Saturday, November 22, 2014

Ruminations of a Road Rambler Milestone

Ruminations of a Road Rambler: One Year Anniversary

Benonbus


As of today, I’ve been living on a bus for exactly one year and two weeks. Many folks have been curious about my life as a nomad, so I thought I’d take a moment to share my experiences after this 12 month milestone. Click the link below for all the details.


Buss


First some stats on my rolling home: My home is a 1997 Prevost bus

which was manufactured in Canada as an standard bus and converted into

a motor home the same year by Liberty Coach in North Chicago, IL. The

bus has 340 square feet of interior space (40′ length x 102" wide)

along with a "basement" for storage (where your luggage would be stored

on a Greyhound bus). I get between 6 and 8 MPG depending on how fast

I’m driving and what type of terrain I’m covering. I also tow a Jeep

Liberty, which I can easily connect or disconnect in less than two

minutes.  In order to afford this lifestyle, I sold my house in the

mountains west of Boulder, CO and have a few things in storage (which

takes up less space than a one car garage). This allows me to have no

debt of any kind (no mortgage, car payments, or credit card debt).


You can take a video tour of the bus on Inside Digital Photo’s video podcast in iTunes.

Livingroom


Modifications I’ve Made:
The bus came with two sofas in the living

room. I’ve removed one of the sofas and replaced it with a lounge chair

and ottoman. I’ve made the dining room table my office by replacing one

chair with an Aeron office chair and the other with a table that holds

about a dozen hard drives and a color laser printer. I plan to add an

ink jet printer to the mix over the next six months (now that they’ve

gotten smaller).


Map


Where I’ve Been During the Year:
I’ve traveled through 22 states over

the last 12 months and visited more state and national parks than I can

keep track of. I’ve also visited many friends and made new ones along

the way. I’ve put exactly 15,871 miles on the bus since I bought it

last year. I started and ended my first year at Liberty Coach’s sales

location in Stuart, FL. My favorite place so far would have to be Utah.

Specifically the Utah, Arizona border near Page, AZ. There is simply so

much to see and photograph around that area that I can’t wait to return.


Busstop


Unusual Parking Spots:
You and I have a much different perspective on

parking. When I say "parking," what I really mean is "living." Whether

I’m in them for one night or several weeks, my parking/living spaces

have run the gamut from marvelous to mundane. I’ve parked everywhere

from the beach on the edge of Lake Powell to a spot marked "Bus

Parking" next to the Four Seasons hotel in Beverly Hills (thanks to Jeff at POG for the parking suggestion). Some of the

most wonderfully unexpected parking places have come from people who

read this blog. For instance Marci found me a nice place to park near

Ocala, FL that had a view of a lake (I even got a haircut outside near

the edge of the lake). Kathey found me a free parking spot on Key West

in Florida and arranged kayaking and other outings with the locals of

Key West. Scott Sheppard from Inside Mac Radio even helped me find a

free parking spot within a few blocks of the Golden Gate Bridge. I want

to thank everyone who has taken the time to cheer me on through lending

a hand finding parking spots or suggesting little known places to

visit… you’ve made the journey much more interesting and rewarding. I

look for these unusual parking places because I rarely pay to park

since the bus has storage tanks and batteries that allow me to boondock

for over a week before I have to dump or fill my tanks. I’d also rather

be parked in an interesting location instead of looking out the window

at dozens of other RVs at a campground.


Germans


Before moving onto the bus, I had visited a Wal-Mart maybe twice. Now

it’s one of my most common places to go grocery shopping. That’s

because most Wal-Marts will allow you to park overnight in their lot

for free. I’ve met all sorts of interesting people in Wal-Mart parking

lots including a group of Germans who were returning from an RV

vacation that took them across the county and a guy who lives on a 1958

Crown bus.


Spam

 

What I love about my mobile lifestyle: I get to explore new places

almost every week… places I’d usually only get a chance to explore if

I were to take time off for vacation. I can stay at a National Park for

weeks on end. During that time, I usually wake up before sunrise and go

out shooting, come back to the bus and work a full day (nicely broken

up by a a mid-day hike) and then shoot again during the golden hour

before sunrise. While doing that, I can sleep in my own familiar bed

and have all my belongings with me. This is also my first winter where

I’m avoiding the cold weather (I’ve only lived in MN and CO before).

