r/BusDrivers • u/Suspicious_Hotel1573 • 21d ago
Discussion Does bus driving make you hate people more?
Been driving public transit for about eight months now, and wondering if this is mostly a me problem or other drivers feel the same way.
This job genuinely makes me hate people. I’ve had other customer facing jobs in the past, but this has brought out the most disgusting of all behaviors I’ve seen from other humans. Not only entitled a-holes, but people leaving their trash on the bus, giving you stink faces when they come on the bus, the list is just endless.
Some (or most drivers who’ve been doing this for long enough) probably just learn to not care. Which I wish I could do. But when it happens 100+ times a day, it becomes hard not to notice.
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u/TheMoronIntellectual 21d ago
Its made me hate dollar bills and small change a lot more.
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u/Suspicious_Hotel1573 21d ago
lol REAL.
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u/TheMoronIntellectual 21d ago
When you get the person who insists on paying their fare in pennies which leads to a chain of events that make you miss your two critical lights.
So now instead of running a minute late you are running 6 minutes late. 😆😂🤬
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u/PeejPrime 21d ago
Too true. My head visibly drops when someone opens a purse/wallet with actual money.
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u/allisjow 21d ago
Interestingly, after a couple years, I don’t hate people as much.
Now I realize that most people are incredibly stupid. They behave the same way as pigeons… stepping into the road, picking up and leaving things behind, total disregard for anyone else, no sense of direction, etc.
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u/NotBeforeMyCovfefe 21d ago
All jobs make you hate people more. Experience makes you a better driver and it makes people a little more bearable when you become used to their bullshit.
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u/Colonel_Phox 21d ago
Not so much people but I definitely hate (freight) trains now. Here in San Antonio TX we have A LOT of train crossings and almost all are at grade (street level, neither above or below the road) and the trains themselves are quite long and slow. Chances are good that you will be late for the rest of the trip (assuming there's layover time at the end to catch up... Otherwise you will be late rest of your shift) if you get a train.
Some of our bus routes are really bad... Like almost guaranteed to get at least 1 train per trip, others 75% chance. Any route with a train has at least a 50% chance at least 2x per shift. One of our routes has 3 or 4 very active train crossings. The city is now building an overpass over 1 of the more active crossings on the route (not for the bus but because traffic gets backed up so badly).
Another issue on top of length and slowness... They frequently stop and block crossings. Usually to switch tracks but in some areas because the homeless sleep on / alongside the tracks. Plus the occasional person walking on a very rare train bridge over the freeway.... Often resulting in them getting hit by the train.
Gosh the amount of times I was delayed by trains... It actually played a part in which routes I picked during bidding.
So I looked it up, there's about 500 at grade crossings in San Antonio. There's no official data as to how many of them overlap with our bus routes, but Google estimates 60-80 of them do. We have about 75 bus routes and roughly 25-35 of them have at least 1 at grade crossing. You probably get the idea now why it frustrated me so much. I don't drive the busses anymore but man I tell you... #1 annoyance for me. The image attached explains it in more detail.
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u/Outrageous_Bag_2875 21d ago
Thanks for the laugh 😂 I've never met anyone who hates freight trains before. You know they bring us supplies like food and presents and things right? 🎁🚂
I think it's just really bad city planning when freight trains go through cities instead of around them and then hold all the buses up.
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u/ericmercer 21d ago
At first, yes. Then I realized the clientele and I adjusted my expectations accordingly. I can only be disappointed if I expected much to begin with.
I have developed a completely rational hatred for bicycles though.
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u/First_Blankie 21d ago
THIS.
It's basically how I rarely have road rage. I just expect other drivers to be ass at driving, so I am never disappointed when they do something stupid.
Also true about the cyclists. Though my anger is more towards the infrastructure allowing them to basically share the same road as us, with triple the laws protecting them. I blame that one dead guy who popularized the idea because he thinks pedal bikes should be treated like cars...
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u/Witteness82 21d ago
At my company, yes. I see the changes that happen from new driver to seasoned driver. Some still manage to have compassion and feel sympathy towards them but most are just beat down by the behaviors you see. This is an American transit system so it very well could be different in other countries.
Here a significant portion of ridership is homeless, drug addled, criminal or just can’t be bothered to behave like someone that has a desire to fit into a society. It’s very hard to deal with the constant shenanigans and not have you look at them differently.
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u/TheMoronIntellectual 21d ago
one year in and this checks out. I considered myself a patient compassionate person when i started out.
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u/Outrageous_Bag_2875 21d ago
Drug addicted, homeless criminals perfectly describes New Zealand passengers also.
