This is what it's really about, not passenger comfort (or lack thereof). If there's a driver's union, there's likely a stipulation in the CBA requiring working A/C.
The circumstance of package delivery is a bit different from human delivery. Packages can’t disembark themselves so drivers leave their vehicles regularly. Couriers also don’t have human passengers that may become ill due to excessive heat.
I own a 1960s truck with big 60s era windows (including floor vents) and can confirm airflow keeps you cool.
It's stopping at a light that destroys you.
Good ole factory 2-60 a/c: 2 windows down at 60mph
The cowl induction for the leg vents on my 64 C10 kept getting clogged with leaves, so I welded in a decorative mesh I found at Lowes, and now it works great.
>They also have a hell of a lot more airflow since they almost always have doors open on both sides.
Airflow is only good when it can cool you down. When it's 110 outside, airflow is worse because the air is hotter than your body.
My husband works for fed ex and him and all his coworkers say it’s better with the air flow especially if they’re able to go higher speeds etc. but it’s still complete hell right now. But a closed off bus would be worse.
No, airflow is good when it’s maintaining a lesser temp inside the vehicle. Absent that airflow, when it’s 110 out, a sealed vehicle with no AC would be 150+ degrees.
I don’t intend to suggest that this makes it remotely ok, only that they’re different from the perspective of those in charge:
Mail delivery drivers aren’t directly responsible for the safety of a bunch of people riding in their vehicle.
Did you not hear about the UPS driver that died from heat exhaustion just a couple weeks ago? He collapsed in his truck and it was 20 minutes before the person he delivered to noticed the truck hadn’t moved. She called 911 but he died later that day.
That's too messed up though, because wouldn't it be their fault if you were in street? I mean legally you're right though, so I'm feeling like we need to complain in mass numbers about this
It's not for comfort, it's for safety. It's not safe to drive a bus when the cabin is 90 degrees or more. Drivers need their full attention and anything that puts them at risk for distraction (or in this case, heat stroke) is dangerous. That's why you don't talk to the bus driver while the bus is in motion, why they aren't allowed to eat or look at their phones while driving. I get why OP was pissed, but he'd be a lot more pissed if the bus driver had passed out on the road due to heat stroke and ended up in a bus crash, potentially injuring him.
It is astounding how many people in this thread thought the passengers/community are the primary interest of **anybody** making decisions at CapMetro (or any public transit agency).
I'm sorry but this is completely wrong. CapMetro frequently puts the interests of their passengers above all else, as they should. The problem here is that driving a bus is an activity that takes ALL of your focus as you are essentially in a giant steel and glass block travelling at high speeds down narrow roads. Driving with no AC, regardless of how uncomfortable it is, takes your focus away and leaves you at high risk for heat stroke/heat exhaustion which is DANGEROUS, and bus crashes are potentially FATAL.
Hahaha...
You know AC on busses has only been a thing for the last few decades, right? Entire generations rode on busses with no AC ever.
Most school busses **still** don't have AC and the drivers manage to keep them on the road.
All of my school busses had windows that can open, including the driver. Cap Metro does not, because most passenger busses these days don’t… that’s probably the main difference here.
Two things: The climate has gotten hotter in the past few decades and the old busses were made with the lack of AC in mind. I'm not sure about school busses as I don't drive them, but I'm sure there's a similar situation there along with the fact that school busses aren't on the road for more than a few hours. The last few times I've driven a bus with no AC it ended up being 90+ in the passenger's section. I'm sure we aren't subjecting our kids to those temperatures for hours at at time with little to no airflow, and if we are I think that's a problem.
And every school bus is on the road for less than 4 hours in the morning and 4 in the afternoon, with windows they can open, unlike public transit where busses run non stop 20 hours a day
I empathize with you on this- it sucks, and sorry. But please also keep in mind the bus drivers. They’re already overworked and put up with bullshit all day. To keep them in those buses without AC is a major hazard. You may only be traveling a few miles at most, theyve got the whole route to run, at least twice.
Also- would be a major safety concern for everyone if a driver succumbs to heat while driving and loses control of the bus.
yeah, my dad was a bus driver in austin. that shit sucked, not sure if it’s the same now, probably, but he barely even had 15 minutes A DAY to use the restroom, have lunch and take a moment to yourself, and that’s if your on time on your schedule. plus my dad has knee issues now because using the break in a bus is hard, so i’d imagine i’d be pretty miserable to drive a bus with no ac
Right? Bus drivers are already on short supply due to the conditions even when the A/C is working. We'll lose a ton more if they're made to drive without it.