Life is much more interesting when you have something new to experience

every week.

I’m amazed at how many people I meet and friends I run into (unplanned

meetings). For instance, when I was exploring near Fort Bragg in

California, I hiked up a sand door while scouting for shooting

locations and noticed 15-20 people standing at the top of the dune. As

I got closer, I noticed cameras dangling from their necks and then

realized that Greg Gorman and Jeff Schewe were teaching a photography

class right in front of me. Had I waited five minutes more before

hiking up the dune, then I would have never seen them since they would

have been out of site in a more remote. I hung out with them for a day

and had a really good time.


Thegang


I’ve even had friends like Jeff Limbok come knocking on the door when I

was parked in a remote location in Utah. He was sailing by doing 70MPH

when he caught a glimpse of the bus on  side road and stopped to visit

(we had no idea we were in the same area of the country). We explored

Lower Antelope Canyon and got together for dinner with hyper realistic

artist Bert Monroy who was also in the area. In fact, I see more

friends (and make more new ones) than I ever did when living at a fixed

location.

Other friends have invited me into their homes on holidays. Like when I

spent Thanksgiving with Marv Miller and his family in Novato, CA. I’ve

also bumped into relatives that I haven’t seen in years, including my

cousins Jimmy and Sara.

I’ve also e-mailed people that I don’t know to ask if they’d like to

get together for dinner and, so far, have never been turned down. This

has included some of the people who have inspired me over the years

like famous darkroom photo compositor Jerry Uelsemann and his wife and

digital artist Maggie Taylor, who had me as their guest for a day. The

shear number of people I’ve run into over the last year is staggering.


Party


The bus is a very popular place during conferences and trade shows. I’ve had quite a few parties on the bus. Having a dozen friends on the bus makes for a comfortable gathering… but when over 30 people show up it gets to be a little crowded.


Pog

 

Unexpected Places to Meet New Friends: The Prevost Owners Group is a

great bunch of people who created an on-line community of bus owners

right around the time I bought my bus. They have a yearly rally where

everyone gets together to swap stories and share maintenance tips (the

next one will have over 60 buses together in one place). I attending

their first rally right after purchasing the bus and met a great group

of people who have become good friends. I regularly visit these guys as

I travel through their home states and they help me anytime I have a

question about one of the systems on my bus or where I should explore.

Jeff, Jerry, Mango, Jon, Lew and the others are great on-line buddies and

even better in person.


What I don’t like about this lifestyle:
Having to find a new doctor,

dentist, hairstylist, etc, whenever you need them. It’s not that big of

a deal, but it’s one thing that takes time to adjust to. Also, having

to always think about where you’ll end up parking. I’m quite used to

finding places to park and it doesn’t take much energy to do so, but it

is something I have to think of on a daily basis. I’d like to

eventually find a companion who can share in my adventure, but it’s not

easy to start a relationship when you’re always on the move (not that it’s all that different of a situation than when I lived in a remote area in the mountains of Colorado). Don’t get

me wrong, I have zero desire to live in a fixed location and absolutely

love my lifestyle.


Tow

 

Problems I’ve Encountered Along the Way: The first month I owned the

bus, I had to replace a $700 tire. That happened because my mirrors

weren’t adjusted properly, which caused a large blind spot. I’ve also

gotten stuck in sand (twice!). Verizon cut off my wireless internet

access claiming that I violated my contract (but were unable to show me

exactly which clause I violated). I went through a big sand storm,

which blew sand into every crevice of my jeep, which caused sand to be

expelled into the interior every time I turned on the air conditioning.

Many more things have happened, but none of them have forced me to stop

moving on. With one exception that is… my Jeep was broken into when I

was parked across the street from my publisher’s office in Berkeley, CA

and one of the things that was stolen was the clips that I need to

connect the Jeep to the back of the bus. It took a full day to find

replacements and then I was on the road once again.


