It's a long time since I've written a blog on my adventures with the local bus company. While I had quite a bit to complain about it really wasn't any different than my previous entries where I gripe about the buses being 20 minutes late, not showing up at all, or being dangerously overcrowd.
On Friday when I posted about Central Highway I mentioned taking the long way to avoid walking through snow. What I didn't mention was that throughout the day I received a few alerts from TOR that delays should be expected. I figured I would catch an earlier bus, problem solved. What I didn't know was that a majority of the drivers went on strike. So the delays meant that most buses weren't running.
From the articles I've read online they're calling this a "wildcat strike" since it is not sanctioned by the union. When I gave up waiting for the 91 to Nyack I figured I would catch a CoachUSA bus to Nanuet and walk to the Palisades Center. I changed my mind and got a cab. Instead of paying with my ticket I shelled out $16.
On the way to work I passed a number of passengers waiting at bus shelters in Congers and Valley Cottage. They could have been waiting for a MiniTrans, run by the town of Clarkstown, or for the 9A CoachUSA bus. My guess is they were waiting for a TOR bus that wasn't going to arrive.
After work I took a cab that set me back $30 which cost more do to ATM fees because I needed cash. The drivers aren't winning any sympathy this weekend because the weather has been lousy and passengers that rely on the bus for work can't afford to miss work or pay for cabs and Ubers.
Getting home tonight will be interesting to say the least. And by interesting I mean long or expensive.