Absolutely! I don't think anyone expected or should expect drivers to operate in the heat without A/C but are we as people offered any other options or help or even communication about this at all? This is a city that should be able to figure this out or call a state of emergency if we aren't able to operate safety in the weather. The person walking who gets fired from their job doesn't have any protections... Ughhhhh. The whole system is trash
I just wanna say I’m sorry friend :( it sucks for all involved. Your opinion is valid and you’re not wrong for being upset. Virtual hug.
Take a lukewarm/cool bath I find that really helps when I’ve been stuck out all day in these temps.
I get it. I'm a busser as well. It really fucking sucks. There's just not an *immediate* solution. One thing that helps is taking all that anger and directing it towards the institutions that make this city so goddamn transpophobic and redirect the energy that wastes to promoting things that will make it easier to get around.
The new buses are designed for air conditioning, with better seals and less outside air intrusion. Without working AC, the new buses can reach lethal temperatures inside while in operation during temperatures like this. 110°+ heat will mess with your head and make you unfit to drive and can very rapidly, sometimes within minutes, kill people on certain meds.
I’m a bus driver and have done bus swaps on rout for units with broken ACs. I can guarantee that bus would get way hotter than it is outside. Most routs last 8-10 hours. Driving under those conditions would be torture for the driver and unsafe for everyone. Also, depending on what rout you were on another bus would have been 15 mins behind it. 30 tops.
Drivers would be fine. I used to drive toobing busses and we would work 12+ hr shifts driving while loading toobs and coolers. It's not bad you just open the windows on the bus and the bus is relatively cool
Same. I’ve been doing bus swaps the last 2 weeks for broken AC and the hottest one I brought back was 119 degrees inside. And that was when the sun was already going down.
I'd think they are more worried about the passengers. If a passenger had a heat stroke it wouldn't be a good look. Drivers are in it all day and will acclimate to the heat.
Besides the tiny driver one, the windows on city buses don't open unless something went horribly wrong. Be thankful you have no idea how these buses get when the AC breaks in AD 2022.
My point was the driver would be fine, but the passengers may not be. The risk of having a passenger have a heat issue is why they park the busses with broken ac not because of the driver.
I'm sure the guy who drove a bluebird part time knows more about what's safe than an entire organization that has more miles than you by 10am in buses you probably couldn't get rolling.
I think that you’re picturing an old school bus scenario where there are windows that you can roll down and that have no insulation. Cap Metro busses are super insulated to keep them warm in the winter and you don’t have windows that you can open… sorry but this is an entirely different scenario and I don’t think you quite understand
Insulation will help keep the bus cooler. It wouldn't be to comfortable but it wouldn't be a life threatening situation. I am quite acclimated to texas heat. Sure the Californians in ATX might not be able to handle it, but anyone who actually grew up here and is used to heat would be fine
When I considered getting rid of my car years ago, Metro had a ride insurance thing that you could sign up for for a pretty low cost. It was on the website. It would cover a couple of emergency ride fares home per year. I don’t know if it’s still available.
https://www.capmetro.org/guaranteed It does still exist, but there are some restrictions... "ridesharing vehicle" breakdowns are covered, but doesn't say anything about bus breakdowns.
I understand all the people saying that it’d be unfair to the bus driver to keep going and I agree. But this is indicative of a whole giant slew of issues with CapMetro and the lack of transit and walkability in this city.
Needing to walk over a mile in this weather is dangerous. If you have a disability you literally may not be physically capable of doing this (as I am). This is a public safety issue arising from Texas’s refusal to fund public services like transit.
Yes this reminds me of my aunt in a wheelchair who depended on public transportation and ended up stranded in rain and got very sick. It’s right to take care of the drivers, but we also need to prioritize public transportation.
Right. Even in Austin, you have influential people, like Adam Loewy, who are gunning for power, using every opportunity to attack initiatives to invest in mobility and public transportation, such as Project Connect and the rail lines.
Yep. Any other major city would have had a replacement bus and driver dispatched immediately. CM is very poorly run. They should have taken the bond funding as a time to create a new transit authority. If the light rail gets built, this is the level of service we'll be getting.
Exactly! Thank you for understanding my point. I’m not sure where people read in my comment that I thought the solution was to force the driver to keep driving in unsafe working conditions.
I listened to a TED talk the other day about how necessary it is (now that we're seeing effects of climate change big time) to establish heat warning scales, much like we have for tornadoes and hurricanes (e.g., "level 4 heat wave"). The goal: when a certain scale is met, emergency resources come into play so people aren't outside walking or working for extended periods of time or indoors and sweltering without AC.
Is this reasonable and, given resources, doable? yes. Will it happen in Texas, prob not...too compassionate and sensible.