Bed

 

What Most People Don’t Understand About My Lifestyle: 1) I have a

"normal" bed and shower, so there’s no need to offer me to take a "real

shower" when I stop by to visit. In fact, my shower is nicer than 99%

of the ones I see in most homes. I’ve only set the temperature on my

shower once and just have to turn it on and count to five before

entering the shower. Because it’s thermostatically controlled, it will

return to the exact temperature I last had it set to the next time I

want to shower. The one thing I really appreciate is when I’m offered

to use someone’s laundry facilities since the bus only has a tiny

combination washer/dryer, which isn’t sufficient for normal loads of

laundry. 2) I feel just as secure in the bus as I did in any house I’ve

ever lived in. People are always asking if I’m scared about this or

that. I’m not. The bus locks up tight and you’d have to use a ladder

and have something pretty huge to throw through a window to get into

the bus. 3) Yes, diesel prices are high, but I charge clients for

flight and hotel when I show up to speak even though I drove and that

helps make the cost of fuel more bearable. Also, most expenses go

through my company, which makes them pre-tax expenses. 4) Driving a big

bus grows on you. It takes about a month, after which time you might

actually prefer to drive the bus over a car. The drive is smooth, the

driver’s seat has its own air suspension and you can see over

everything except for semi-trucks. When you signal and start to move

into another lane, people move out of your way. 5) I have no plan for

exactly how long I want to live this way, so please stop asking me

about that. To me, it’s like asking you how long you plan to live in

your current home. I find that most people don’t have an answer to that

question. Same here. I’ll keep living this way until I find something

that is more compelling and I don’t see that happening anytime soon.

There is so much to see in this country that I could easily see me

living this way for the next ten years.


Buswithben

 

How Has It Changed My Life: 1) I no longer watch any television because

I have enough going on in my life that I don’t need to be entertained

by looking into a box for hours on end. I also don’t care which movies

are in theaters for the same reason. I’m currently trying to cut back

on the amount of time I spend on-line to make more time to exploring

the country. 2) I no longer buy crap that I don’t really need. When you

only have 340 square feet to live in, you automatically get rid of

anything that is not essential for daily life and stop having any

desire to buy something you don’t already have an active need for. 3)

Retirement has always been a vague concept that would happen someday

decades into the future. I now have daily motivation to get to

retirement as soon as possible because I want to spend more time

exploring and less time having to be in any pre-determined location

that is dictated by work. 4) The way I approach life has shifted from

working like crazy in the hope that some day in the future I’ll be able

to have the freedom to do what I’d enjoy each day, to actively enjoying

every day and feeling much more fulfilled in the process.


2004xliibusshel5_1l

 

Future Plans: I plan to keep the bus in Florida until I get back from

my trip to Russia on April 19th. I’m thinking about driving up the East

coast all the way to Canada, but the beauty of this lifestyle is that I

can be very flexible, so I might end up with a different plan as the

year progresses.

Friday, September 26, 2014

Logistics Launches Luxury Intercity Service


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Blue Hill Logistics launches luxury intercity bus service between Bengaluru and Chennai



Blue Hill Logistics (BHL), a subsidiary of Blue Hill Investment Pvt. Ltd., has launched super-luxury intercity bus service titled ‘Luxuria’ between Bengaluru and Chennai. The Volvo buses have been designed by ace automobile designer Dilip Chhabria. With an initial investment of Rs 30 crore for 12 buses and infrastructure it is likely to be scaled upto Rs 450 crore in the next seven years with acquisition of 250 buses.

The Luxuria bus service has been flagged off today with two buses departing at 5 am and 7 am and another two buses will begin operations in the night at 10 pm and 11 pm from Whitefield going via the Luxuria lounge at HSR Layout Bengaluru.  The first three services will culminate at Hotel Sabari Classic on OMR Road at Sholinganallur in Chennai and the last service departing from Bengaluru will culminate at Hotel Radha Regent, Koyambedu Chennai. At all the above mentioned times of 5am, 7 am , 10pm and 11pm the bus service will be running from Chennai too. The ticket for a one way journey is priced at Rs 1,800.

Prabhu Ramachandran, Director, Blue Hill Group said, “Luxuria is a novel concept for travel in India. We believe that we have the first mover advantage in this category and in the next three years we plan to expand our services to other major cities in the country.”

He further added that, “Nilgiris Supermarket Chain was the first self-service supermarket in India and pioneered the concept of retail shopping experience in India. Luxuria we believe will be a true trend setter in travel in India. The designs of the buses are a true embodiment of style by Dilip Chhabria and will become a benchmark in travel.”

