heart of the poor rider who got a second chance at getting somewhere on time. I hope his faith in public transit was restored. Mine was. At least for today.

|
Comments:

Post a Comment