SEPTA and its drivers with attitude.

To me, this rule, if indeed it really is one, seems just slightly absurd, as I had paid for the transfer. I hardly think SEPTA would have come to a grinding halt if the driver had been in the least bit interested in accommodating me, just this one time."

If it is a rule, do you really think the driver would be free to accommodate you? As someone who's been involved in advising on labor disciplinary situations, I know of many cases where people lose their jobs for what you'd consider an "accommodation."

I feel for some of what you're saying, but it seems like half your beef is with the drivers and some of it's with actual SEPTA management -- whose healthcare we are also subsidizing (but then, I have no problem with the people who provide service to me getting industry standard health coverage).

This is SEPTA we're dealing with. Ironically, I've put up two posts recently on my blog about SEPTA ad slogans. Perhaps after your poor experience (I've had many, so has everyone else), I can offer you a few laughs.

New SEPTA slogan #1 and #2.

Have you filed a complaint?

I've got to say that the majority of bus drivers I've encountered have been pretty courteous.

the one thing that really stuck out to me was your complaint that the septa union workers have great healthcare plans. healthcare plans they were contractually entitled to, right? i think that instead of wailing on people for getting things that others don't [great healthcare coverage], we should be fighting for all of us to get that kind of coverage. upper management fat cats have turned the general public against unions in their alleged greed for things like fair wages [holy shit!] and great healtchare [those bastards!] when instead, we should be standing with them fighting for our own benefits we once had.

that said, i feel for ya and this stupid transfer rule if it is a rule. but as howard mentioned, people get fired or reprimanded for bending the rules all the time. if there was a septa agent of some sort on the bus and saw the driver bending the rules [once again, if it is indeed a rule] the driver could've been written up.

you are correct- while some Septa personnel are nice, there are SO MANY that are so darn rude...and Septa sucks at responding to customer issues unless you kick it up a notch and complain to elected officials.

SEPTA is one of the most expensive transit agencies in the country, and among the best at being mismanaged. Maybe they should add Dale Carnegie courses to their employee training requirements...or a visit to Miss Manners...

There are ways of going about things if you are unable to bend the rules for a customer....and being nice goes a long way...taking the train makes so many things so much easier, but get a conductor with 'tude, and it's a ride from hell....and all the stations are dirty, city or suburban...been through the Ardmore tunnel lately? It smells like pee.

I submitted a complaint to SEPTA once a few years ago. I got royally screwed when they messed up their train schedule. So I filled out an online complaint form that same night. In December. Didn't hear from them until August or September of the following year. Granted, it was a personalized email, not a form. I wish I still had it, as the writer was quite amusing and sarcastic about SEPTA's ineptitude. Still, they took so long to reply that I needed a couple minutes to even remember what it was about.

I filed a telephone complaint with SEPTA last summer after an extra large SEPTA bus attempted to broadside me on Penn Square. They responded quickly, although I have no way of knowing whether or not it made a difference. I see SEPTA drivers every day turning left on red lights, speeding through red lights (not orange and then "Oh no, it's red" situations). I'm just tired of it. I would have no problem with the excellent health coverage and salary extended to SEPTA employees if so many of them we're inept, and in direct violation of the rules of the road with no real enforcement. Have you ever seen a bus get pulled over for running a red?

I used to be a caller for 4 years ,and then i became special guest host,once i spoke on some of the bills that this SEPTA big wigs friend sign into law he threw me off of his station,i also had 7 paid sponsors but he did not care , SEPTAS big wig treats his investment as his own job, we dont matter as long as he gets the money in my opinion , sorry for what happen to you . THE VOICE

You can take the high road. It's when it happens to you that bothers.
I know this is an old post, but I found it googling for 'SEPTA Conductor rude'. If someone read the post, which by the way is very nicely put and polite, the author said that most Septa workers are courteous, the few that aren't make the difference.

I was insulted on a R8 train by a conductor that doesn't have all the facts on what trailpasses are excepted for off peak times. I had travelled with the same pass for two days until I changed my time schedule, maybe I shouldn't have done it you will say. After speaking with Costumer Service reps on the phone and also on site, they told me that he shouldn't have made me pay an extra amount because my trailpass was absolutely acceptable and valid and he definitely had to be more polite and explanative.