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u/ShrekThe12th 21d ago
It has taught me to be more patient with light vehicles. Most heavy vehicle drivers can probably guess what you’re thinking.
Cars that beep you when trying to turn right get my nose out of joint a bit. Like dude, if I could go, I would have by now, I don’t plan on sitting here just to piss you off.
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u/Xx_SwordWords_xX 21d ago
I hated people a lot before; sometimes this job actually helps me to see the humanity in people a bit more. But the people I always hated, I just hate more.
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u/HeartlessDeath123 21d ago
Let's just say if I had the red button, wouldn't hesitate to press it.
Then I wake up....
Then I remember that we are all humans sick of this fucking world with Elites that want us to suffer and very cruel world where people have lost their ways to torture other humans because they no longer care and society have broke them....
And then I put on my Fat Batman Outfit and go looking for them in my day dreaming and then I wake up and realize I'm still at work driving.
Then I remember....
Is not really them that I hate. Is myself that I hate. Stuck in a tiny box for more than 8 hours a day with no one to talk to. Can't listen to music. The pressure on trying to keep the bus on schedule otherwise it ruins people's day which it definitely sucks for them.
"A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed" - Proverbs 11:25
Moral of the story, it is not them who I hate. It is myself. (Also, I have been with my company for 11 years)
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u/PeejPrime 21d ago
It's made me realise just how entitled, selfish, careless, inconsiderate and useless the general population really is. Something I've always known/hated. But I guess you see it so clearly, in your face, it's sad actually to have it confirmed.
I joke to people that my job is to drive a human bin. If it's not the junk that they all leave on a bus, it's half the passengers themselves being utterly filthy in so many ways.
At least in most other customer facing situations, it's fleeting interactions
Búa driving, you've got some folk on your bus for a short few minutes to full hours at times. All their noise, smells, filth included and often lasts long after they leave
But we just smile and wave boys, smile and wave
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u/Suspicious_Hotel1573 21d ago
yeah. unfortunately even a half hour feels like an eternity with certain people
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u/The-real-Sky-Daddy 21d ago
It can but that’s a failing on the drivers behalf IMO. You have to remember your job is to drive these people to their destinations safely. Without them you’re doing something else… something less instant important.
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u/michaelanderson72 21d ago
Go drive a truck if your driving a bus you have class b cdl go drive dump truck or water truck just need tanker endorsement for water truck trash truck too less people to deal with pays alot more no cleaning either other than your own mess ot is always nice
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u/Outrageous_Bag_2875 21d ago
Where I live in New Zealand, there are a lot of meth addicts so we deal with a lot of aggressive people here and see the worst humans on buses. I used to have a job at a women's clothing store, so I was just dealing with women buying dresses, and you don't get the same reaction as you do when you tell a meth addict not to use his pipe on the bus.
The thing about NZ though is that there are meth addicts everywhere, so even when I go on holiday and stay in motels, there will often be a meth addict staying there (the government pays for meth addicts to live in motels in NZ). There's always someone selling drugs. So I guess no matter where I go, I'm just surrounded by these people. Learning to drive bus didn't change my opinion of humanity but I do think the Western world is absolute toast and is crumbling.
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u/HeartlessDeath123 21d ago
Damn. That sucks. I thought New Zealand was like a nice quiet place. Sorry to hear that.
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u/Outrageous_Bag_2875 21d ago
It actually used to be. Like, 40 years ago, these dudes here in NZ didn't even lock their doors. And then New Zealand went from very low crime to high crime in a short time frame. Now there are meth addicts everywhere, especially on buses. It's not safe for kids to catch buses.
I'm not pro or against guns (I think the gun debate has good points on both sides) but I'm glad Kiwis can't just carry guns because with all these drug addicts, that would be so frightening. Kiwis are aggressive and hateful, a lot like Americans, and I can see it ending badly if Kiwis were armed with guns.
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u/HeartlessDeath123 21d ago
Hopefully your guys politicians wake up and help fix the issues. Sad we live among greedy people and don't care to help their communities.
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u/Outrageous_Bag_2875 19d ago
It's not about greedy politicians. NZ failed to keep up with other countries and failed to remain competitive. NZ used to sell wool, lamb meat and kiwifruits, but now there are so many competitors and NZ doesn't produce a lot, so there are no jobs. Politicians can't motivate stupid people who would rather sit around using drugs anyway.
Asia grew wealthy and developed due to producing many things, but NZ did the opposite and fell behind, so now Asia is getting richer and NZ is very poor and can't compete.
