Written and Unwritten Rules on the CUE Bus :: Projects Driving Buses Papers

Written and Unwritten Rules on the CUE Bus I have been riding the CUE bus regularly for a period of about two years now, and through that time have learned a lot about what goes on on the bus. The thing that has stood out to me the most is the many written and unwritten rules that govern behavior for both passengers and bus drivers. There are certain things one needs to do to be a "successful" passenger, and I have learned many of them along the way through experience and observation, without even really noticing it. For the past two months I have consciously observed people and how they relate to these rules, and the patterns have become even more clear to me. Rules for Bus Drivers One main thing that one needs to do be a successful passenger is to understand the rules that govern how the bus drivers behave, because this will effect the choices that you make. The bus drivers have a lot of rules they have to follow that are given to them by the management. For instance, they are supposed to do everything in their power to arrive at each bus stop at the posted time on the schedule. They are also supposed to only pick up passengers or let them off at designated CUE bus stops. The bus drivers must constantly balance these rules with another, unwritten rule - that they should be friendly and considerate to the people who are riding the bus. Sometimes these two principles come into conflict, and that's when things really get interesting. Some examples of times when they come into conflict are the following: The Bus Driver is Ahead of Schedule It is bad for the bus driver to arrive at a bus stop late, but it is even worse for him to arrive there early, because then people who have not gotten there yet may miss the bus. I have seen bus drivers stop at Rite Aid pharmacy (on the intersection of Lee Highway and Chainbridge road) and at George Mason and sit for several minutes because they were ahead of schedule. This creates an awkward situation for the people riding on the bus, who are now just sitting stopped for no apparent reason. The longer the bus sits, the more awkward it feels. Although nobody has ever complained about it out loud, there is an unspoken pressure.