“These ultra luxury buses are targeted to air travellers. The buses are designed to give Business Class and First Class luxury and comforts at far lower prices,” said Pankaj Rampal, COO, Blue Hill Logistics.

Monday, September 8, 2014

Notice for Bus Digest Fans (Update)

Bus Digest will not be available on The Greyhound Group page, but by subscription only. Your free subscription is available here. All your transportation and special interest and feature stories will be seen only in Bus Digest. The Greyhound Group will remain as a discussion group and photograph's etc. Please submit below. 

 Published by Wyatt Olsen

  Update : Please take this opportunity to sign up                              


Tuesday, June 3, 2014

This Week Lifestyle In Luxury Motorhome's





 

Bella Terra of Gulf Shores RV Resort: Luxury RVing on the Alabama Coast


Bella Terra RV Resort
Home  

To brilliant sunsets and unforgettable good times, Gulf Shores, Alabama is also the site of Bella Terra of Gulf Shores, a resort that brings luxury RVing to life in a tropical oasis. The 40-acre resort is ideally located just 6.5 miles north of the Gulf of Mexico, allowing quick access to the beautiful beaches of the Emerald Coast.

Bella Terra RV Resort


Surrounded by lush farmland, Bella Terra is the perfect respite from outside distractions, but still just minutes from shopping, dining and entertainment. And there’s more good news in that direction: the Blue Collar Comedy Entertainment company recently closed on a property two miles north of the resort, initiating a $175-million dollar entertainment complex that’s scheduled to open in 2015.


266267_10150255521924839_3536824_o


This winning combination of beautiful natural surroundings and nearby attractions with top-notch facilities has not gone unnoticed in the luxury RVing community, with buyers coming in both from the U.S. and Canada. “Our motor coach-exclusive facility that has grown steadily since opening in 2008,” said Activities and Operations Manager, Courtney Fox. “Since then, Bella Terra has gained national recognition for its remarkable facilities, outstanding customer service and spacious lots.”


22469_214848424838_7832316_n



Upscale amenities include a 6,000-square-foot clubhouse, available to guests 24-hours-a-day with a fully equipped fitness center, a private movie theater, a massage room and a bar. The infinity-edge pool is open year round—a favorite of the snowbird guests. “We’re also pet friendly!” said Courtney. “Our fenced-in dog park is an ideal feature for families traveling with their furry friends.”


Bella Terra RV Resort


The final phase of this award-winning resort opened this spring, adding 65 more deeded lots to the inventory. In addition to full ownership, they also offer RV lot rentals. All lots include professional landscaping for privacy, concrete pads, built-in patios, utility hook-ups and optional upgrades including gazebos, outdoor entertainment centers, and storage units.
Their over-sized Class A RV lots – some as large as 5,000 square feet – are designed to satisfy Class A RV motor coach needs.
For more details on this truly top-notch luxury RV resort or to book online, visit www.bellaterrarvresort.com.



lifestyles In Luxury Motorhome's

Friday, May 23, 2014

Interview Only the Best Drivers "Star" System


Interview only the best drivers

Scheig Associates’ solutions ensure that only superior applicants make it to the interview phase.

Scheig Associates, Gig Harbor, WA, was founded in 1980 by Dr. Richard F. Scheig. Scheig has developed over 80 job-specific hiring systems for companies in North America, the United Kingdom and Australia, serving the transportation, education, distribution, construction, healthcare, insurance, childcare, call center, banking and sales industries.


Scheig Associates began developing and marketing pre-employment systems in 1991, and that has since become the core of the company’s business.


According to Scheig, the company’s assessments identify an applicant’s future performance at an 88 percent accuracy rate.
Recently, the United Motorcoach Association (UMA) announced a partnership with Scheig Associates to provide discounted pre-employment performance testing to its members. UMA members will save 10 percent on Scheig Associates’ Motor Coach Works© Hiring & Performance System™ designed specifically for the motorcoach industry to identify, select and hire better, safer drivers.


Scheig’s the Motor Coach Works Hiring & Performance System is a three-phase system consisting of an online pre-employment assessment, behaviorally based interview questions and a performance evaluation.