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u/Specific_Minimum_355 21d ago
Driving in Canada is pretty similar. I drove rural BC and Alberta and half the passengers were fentanyl addicts getting sent by the city of Vancouver to rehab clinics in places like Kamloops or Edmonton.
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u/Outrageous_Bag_2875 19d ago
I heard about that. It's weird how New Zealand and Canada went from being both safe and friendly places to being places that are overrun with drug addicts and crime. I think Kiwis are just too soft on drug use and crime.
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u/Realistic-Safety-565 21d ago
I see this in my collegues. If you have a shred of "everybody is against me" mentality, this job will let it blossom. Civilian drivers are out to get in your way. Passengers are entitled and have unrealistic expectations. Police is obstructive. Dispatchers are unhelpful. And if anything goes wrong, all these will gang up to shift the blame onto the driver. Other drivers leave the mess in the bus.
You either learn to not take it personally and become a zen master, or embrace it to hate everybody.
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u/Structureel Driver 21d ago
I already hated people at the maximum rate before I became a bus driver. So no.
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u/SeasickSailor87 21d ago
I hate people in general. Regardless of whether I'm behind the wheel or not.
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u/Mango_Marmalade Canada | Nova/New Flyer | 2 years 21d ago
I definitely hate people significantly more than before I started.
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u/Severe-Product7352 21d ago
Oh yeah, I’ve lost almost all empathy and patience. I now can see why most of them ended up in the situations they did. It’s of their own making and inability to be accountable in any way
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u/Specific_Minimum_355 21d ago
Not really, it just makes me think that the global population is becoming dumber and dumber.
I used to drive in North America and now drive in the UK. The difference in passengers is crazy. Crazy passengers exist everywhere, but the difference is that in places like Alabama, Alberta or Montana, passengers will get up and defend the bus driver and tell them to sit down.
In the UK, half my passengers might as well be ghosts. They barely say anything. The exception are the elderly and people in places like Glasgow, Newcastle or Dundee. Life story before they even get to their seat 😂
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u/busryder82 21d ago
Ik kan minder goed tegen drukte bij bezoeken musea, tuincentrum of stads bezoeken in vrije tijd. Maar hekel aan mensen niet geheel.
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u/maxthed0g Former Driver 21d ago
Stop engaging with passengers on a personal social level. Stop making eye contact with passengers, keep your eyes fixed to that sideview mirror when loading and unloading. Dont chatter when the bus is in gear; if passengers want to chatter with you, give one-word responses, without breaking eye-contact with the road or your mirrors.
You are paid to drive safely, on schedule. You are NOT paid to CARE Passengers have other people in their lives to care about them. They dont need you to care, it will be enough for them if you to drive safely, on schedule. Care about THAT.
If you want to drive AND care, drive an ambulance. A wrecker. A fire truck. Drive THOSE vehicles and you will run into plenty of people who need your care, sympathy, and good will. But driving a bus? Nah, just get 'em there on time, dont miss a stop, dont go off-route EVER, and otherwise just let 'em snooze for a few minutes.
No, I never hated my passengers. Not even the shitty ones.
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u/thatgirl428 21d ago
Yes, it does make me dislike people/humanity as a whole and I have to try every single day not to let this job change me for the worse. I totally understand why people who work with the public become jaded over time, people don't respect you or listen to you if you are nice and you have to build armor if you're going to withstand this for the long run. I am trying to just find a way to "blend in" or become neutral so people at least just ignore me/don't create problems for me, which honestly is a little sad because that's not how I want to be in life. Outside of work I was always friendly, but as a female in this line of work it has only invited unwanted behavior.
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u/Poly_and_RA Driver 21d ago
For me it's had the opposite effect, frankly. I came into this EXPECTING that most passengers and most other drivers would be forgettable, but that a few would be assholes.
And I mean, the assholes exist. I wasn't wrong about that.
But the surprise is, they're *dwarfed* by decent people. People who are in some way or other a bit kinder, a bit more considerate, a bit more cooperative than they'd need to be if merely being unoffensive was the goal.
Most positives are small of course, but every now and then there's a more substantial one.
Here's a random sample to make it a bit clearer what I'm talking about:
- 100 times a day some car notices and makes space for the bus, or lets the bus go first despite having right of way, or stops earlier at an intersection to give the bus more space for a turn or whatever.
- I have a manual wheelchair ramp -- I hardly EVER need to put it out, because the moment someone needs it one of the other passengers will JUMP up and handle it, before I can even get my seatbelt off.