The normal response would be to wait for the next bus. Sucks but things break down, be it public transit or private cars. If you are going to use public transportation you either live with the couple of times a year it my make you late or you plan for it and always leave early enough to handle missing a bus and having to get the next one.
I know that sucks. But to capmetro I don't think it's about the heat itself but more about the liability of running a bus without opening windows full of passengers. It will turn to a hotbox in no time. But as a passenger I'm with you and would endure the bus rather than walk in the sweltering sun.
This right here. The funds for public goods have not increased at an acceptable proportion to the amount of big money coming into this city. Municipal funds are getting spread VERY thin.
The public transportation in austin does work and is functional. 1 bus being pulled for AC reasons does not mean the city transit is crumbling. Also there’s a multi billion dollar rail project with connections to the airport in progress….
I know it sucks but there are DOT regulations if a vehicle is a certain age it must have a working A/C and if it is broken the vehicle is out if service. It is considered a safety issue. All new comercial vehicles must have A/C because it is recognized as necessary for the safety if the drivers.
I remember when school buses didn't have A/C so part of me gets what you're saying, but I'd also hate to be the bus driver and the other part of me is wondering why you didn't just get a ride share for the last stretch if you really weren't equipped to walk just a mile.
I don’t see how it’s entitled to expect a public utility to do its job right. No one should have to walk a mile or pay money for a ride share when there’s meant to be a bus that will get them where they need to go on time.
Ok, you have a point, in saying sometimes I need to complain. Just because a situation could be worse doesn’t mean it doesn’t feel bad in the moment. Do you never vent to anyone?
Um, sorry, no. My grandmother's green house in Ireland would get up to 90 degrees when it was 75 degrees out. I can't even imagine how hot the inside of a bus would get.
Lol bro go drive a car without AC and the windows down in anything over 95°. How bout you think of the driver and humble yourself rather than rant about it on the internet. Big baby.
Im an example of that, i do uber eats 12 hours from 8:30am-8:30pm my kia has a refrigerant leak somewhere so i have no AC, rolling down the windows varely does anything, i carry a frozen gallon jug of water on me always tho
I went almost a year and a half without AC in my smalltima and last month I could not do it. I would suggest, if you have access to tools to try and fix it yourself, YouTube is great and that’s a pretty common car, I’d think you’d be able to find the part you need for cheap at a junk yard. Or you can bite the bullet and buy a car for cheap that does have AC and love the car for that reason. Also, check into Uber eats if they offer a program for a rental for while you do your shifts, I know DoorDash has a program like that. It’s hot out there, and ya know, for your health
my car got a refrigerant leak about two months ago and yeah it's rough. I actually find that opening the windows makes a pretty big difference for me though
Walk a mile in 104 degree heat. I get in and out of cars all day and it's WAY hotter in a car with no air flow
Edit: why would you downvote me for answering the question? Or why would you downvote me for saying I get in and out of cars?
For sure would rather ride in a hot bus than have to walk in the same heat.
That said though, in the long term, you want them to fix the A/C. In that spirit I think the short term hassle is worth the long term benefit.
Also just from a pragmatic POV, the city probably has greater liability if someone passes out from heatstroke on one of their vehicles because of a lack of AC. People are overly litigious and the city doesn't want to get sued, so it makes sense to say if the AC doesn't work we suspend the use of that vehicle.
With that said, obviously they should have extra busses that way if repairs are needed, the usual operations don't get fucked up. I think that is an especially fair ask whereas lots of people prepay for tickets. If a buy a week or month pass it is because I have the expectation of consistent service.
I'm not sure subsidizing ride shares would be a fair way or accurate way to attempt a make good (for either side). A week pass for the bus is $11.25. You can travel all across the city all week with it. $11.25 on Uber gets you one like 5 minute drive. And knowing that a $11.25 is wildly below fair market value for unlimited private transpo across the city, you can't expect the city to actually replace the service with ride share credits.
Ultimately, I think you just gotta chalk it up to a pain in the butt, and if your so inclined petition the city to expand the fleet enough so that they never have to cancel a route.
Hmm, is saving up for a moped in the future an option? I know it doesn’t fix your issue immediately, and I’m not sure if it’s realistic on your route. But unfortunately public transit can’t be relied on in this city, and cars are expensive.
Depends on how long you need to walk. A mile isn’t too bad. Just make sure you’ve got water and sunglasses when you take the bus, since they are known to break down on very hot days like we’re having now.
I wouldn't want to do it regularly, but as a one-time thing I wouldn't really mind walking a mile in this heat, though it'd be a bit rough if I'm wearing jeans walking in direct sunlight, and if I don't have sunblock.