UMA says it partnered with Scheig upon hearing from several association members of their satisfaction and success with Scheig’s hiring and employee performance solutions.


“The Scheig performance testing program has been a tremendous tool in helping Escot find the right employees,” said Brian Scott of Escot Bus Lines, Largo, FL, in a release. “I know it will help other operators be more successful in their hiring processes and I think it’s a great addition to UMA’s member programs.”


“We’re really excited to be able to offer a discount on our hiring and performance system to UMA members,” said Leslie Williams, national accounts manager with Scheig Associates, in the same release. “Through our extensive experience and proven track record with the motorcoach industry, we know we will become a valuable tool and asset for all UMA operators.”
Dr. Scheig says his assessments begin with a thorough job analysis of “superior performers.” These are employees (in this case, superior motorcoach drivers) whom companies have identified as the best of the best. Scheig says this ensures that new applicants are measured against the best employees currently doing the job. This ensures that only the best applicants make it to the job interview phase.


Reaching out to transit
Scheig’s next project in the transportation industry involves creating a test for superior transit drivers. For this, he needs ten superior drivers selected from the nation’s transit agencies. These drivers, coupled with a modest down-payment, will spend a weekend helping Scheig Associates develop an assessment for the transit industry. The companies they represent will make their money back by receiving the product at a reduced price.


Dr. Scheig says his company is recognized for the accuracy and predictability of its assessments, stemming from the unique methodology that focuses on specific job behaviors which account for variances in productivity outcomes. With an unprecedented degree of accuracy, Scheig’s hiring and performance systems assist companies to hire, retain and develop the best possible employees.
Using innovative software-as a-service (SaaS) technologies, Scheig’s offered solutions include:
  • Job-specific behaviorally based hiring and performance systems
  • Human resource consulting
  • Behavioral job analysis
  • Selection process design
  • Entry and professional level assessments & hiring systems
Scheig’s employees are Ph.D. level social scientists, business and management consultants, software designers and service professionals collaborating to serve the business needs of the company’s clients. Scheig says they always strive to reflect the highest ethical standards with clients, forging long-term relationships built on appreciation, mutual respect and trust.

Monday, May 12, 2014

WELCOME ABOARD Greyhound's - 7725!

1960 General Motors PD-4104-4503 - Greyhound Lines

 


WELCOME ABOARD THE 7725!

This General Motors PD-4104-4503 was built in 1960 for Greyhound Lines. She was given the fleet number -7725- at that time. These buses were commonly referred to as highway travelers.




* the 7725 is 35 feet long, 8 feet wide, 10 feet tall and weighs 10 tons.
* fuel capacity is 140 gallons of #2 diesel. Transmission: 4 speed manual.
* power is an in line Detroit Diesel six cylnder.
* 187 cubic feet of luggage space.
* air conditioned by a 4 cylinder Perkins diesel engine.
* restroom equipped.
* air ride suspension.
* 7725 is the 4,503 coach of its type Built by GM between 1953 and 1960.
* a total of 5,065 were manufactured.

7725 has been restored in this green and white livery to better compliment her interior colors. The 7725 is owned & operated by Mike Jones of Alpine, California. Our other restored coach is a 1975 GMC T8H-5307a, fleet number 804, retired from San Diego Transit in 1990. Both coaches are part of an extensive collection of streetcar & motorcoach memorabilia displayed at the Jones' residence in Alpine, California. Thank you for visiting this classic American motorcoach! Please! NO food, drinks or smoking aboard!

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Prince George the Central Gateway of B.C.



Prince George is located along two major highway routes.


Highway 97 (the Hart Highway) leads to northern communities such as Dawson Creek, Whitehorse and Alaska, USA and to  northeast BC  and south to Cache Creek, connecting to southern BC communities including Kamloops, Kelowna and Vancouver.

Highway 16 leads northwest to Smithers, Terrace and Prince Rupert and eastern communities Mcbride, Jasper National Park and Edmonton, Alberta.  As many of communities activities are located just outside of town, car travel is recommended. Rental options are available in town, and winter tires are a must in season.