The thing is, we all know what it means to be working. It's a hard thing we do so we can have money to live. It is tough to deal with so many people everyday but that's the job description and it should be a prerequisite to be helpful first and then be a policeman if it's necessary. The fact that he was the only representative of a company in this one location (onboard a train) shouldn't give him the feeling he is the only authority. He is not Septa, Septa is above him. Of course he has every right to uphold the regulations, but he has to have clear and precise knowledge of them before he goes on accusing people. Accusing a customer that they are ignorant of the law (what law?) is too much of a statement. And it can bounce back on them. I hope that my complain will have an effect, even through the problems that this company has. If I had to be the guinea pig so that all conductors get trained on what is TRULLY and LEGALLY valid as a fare then its worth it. I have my complain # and I am going to follow up on it.

I just hope at one point he will apologise. I will be riding the same train everyday. He will have his chances.

I agree with you on the union issue.

Now, I want to make one thing clear before I post, so you can either ignore or continue to read. I'm a SEPTA employee.

Now, as of your post, I do believe that healthcare was still free, but that is no longer. I should also point out, that the mechanics of the field aren't getting paid what they should, and the fact is, they're forced to night work for at LEAST 5 years unless they're really lucky. Night work being either of 2 shifts: 3pm-12am or 11:30pm-8am. And to think, only from 6pm-6am do they qualify for the night shift premium. Oh, that premium? 10 cents extra an hour. Piss in your palm.

Granted, the healthcare is great and well worth it, but still, SEPTA has turned the public against the unions (there's many more than just TWU 234 within SEPTA), blaming the mechanics for the constant upkeep of the company. The upkeep is all middle management. It's been stated that they think middle management is horrendous at a 1:1 ratio. This is not true. It's much closer to a 2:1 ratio. Where is all of SEPTA's money going to? The fat middles, NOT the mechanics as they make it seem.

I think your route posted is one my depot handles. If that is the case, then I am truly sorry for this person's actions, and I do sincerely hope you got a response from a big wig with your letter. I truly believe that SEPTA should incorporate a Driver's Sensitivity Program of some such to deal with these situations, as well as more ADA involved issues(More physically disabled sensitivity training and actually bringing mentally disabled training to the table, since there are some that ride SEPTA, and the drivers are not trained on certain situations that may arise...or at least, not to my knowledge. They don't act like it either.) However, for that to happen, SEPTA has to be able to get the funding that they need.

I should also mention that some money goes towards:
-Bus parts (no real aftermarket company makes parts, so most items are bought from manufacturer at ridiculous markups)
-Buses (300-500k a pop. We've got a LOT of buses.)
-Riding public (People that are just looking for a quick sue that intentionally jump out in front of buses and the like. Constant suing of SEPTA is bad.)

This still doesn't make it OK for that driver to be rude. I am not familiar of the route rules, but if no other driver was giving you a problem, them I can't see that it should have been an issue.

To answer another question, yes, it is quite possible for a SEPTA IG (Like SEPTA's CIA) or other big wig to be "hiding" on a bus. They do it quite often to discipline and to investigate claims and the like on employee's.

(Sorry to dig up an old post)

We as bus drivers dont make these rules base on personal dicriminatory reasons, we request the right fare based on rules from management.

Transfer Issue
The rules are stated on the back of the transfer provided that you connect with an intersecting route from an original line which is your paid right to board within the cut off time.

Where you are wrong
When you walk a way from a transfer point it renders the pass useless on routes blocks away that do not meet. Here you are giving up your right to board and are subject to an unwelcome response from the driver if you try to justify using it after the rules have been stated. Consequently this makes you feel unjustly denied and violated from a publicly humiliating experience.

Corporate remedy can not help you on this ground because you are simply askig them to punish the driver and reverse its own rules. All you did in so many words that you reported a driver folowing rules and regulations and you did not like what you heard.

Why You Got Away With It
Some drivers don't like to deal with it because of the negative backlash it recieves from following the rules to the letter. Some also do it to keep the peace and keep moving and get their run over with as quickly as they started without taking home a bad run in with passengers.

Why Drivers stick to the rules
Somebody's watching and reporting every move the drivers makes all the time just like your letter. Impotantly we are hired to follow rules of septa's guidelines that may be difficult to some riders to accept. A store casheir can not give away merchadise and disregard company rules much the same way drivers can not give free rides and throw company policies out the window.

I hope this reasing help shed light on the issue.

Septa sucks big time! I catch the #65 bus to & fro wissahickon Transfer Center. Every day the bus driver does not respond when attempting to greet her. On top of that one Friday evening after getting off work as I am boarding the bus, she closes the door,my hair was caught between the doors. After screaming out in pain this nasty driver opens the door & does not apologize, just sits staring into the sky rolling her eyes. I promptly called Septa to report this. The customer service people were friendly, but what action was taken for this ignorant driver? They raise the fare for poorer service. Please!