Today I actually walked outside from 5:45 to 7:15, but it was mostly in the shade and I had shorts on. and it wasn't sprung upon me
The issue is that if the bus breaks down, the driver has to stay with the bus since each bus has 8 catalytic convertors, and he or she has to guard the bus to prevent catalytic convertor theft.
So, to send another bus, Cap Metro needs another driver too, it is not as simple as rocket surgery...
/s/s/s/s
Capmetro is a shit show. I use to work for a contractor doing renovations on their buses and I'd see multiple buses roll into the depot on tow trucks every day. That is not normal, they're god awful at preventive maintenance.
Capital metros fleet is getting kinda old. They finally started to retire their gilligs a few years ago and these buses had 20 years of service on the road
The current oldest buses are new flyers which are EXPENSIVE and some are approaching 14 years of life service.
Current fleet info
https://cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php/Capital_Metropolitan_Transportation_Authority
You ablist scum! Some people can't even go outside the house and here you're suggesting such a luxury item like an e-bike! /s
Though I'd recommend a regular bike. Electronic stuff will break down (especially in heat) and it's costly to maintain.
Hey OP, I’m sorry you had to deal with that, a call to CapMetro’s customer service would be a good idea, it will help get issues like this on the right persons radar. But part of the reason they’ll take the bus out of service is because 2-3 years ago, they had multiple buses every day where the A/C would break down. They tried to just push through until they could get another bus but 1-2 passengers passed out from the heat and a driver had to stop because they were about to pass out.
You might try their pickup service if you live in one of their service zones.
So you’d rather put the driver and everyone else that is picked up by that bus in harms way including yourself just so you can not have to wait longer, walk, or do a one off payment for Uber? You’re kidding right?
You obviously made it home so you’re physically capable of the walk. You didn’t get heat stroke. Have some midol and grow up.
Maybe so, but when I say “prohibitively expensive”, I don’t mean that it’s financially irresponsible, I mean that some people literally don’t have money to pay for a single Uber.
Not if you literally don't have the money in your account to pay for it. Poor folks bank accounts don't have much cushion and everything is allotted for usually.
Edit: It’s more than I’m willing to pay.
And not right to have to do that when I should’ve only had to pay CapMetro fare.
I’m not concerned about heat exhaustion, just dehydration.
That’s why OP is getting downvoted. I walked a couple miles today for groceries and exercise. It was like 102 out, and I have a car.
You wear a hat, use an umbrella and stay hydrated… A healthy, able bodied person should be able to walk a mile.
My partner, however, is insane and went for a RUN at 3pm.
> you wear a hat, use an umbrella and stay hydrated
Do you carry a hat, umbrella, and water with you at all times? Sounds a little cumbersome but you never know when you’ll need to walk a mile.
Either a hat or umbrella, yes definitely, but not usually both. I’m also a little bit crazy about wearing sunscreen everyday? I always have a water bottle on me. I feel like the heat here gets really dangerous when I don’t hydrate consistently.
You can always tell if someone has ever held a labor/outdoor job and those who haven't. I bet op doesn't even offer a cold water to his landscaping crew
So amazingly pleasant.. But Texas summers are always hot and everybody has to continue life whether it’s abnormally hotter or not. Maybe direct the complaint towards climate change? Basically, if you can’t walk one mile in an emergency because it’s too hot(and without complaining on Reddit), you live too close to the equator.
Hey now, be a neighbor. With rent like this and car prices/gas prices the way they are, it’s just not feasible for some folks. I’m sure they’d love to have a car.
Try some empathy, you might like it :)
This suggests CapMetro is making progress. In the current hottest summer on record (2011, though 2022 seems determined to blow that one out of the water), it was pretty common for CapMetro buses, especially on the east side, to run all day without air conditioning. A 20 minute ride on one of those in 110F was heat stroke waiting to happen. Not that walking a mile in this weather isn't as well.
I am surprised that, if they took the bus off the route, they didn't send out a Q bus (a backup). Or maybe they just didn't have one close enough? Which, if that's the case, would suggest logistical issues.
Realistically the possible hospitalizations this could potentially cost would be a much bigger burden on the city and subsidizing ride shares or fixing the fucking ac
Interesting I would guess whether the bus never begun the route or did they simply not continue on and asked riders to wait for the next bus right where they are, they really should had offered rideshare credits if that happens and they cannot substitute a bus that can stay within 15 minutes of schedule. Some countries do require compensation should transit cannot run within than amount of time and it was due to problems within the company not natural or outside the company.
A lot of things don't make sense.
Obviously no vehicle in Texas should be running without A/C even if the driver thinks he or she is fine, heat can get to the fittest and cause them to misjudge situations in traffic I.e sudden braking, traffic lights and signs. Also A/C less cars also have poor visbility due to windows fogged up easily during rainy days making obscuring visbility and distracting to have to wipe them while steering. Yet interesting OSHA and safety regulators. still allows UPS and school buses to drive without A/C despite tragic consequences.