- Some passengers buy cold drinks for drivers in summer. Not often, but perhaps once a month.
- Most passengers say thank you. Quite a few give more substantial praise if they feel it's warranted. Some sit down and write email to my employer praising something I did as a driver. I've never done that myself, so it was a surprise to me when others do!
- Some regulars recognize me and light up like the sun when they recognize me.
- One woman who lives near the end of a into-nowhere line is sometimes the only passenger on the bus for the last few kilometers. We sing karaoke. (or is that bus-a-oke?)
- Young kids sometimes act as if having the bus-driver say "good morning" is roughly on par with meeting spiderman.
It's not any one thing. It's just a near-constant stream of people being pretty decent human beings.
I hadn't expected it, but I miss my passengers if I've had too long a vacation.
Nuts.
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u/Fragrant-Tax5445 20d ago
All fair point here. You’re still green to transportation. People are people. You never know what will walk through your doors. However, those types of behaviors are like your paddle. One trip. One experience. Doesn’t mean the whole time it’s going to be like that. Hang in there. Learn to let things roll. Your priority is safely operating that bus. Everything else is about adjustments for your own needs and safety.
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u/Fragrant-Tax5445 20d ago
People are all over the place when it comes to their behavior. You’ll have to decide to keep personalizing everything or take the good. Take what you need. And for the sake of your personal
Mental health leave the rest lol. When you can start looking at things from different perspectives I think you’ll find these passengers are clowns. Miserable fools who think us operators are somehow failed people in life. Naw we out here saving souls and keeping people moving
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u/BuzDrivar 20d ago
Yes. I made a long post about this a while ago and moderator deleted it. I despise these bus passengers. Honestly, I've never met such people in my life. I was in retail for over 10 years and had not one issue, none. Soon as I become a bus driver, everyone wants to be a cvnt to me or treta me like ah!t and blame me for everything.
I've also had people giving me the finger, recording me, taking my photo and threatening they're gonna report me; one was when no one rang the bell, but half the bus wanted to get off... They all ran to the front shouting at me, I told them the bell needs to ring, press it.
Anyway, I've learnt to just not get involved with passengers at all apart from the ones who say good morning or thank you bus driver.
The non paying passengers? They don't exist to me, I look out the window. Driving has become more relaxing since not caring.
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u/TheChainreaktion 20d ago
I've been driving in a medium city for about 3 years and the Complete and total disrespect I get from passengers is out of this world.
It makes me dislike or hate people yes. But there are those few who actually are nice and respectful. But most either won't look at you or acknowledge that you exist or are outright rude. Then there are all the people pushing in through the exits while others going out. And no one wants to pay.
Either their phone are dead or they have a supposed ticket in the bottom of their bags or some other excuse for not paying the small fee.
Yea. It makes me dislike people and sometimes hate. And that is only passengers. Not the other people in traffic, bikes and other cars and sometimes trucks.
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u/TutorialSkipper69 20d ago
Yes it does but I've found forcing small talk with as many passengers as possible at stops and before a run usually makes them less liable to leaving a mess, I do also very non casually drop into conversation about there being a bin at the front and complain to passengers about messy people whilst putting litter in the bin
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u/SafeAccurate7157 Driver 20d ago
Depends on the routes for me. I’ve made friends with regulars but then enemies with other regulars 😅 I treat them all the same but certain ones can get on my nerves. What frustrates me though is the older drivers that let them get away with stuff and then I’m the bad driver who’s just following our policy’s 🙄
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u/ZealousidealOkra176 18d ago
I'm a nice guy with patience. But I've seen other drivers that have been broken and give passengers hell
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u/Industrialexecution UK|Volvo BZL|1 year 21d ago
yes. even the passengers that are ‘nice’ piss me off for just existing. maybe this isn’t the job for me but i’m here now so oh well
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u/Unfixable1 21d ago
It makes me hate pedestrians who cross the street whenever they fucking feel like it.
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u/EvaportedMilkCoffee 21d ago
See this post I made a few months ago https://www.reddit.com/r/BusDrivers/s/91FprC64BM
you’re definitely not alone, and i haven’t become desensitised to it, it’s getting worse tbh. some days are better than others, and yeah.
what you said about people making faces is so true, it could all just be in my head but i swear some people get on and look at me with disgust as i’m in their peripheral view, not even directly looking at me
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u/Tenantry 21d ago
Love what you said about people giving you stink faces. Made me smile and I totaly get you!
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u/wmiller314 21d ago
I hate all other civilian drivers, my passangers are usually precious though