Air Travel

Flights to Prince George are available via Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary and Fort St. John. The two largest passenger airlines servicing Prince George are WestJet and Air Canada, with smaller carriers Central Mountain Air and Northern Thunderbird Air. 

Visitors requiring transportation into town or to the airport from Prince George can take a taxi or catch a ride with the airport shuttle. Greyhound also provides bus transportation from the airport terminal to the Greyhound terminal in Prince George.


Bus Travel

Greyhound provides bus service to and from Prince George along Highway 97 and Highway 16. The Prince George Transit System also runs a number of buses around town.

Rail Travel

VIA Rail offers service from Prince George through Jasper, Alberta to Vancouver, and through Smithers and Terrace to Prince Rupert. Wildlife such as deer, moose and bears can sometimes be viewed from the train.
Read Less

Transportation Service Providers


Air / Airports 1 Listings
Bus / Coach / Shuttle 1 Listings
Limo / Taxi / Water taxi 1 Listings

Friday, January 10, 2014

Greyhound Station Art Deco Architecture

Entrance, Greyhound Bus Station, Jackson, Mississippifrom Roadside Architecture: Greyhound Bus Stations
Entrance of Jackson’s old bus station — now an architecture firm’s office. This  architect is my HERO! Meanwhile this bus station was part of Civil  Rights history.
From the site:

The Jackson  station was built from 1937-1938.  This is the only  station that  Arrasmith designed with a structural glass faced exterior.   Originally,  the interior had a coffee shop with a horseshoe-shaped  counter.  The  men’s room had a shower, while the women’s room had a  bath tub.  It was  condemned when architect Robert Parker Adams bought  the building in  1988.  He restored it as office space for his  architectural firm.  This  station is also part of desegregation  history.  Freedom Riders were arrested here for using white restrooms and waiting rooms.








Stations

Entrance, Greyhound Bus Station, Jackson, Mississippi
from Roadside Architecture: Greyhound Bus Stations
Entrance of Jackson’s old bus station — now an architecture firm’s office. This architect is my HERO! Meanwhile this bus station was part of Civil Rights history.
From the site:
The Jackson station was built from 1937-1938. This is the only station that Arrasmith designed with a structural glass faced exterior. Originally, the interior had a coffee shop with a horseshoe-shaped counter. The men’s room had a shower, while the women’s room had a bath tub. It was condemned when architect Robert Parker Adams bought the building in 1988. He restored it as office space for his architectural firm. This station is also part of desegregation history. Freedom Riders were arrested here for using white restrooms and waiting rooms.
Interior, Former Greyhound Bus Station, Jackson, Mississippifrom Roadside Architecture: Greyhound Bus Stations Interior shot of Jackson’s old bus station — now an architecture firm’s office. This architect is my HERO! From the site: The Jackson station was built from 1937-1938. This is the only station that Arrasmith designed with a structural glass faced exterior. Originally, the interior had a coffee shop with a horseshoe-shaped counter. The men’s room had a shower, while the women’s room had a bath tub. It was condemned when architect Robert Parker Adams bought the building in 1988. He restored it as office space for his architectural firm. This station is also part of desegregation history. Freedom Riders were arrested here for using white restrooms and waiting rooms. Interior, Former Greyhound Bus Station, Jackson, Mississippi from Roadside Architecture: Greyhound Bus Stations Interior shot of Jackson’s old bus station — now an architecture firm’s office. This architect is my HERO! From the site: The Jackson station was built from 1937-1938. This is the only station that Arrasmith designed with a structural glass faced exterior. Originally, the interior had a coffee shop with a horseshoe-shaped counter. The men’s room had a shower, while the women’s room had a bath tub. It was condemned when architect Robert Parker Adams bought the building in 1988. He restored it as office space for his architectural firm. This station is also part of desegregation history. Freedom Riders were arrested here for using white restrooms and waiting rooms.


Interior, Former Greyhound Bus Station, Jackson, Mississippifrom Roadside Architecture: Greyhound Bus Stations
Interior shot of Jackson’s old bus station — now an architecture firm’s office. This  architect is my HERO!
From the site:

The Jackson  station was built from 1937-1938.  This is the only  station that  Arrasmith designed with a structural glass faced exterior.   Originally,  the interior had a coffee shop with a horseshoe-shaped  counter.  The  men’s room had a shower, while the women’s room had a  bath tub.  It was  condemned when architect Robert Parker Adams bought  the building in  1988.  He restored it as office space for his  architectural firm.  This  station is also part of desegregation  history.  Freedom Riders were arrested here for using white restrooms and waiting rooms.