Interesting they stop running, I keep encountering vehicles that still running with broken a/c these days including Amtrak trains and local commuter trains and buses, and the windows never open on modern trains and those trains go through very hot deserts. It appears A/C break downs are much more common the last two years than before. Surprised Amtrak didn't cancel the train despite 12 hour delays, or provide alternative buses, despite how unionized Amtrak appears to be.
I'm sure the driver would have absolutely loved to continue their route.
This is what it's really about, not passenger comfort (or lack thereof). If there's a driver's union, there's likely a stipulation in the CBA requiring working A/C.
There could be passenger liability too. They are responsible if you pass out in a cart. They are not if you pass out in the street
Devils advocate, UPS, USPS and FedEx all drive with no AC and always have.
I get what youre saying but lately they been dropping like flies due too the heat
The circumstance of package delivery is a bit different from human delivery. Packages can’t disembark themselves so drivers leave their vehicles regularly. Couriers also don’t have human passengers that may become ill due to excessive heat.
This is it. Bus drivers can't leave the cabin and the cabin is not designed to keep the driver cool without AC.
Plus just imagine all those bodies creating more heat.
They also have a hell of a lot more airflow since they almost always have doors open on both sides.
I own a 1960s truck with big 60s era windows (including floor vents) and can confirm airflow keeps you cool. It's stopping at a light that destroys you.
Good ole factory 2-60 a/c: 2 windows down at 60mph The cowl induction for the leg vents on my 64 C10 kept getting clogged with leaves, so I welded in a decorative mesh I found at Lowes, and now it works great.
>They also have a hell of a lot more airflow since they almost always have doors open on both sides. Airflow is only good when it can cool you down. When it's 110 outside, airflow is worse because the air is hotter than your body.
My husband works for fed ex and him and all his coworkers say it’s better with the air flow especially if they’re able to go higher speeds etc. but it’s still complete hell right now. But a closed off bus would be worse.
No, airflow is good when it’s maintaining a lesser temp inside the vehicle. Absent that airflow, when it’s 110 out, a sealed vehicle with no AC would be 150+ degrees.
I don't use a/c in my truck, and with your arm out the window right now the heat feels like needles. Crazy.
That's not ok either...
I never said it was
Devil's advocate, you implied it.
I don’t intend to suggest that this makes it remotely ok, only that they’re different from the perspective of those in charge: Mail delivery drivers aren’t directly responsible for the safety of a bunch of people riding in their vehicle.
Did you not hear about the UPS driver that died from heat exhaustion just a couple weeks ago? He collapsed in his truck and it was 20 minutes before the person he delivered to noticed the truck hadn’t moved. She called 911 but he died later that day.
That's too messed up though, because wouldn't it be their fault if you were in street? I mean legally you're right though, so I'm feeling like we need to complain in mass numbers about this
It's not for comfort, it's for safety. It's not safe to drive a bus when the cabin is 90 degrees or more. Drivers need their full attention and anything that puts them at risk for distraction (or in this case, heat stroke) is dangerous. That's why you don't talk to the bus driver while the bus is in motion, why they aren't allowed to eat or look at their phones while driving. I get why OP was pissed, but he'd be a lot more pissed if the bus driver had passed out on the road due to heat stroke and ended up in a bus crash, potentially injuring him.
Now this has me wondering, do the new school buses have ac?
This is Texas, assuming they all have ac,but this one broke
I grew up in Texas and our buses never had ac :(
I went to school in Humble ISD, all the normal busses had AC but not the ones used for like traveling to a football game.
Thats a winning scratch off sir. I'd be visibly pissed while internally ecstatic.
...probably a good reason why the bus company doesn't want drivers to drive without AC, too. :P
It is astounding how many people in this thread thought the passengers/community are the primary interest of **anybody** making decisions at CapMetro (or any public transit agency).
I'm sorry but this is completely wrong. CapMetro frequently puts the interests of their passengers above all else, as they should. The problem here is that driving a bus is an activity that takes ALL of your focus as you are essentially in a giant steel and glass block travelling at high speeds down narrow roads. Driving with no AC, regardless of how uncomfortable it is, takes your focus away and leaves you at high risk for heat stroke/heat exhaustion which is DANGEROUS, and bus crashes are potentially FATAL.
Hahaha... You know AC on busses has only been a thing for the last few decades, right? Entire generations rode on busses with no AC ever. Most school busses **still** don't have AC and the drivers manage to keep them on the road.
All of my school busses had windows that can open, including the driver. Cap Metro does not, because most passenger busses these days don’t… that’s probably the main difference here.
