Name: Tim Farmer
Bus driver, Concord Area Transit
How long have you been a bus driver with CAT?
I've been driving for probably about 3½ years now. I used to work a little for the school system, but I wanted to get something a little more steady.
Do you stop for people if they are running behind the bus because they are late?
Occasionally, but that's something we really try to stay away from, because of the chances of someone getting hurt. Most drivers, if they see someone running for a stop, are going to wait. But that's something we try to stay away from when we can.
Have you ever had to deliver a baby or administer medical attention to someone? What is the protocol of something like that comes up?
Fortunately not. That would be a tough one. It's always a possibility, but that would make me a little nervous. We're so close that we can get on the mic and (help) would be there in a couple of minutes. The first thing to do is call in, because we're only a mile or two away from help at any point. They can get there as quickly as I can get to the back of the bus almost.
What is the most difficult part of Concord to navigate in a bus?
The Heights is a tough route, because you are going in and out of a lot more traffic than the other routes with the mall and all the other stuff out there. The big problem I'm dealing with now in Penacook is the construction that's going on. It's been going on for the last few years, and I think it's going to be going on for another two or three.
Have you ever gotten stuck on a street and couldn't turn around, or been stuck in bad weather?
I've had a few close calls, when they have to pert traffic. But once I could tell I wasn't going to be able to fit down a street so I just kept going. You can usually tell. On the larger buses, we try to keep the backing up to a minimum, because the biggest blind spot is behind you. But we can usually get through anything they pert us to. We keep in touch with each other. We have pretty good communication that way.
Any tricks for driving the bus in winter weather?
Just slow down, take it easy. The only thing you really have trouble with is when you have to stop on a hill.
Has driving the bus changed your outlook on driving in general?
It does. Even viewing traffic, I view that differently now. It used to be really annoying, but now it's just part of the road. I don't even think about it.
Any bus games you play with your riders to pass the time?
No, we pretty much want to pay attention to the road. When we do talk, we try to keep it to “yes” or “no” as much as possible. But it's a pretty perse group that rides the bus, and people are really good about jumping in to help if someone asks for directions or something. Everybody kind of pulls together.
Do the wheels on the bus actually go round and round?
I'm assuming driving that they are going round and round, but I've never gotten out to check.