Interior, Former Greyhound Bus Station, Jackson, Mississippi
from Roadside Architecture: Greyhound Bus Stations
Interior shot of Jackson’s old bus station — now an architecture firm’s office. This architect is my HERO!

Detail, Greyhound Bus Station, Jackson, Mississippifrom Roadside Architecture: Greyhound Bus Stations
Detail of Jackson’s old bus station — now an architecture firm’s office.
From the site:

The Jackson  station was built from 1937-1938.  This is the only  station that  Arrasmith designed with a structural glass faced exterior.   Originally,  the interior had a coffee shop with a horseshoe-shaped  counter.  The  men’s room had a shower, while the women’s room had a  bath tub.  It was  condemned when architect Robert Parker Adams bought  the building in  1988.  He restored it as office space for his  architectural firm.  This  station is also part of desegregation  history.  Freedom Riders were arrested here for using white restrooms and waiting rooms.
Detail, Greyhound Bus Station, Jackson, Mississippi
from Roadside Architecture: Greyhound Bus Stations
Detail of Jackson’s old bus station — now an architecture firm’s office.


Greyhound Bus Station, Jackson, Mississippifrom Roadside Architecture: Greyhound Bus Stations
Jackson’s old bus station is now an architecture firm’s office. This architect is my HERO! Meanwhile this bus station was part of Civil Rights history.
(First of several pics of this lovely bit of historic preservation…)
From the site:

The Jackson  station was built from 1937-1938.  This is the only station that  Arrasmith designed with a structural glass faced exterior.  Originally,  the interior had a coffee shop with a horseshoe-shaped counter.  The  men’s room had a shower, while the women’s room had a bath tub.  It was  condemned when architect Robert Parker Adams bought the building in  1988.  He restored it as office space for his architectural firm.  This  station is also part of desegregation history.  Freedom Riders were arrested here for using white restrooms and waiting rooms.
Greyhound Bus Station, Jackson, Mississippi
from Roadside Architecture: Greyhound Bus

Friday, January 3, 2014

Bus Driver's - " Most Stressful Gig in Town "


  Bus drivers have the most stressful gig in town, according to WorkSafeBC figures.


Since July 1 199 transportation workers  mostly bus drivers but also including cabbies have submitted claims for work-related mental disorders, including those caused by significant stressors on the job such as bullying and harassment.

A fairly common type of case we are seeing are bus drivers being submitted to insults from passengers, said senior program manager Joe Pinto.

In one case, it escalated to include threatening behaviours. [The employee] had to stop working because it turned into a disorder.


Mental Health Claims :


There were more mental health claims submitted from the health care and social services sector, with 463, but health care employs substantially more workers than transportation.
The hospitality industry came in third with 141 claims; 134 from retail, and 105 from education.

Don McLeod, head of the Canadian Auto Workers Local 111 which represents Metro Vancouver bus drivers, said there are about150 reported assaults on bus drivers every year.

As front-line employees, bus drivers often bear the brunt of passenger frustration and anger and are vulnerable to verbal abuse, getting spit on, or more violent forms of physical abuse.

“I have no doubt there are mental health issues in all workplaces, but the type of job we do has the potential to push somebody to the brink a lot quicker,” said McLeod.

 WorkSafeBC is expecting the number of mental health claims to more than double after new legislation came into effect July 1.
It estimates it will receive 2,500 claims over the one-year period since the bill was passed. It used to receive only 1,100 claims annually.

Under the new law, workers who develop mental health issues because of significant workplace stress, including bullying or harassment, are now eligible for compensation.

The cases have to be a recognized mental disorder diagnosed by a psychologist or psychiatrist; they cannot be disorders from stress caused by employer decisions, such as working conditions or workload.

Under previous legislation, workers were only eligible if their mental disorder stems from an unexpected, acute work-related traumatic events, such as firefighters or paramedics who witness horrific accidents, for example, or retail workers or bank tellers traumatized by a holdup.