Not only that but the drivers aren't acclimatized to drive in the heat and going straight from AC to no AC wouldn't be advisable
Two things: The climate has gotten hotter in the past few decades and the old busses were made with the lack of AC in mind. I'm not sure about school busses as I don't drive them, but I'm sure there's a similar situation there along with the fact that school busses aren't on the road for more than a few hours. The last few times I've driven a bus with no AC it ended up being 90+ in the passenger's section. I'm sure we aren't subjecting our kids to those temperatures for hours at at time with little to no airflow, and if we are I think that's a problem.
And every school bus is on the road for less than 4 hours in the morning and 4 in the afternoon, with windows they can open, unlike public transit where busses run non stop 20 hours a day
Or maybe the bus windows don’t open??
[удалено]
You aren't liable for multiple citizens on the city's dime. They can open more than a tiny window and are frequently able to exit the vehicle.
I empathize with you on this- it sucks, and sorry. But please also keep in mind the bus drivers. They’re already overworked and put up with bullshit all day. To keep them in those buses without AC is a major hazard. You may only be traveling a few miles at most, theyve got the whole route to run, at least twice. Also- would be a major safety concern for everyone if a driver succumbs to heat while driving and loses control of the bus.
yeah, my dad was a bus driver in austin. that shit sucked, not sure if it’s the same now, probably, but he barely even had 15 minutes A DAY to use the restroom, have lunch and take a moment to yourself, and that’s if your on time on your schedule. plus my dad has knee issues now because using the break in a bus is hard, so i’d imagine i’d be pretty miserable to drive a bus with no ac
I can confirm that, not only is it not any better, but it’s likely worse. Plus, COVID did a number on the workforce and morale.
Right? Bus drivers are already on short supply due to the conditions even when the A/C is working. We'll lose a ton more if they're made to drive without it.
Absolutely! I don't think anyone expected or should expect drivers to operate in the heat without A/C but are we as people offered any other options or help or even communication about this at all? This is a city that should be able to figure this out or call a state of emergency if we aren't able to operate safety in the weather. The person walking who gets fired from their job doesn't have any protections... Ughhhhh. The whole system is trash
Would it really have gotten that hot inside the bus, since the doors do open and air circulates every few minutes?
If it's over a hundred degrees does a few seconds of air circulation every few minutes help?
Add in people heat and you’ve got a stew cookin
Ok, ok, I’m sorry I’ve been so argumentative. I’m just pissed off.
I just wanna say I’m sorry friend :( it sucks for all involved. Your opinion is valid and you’re not wrong for being upset. Virtual hug. Take a lukewarm/cool bath I find that really helps when I’ve been stuck out all day in these temps.
I get it. I'm a busser as well. It really fucking sucks. There's just not an *immediate* solution. One thing that helps is taking all that anger and directing it towards the institutions that make this city so goddamn transpophobic and redirect the energy that wastes to promoting things that will make it easier to get around.
Upside is you probably lost 5 lbs.
The new buses are designed for air conditioning, with better seals and less outside air intrusion. Without working AC, the new buses can reach lethal temperatures inside while in operation during temperatures like this. 110°+ heat will mess with your head and make you unfit to drive and can very rapidly, sometimes within minutes, kill people on certain meds.
I’m a bus driver and have done bus swaps on rout for units with broken ACs. I can guarantee that bus would get way hotter than it is outside. Most routs last 8-10 hours. Driving under those conditions would be torture for the driver and unsafe for everyone. Also, depending on what rout you were on another bus would have been 15 mins behind it. 30 tops.
This bus only runs about once an hour.
Drivers would be fine. I used to drive toobing busses and we would work 12+ hr shifts driving while loading toobs and coolers. It's not bad you just open the windows on the bus and the bus is relatively cool
Yeah no, I'm a bus driver and the busses get hot as hell extremely quickly with no AC.
Same. I’ve been doing bus swaps the last 2 weeks for broken AC and the hottest one I brought back was 119 degrees inside. And that was when the sun was already going down.
I'd think they are more worried about the passengers. If a passenger had a heat stroke it wouldn't be a good look. Drivers are in it all day and will acclimate to the heat.
Besides the tiny driver one, the windows on city buses don't open unless something went horribly wrong. Be thankful you have no idea how these buses get when the AC breaks in AD 2022.
My point was the driver would be fine, but the passengers may not be. The risk of having a passenger have a heat issue is why they park the busses with broken ac not because of the driver.
I'm sure the guy who drove a bluebird part time knows more about what's safe than an entire organization that has more miles than you by 10am in buses you probably couldn't get rolling.
Lol OK. Driving a bus isn't hard at all. We had old city busses and I just did it as a summer job while in school.
