07 August 2009

SBS lot improvements

Southbound drivers will experience a better ride through the SBS lot now that concrete has been poured next to the bus pad. Improved drainage will raise the safety level of the area as well. The construction area will re-open next week once the concrete has cured.

SBS and McConnell hit





05 August 2009

CDL record

Our newest CDL acquisitor is 96. What set him apart from other candidates for the license?
  • 7, and only 7, days start to finish, a record
  • 100% perfection on Pre-trip
  • 100% perfection on Skills Course
Nice job, 96.

96 likes flying and swimming. In this clip, those are combined. Included is his funny war wound. Shorts are black in front and grey in back.



Let them eat cupcakes

Marie is famous for the title blab, but 88 no less. There were a couple dozen of the sticky treats to enjoy at the barn today, courtesy of 88. It was after all her birthday. And someone made sure she couldn't get away with it quietly!



Afterwards, 84 and 88 popped tennis balls, very generously donated to us by Varsity Tennis, for later placement on poles we will be using to train on our Extreme Skillz course at the Dome. The soft balls on top of the poles help protect body damage in the insanely tight training exercises our bus drivers will be attempting in the days ahead!

04 August 2009

HDX antecedent

This is an 1875 bus! According to Old Woodies, the
1875 'Obéissante' built by French steam pioneer Amedee Bollee, sat twelve, weighed 5 tons, consumed 50 kilos coal per hour and cruised at 30 km/h with a peak speed of 40 km/h. [emphasis in source]

And you say you feel old ...

Notice the leaf springs, which don't seem to have changed all that much over the decades, are located outside the wheels!

02 August 2009

Hitched

This weekend fellow driver 84 and his lovely fiance exchanged vows in a beautiful ceremony of matrimony.

The bride was accompanied down the aisle to be greeted by the groom.

The bride's daughter was integral to every part of the ceremony.

84 sings a heartfelt ballad to his wife-to-be. No dry eyes here.

Husband and wife. Congratulations!

The reception. It was a grand time! Thanks for letting me be a part of something so important in your lives.



... WITH THE WIND ALWAYS AT YOUR BACK ...

A good week

Announcements:

50 is asking all employees, student and FTE alike, who have not been in touch with her over the summer to contact her ASAP at 5031. 50 needs to get your status regarding availability and to prepare for the Fall Semester, which begins 24 August 2009.

Our training week begins the week before school starts, on Monday the 17th. All FTEs and as many student drivers as possible should be here for this.

FTEs and student CDL drivers who are contracted to drive on Saturday, 08 August, should show up to pre-trip their vehicles NO LATER THAN 6:00 am.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The summer is beginning to draw to a close. This week, we worked hard and got a lot of things accomplished. More pullouts were painted, people trained, routes covered, candidates interviewed and Skillz plotted.


Everyone did a great job!

We obviously weren't going to pass up on our regular BBQs. And this was a good one, with burgers and dogs, grilled corn-on-the-cob, and frozen pops.
We made sure the coals got hot ... maybe a little too hot ...
... as our grill master disappears behind the smoke.

It was great to see several new drivers and guests mixed among the veterans at the BBQ.








And then an odd sort of Extreme Skill, perhaps to keep away the threatening rain, was performed ...

... to no avail ... but at least the rain was brief.

We wrapped things up with chair frisbee and more corn-on-the-cob.