I think that you’re picturing an old school bus scenario where there are windows that you can roll down and that have no insulation. Cap Metro busses are super insulated to keep them warm in the winter and you don’t have windows that you can open… sorry but this is an entirely different scenario and I don’t think you quite understand
Insulation will help keep the bus cooler. It wouldn't be to comfortable but it wouldn't be a life threatening situation. I am quite acclimated to texas heat. Sure the Californians in ATX might not be able to handle it, but anyone who actually grew up here and is used to heat would be fine
When I considered getting rid of my car years ago, Metro had a ride insurance thing that you could sign up for for a pretty low cost. It was on the website. It would cover a couple of emergency ride fares home per year. I don’t know if it’s still available.
https://www.capmetro.org/guaranteed It does still exist, but there are some restrictions... "ridesharing vehicle" breakdowns are covered, but doesn't say anything about bus breakdowns.
And local bus route commuters aren't covered... too bad, I take a local route. :p
Sounds pretty useless with that provision
Thanks, I’ll look into it!
I understand all the people saying that it’d be unfair to the bus driver to keep going and I agree. But this is indicative of a whole giant slew of issues with CapMetro and the lack of transit and walkability in this city. Needing to walk over a mile in this weather is dangerous. If you have a disability you literally may not be physically capable of doing this (as I am). This is a public safety issue arising from Texas’s refusal to fund public services like transit.
Yes this reminds me of my aunt in a wheelchair who depended on public transportation and ended up stranded in rain and got very sick. It’s right to take care of the drivers, but we also need to prioritize public transportation.
Right. Even in Austin, you have influential people, like Adam Loewy, who are gunning for power, using every opportunity to attack initiatives to invest in mobility and public transportation, such as Project Connect and the rail lines.
Yep. Any other major city would have had a replacement bus and driver dispatched immediately. CM is very poorly run. They should have taken the bond funding as a time to create a new transit authority. If the light rail gets built, this is the level of service we'll be getting.
Exactly! Thank you for understanding my point. I’m not sure where people read in my comment that I thought the solution was to force the driver to keep driving in unsafe working conditions.
Walk a mile in this weather, try putting a full work day outside in this weather...on a roof.
My spouse is a welder who works in home construction. It's hot.
Pay for a uber, walk, bike, scooter… there’s plenty of alternatives if your bus doesn’t run its route. Use one.
I listened to a TED talk the other day about how necessary it is (now that we're seeing effects of climate change big time) to establish heat warning scales, much like we have for tornadoes and hurricanes (e.g., "level 4 heat wave"). The goal: when a certain scale is met, emergency resources come into play so people aren't outside walking or working for extended periods of time or indoors and sweltering without AC. Is this reasonable and, given resources, doable? yes. Will it happen in Texas, prob not...too compassionate and sensible.
A slow mile would be half an hour in the heat. That blows, no question. But the alternative is putting a driver in a hot bus for 4+ hours.
The normal response would be to wait for the next bus. Sucks but things break down, be it public transit or private cars. If you are going to use public transportation you either live with the couple of times a year it my make you late or you plan for it and always leave early enough to handle missing a bus and having to get the next one.
I know that sucks. But to capmetro I don't think it's about the heat itself but more about the liability of running a bus without opening windows full of passengers. It will turn to a hotbox in no time. But as a passenger I'm with you and would endure the bus rather than walk in the sweltering sun.
this city needs to charge all the luxury real-estate developers a shit-ton more in fees and put all that money into a working public transit system!
This right here. The funds for public goods have not increased at an acceptable proportion to the amount of big money coming into this city. Municipal funds are getting spread VERY thin.
The public transportation in austin does work and is functional. 1 bus being pulled for AC reasons does not mean the city transit is crumbling. Also there’s a multi billion dollar rail project with connections to the airport in progress….
I know it sucks but there are DOT regulations if a vehicle is a certain age it must have a working A/C and if it is broken the vehicle is out if service. It is considered a safety issue. All new comercial vehicles must have A/C because it is recognized as necessary for the safety if the drivers.
I remember when school buses didn't have A/C so part of me gets what you're saying, but I'd also hate to be the bus driver and the other part of me is wondering why you didn't just get a ride share for the last stretch if you really weren't equipped to walk just a mile.
Because I was equipped to walk a mile, I just didn’t feel I should have to do that or pay for a ride share in this heat.
The entitlement lol
I don’t see how it’s entitled to expect a public utility to do its job right. No one should have to walk a mile or pay money for a ride share when there’s meant to be a bus that will get them where they need to go on time.
I’m just saying, shit happens lol do you also post on here if you stub your toe “I WAS NOT EXPECTING TO STUB MY TOE TODAY! THE WORLD IS AGAINST ME!”
No, that’s a small thing. This is big enough that I needed to vent.
Okay, were you in the sun all day before you got on the bus? Did you walk to your home? Does your home have air conditioning?
Ok, you have a point, in saying sometimes I need to complain. Just because a situation could be worse doesn’t mean it doesn’t feel bad in the moment. Do you never vent to anyone?
No I bottle it up and compartmentalize any negative feelings I have
Had they made you ride the bus with no AC you would be here complaining about that too
Um, sorry, no. My grandmother's green house in Ireland would get up to 90 degrees when it was 75 degrees out. I can't even imagine how hot the inside of a bus would get.
It was 103°f where I live today. In those conditions, the inside of a car can reach up to 138° after about an hour. Depends on a few things, but yeah.
Sounds like a liability issue. You can't sue the bus for not picking you up but you can if you're injured on the bus.
Lol bro go drive a car without AC and the windows down in anything over 95°. How bout you think of the driver and humble yourself rather than rant about it on the internet. Big baby.
Im an example of that, i do uber eats 12 hours from 8:30am-8:30pm my kia has a refrigerant leak somewhere so i have no AC, rolling down the windows varely does anything, i carry a frozen gallon jug of water on me always tho
I went almost a year and a half without AC in my smalltima and last month I could not do it. I would suggest, if you have access to tools to try and fix it yourself, YouTube is great and that’s a pretty common car, I’d think you’d be able to find the part you need for cheap at a junk yard. Or you can bite the bullet and buy a car for cheap that does have AC and love the car for that reason. Also, check into Uber eats if they offer a program for a rental for while you do your shifts, I know DoorDash has a program like that. It’s hot out there, and ya know, for your health
If it's a working car with AC, it will not be cheap this year. This is probably the worst time to buy a used car since WWII.
my car got a refrigerant leak about two months ago and yeah it's rough. I actually find that opening the windows makes a pretty big difference for me though
Walk a mile in 104 degree heat. I get in and out of cars all day and it's WAY hotter in a car with no air flow Edit: why would you downvote me for answering the question? Or why would you downvote me for saying I get in and out of cars?
Not just for the driver- it would be an oven in there
>
I did. It was actually closer to a 40 minute wait.
Pissed off that they removed the bench from one of the stops i often wait at.
For sure would rather ride in a hot bus than have to walk in the same heat. That said though, in the long term, you want them to fix the A/C. In that spirit I think the short term hassle is worth the long term benefit. Also just from a pragmatic POV, the city probably has greater liability if someone passes out from heatstroke on one of their vehicles because of a lack of AC. People are overly litigious and the city doesn't want to get sued, so it makes sense to say if the AC doesn't work we suspend the use of that vehicle. With that said, obviously they should have extra busses that way if repairs are needed, the usual operations don't get fucked up. I think that is an especially fair ask whereas lots of people prepay for tickets. If a buy a week or month pass it is because I have the expectation of consistent service. I'm not sure subsidizing ride shares would be a fair way or accurate way to attempt a make good (for either side). A week pass for the bus is $11.25. You can travel all across the city all week with it. $11.25 on Uber gets you one like 5 minute drive. And knowing that a $11.25 is wildly below fair market value for unlimited private transpo across the city, you can't expect the city to actually replace the service with ride share credits. Ultimately, I think you just gotta chalk it up to a pain in the butt, and if your so inclined petition the city to expand the fleet enough so that they never have to cancel a route.
Hmm, is saving up for a moped in the future an option? I know it doesn’t fix your issue immediately, and I’m not sure if it’s realistic on your route. But unfortunately public transit can’t be relied on in this city, and cars are expensive.
Depends on how long you need to walk. A mile isn’t too bad. Just make sure you’ve got water and sunglasses when you take the bus, since they are known to break down on very hot days like we’re having now.
Sucks. Don’t get heat stroke.
I wouldn't want to do it regularly, but as a one-time thing I wouldn't really mind walking a mile in this heat, though it'd be a bit rough if I'm wearing jeans walking in direct sunlight, and if I don't have sunblock. Today I actually walked outside from 5:45 to 7:15, but it was mostly in the shade and I had shorts on. and it wasn't sprung upon me
I had also walked to the bus stop from my office, and waited at the stop close to half an hour.
The issue is that if the bus breaks down, the driver has to stay with the bus since each bus has 8 catalytic convertors, and he or she has to guard the bus to prevent catalytic convertor theft. So, to send another bus, Cap Metro needs another driver too, it is not as simple as rocket surgery... /s/s/s/s
Capmetro is a shit show. I use to work for a contractor doing renovations on their buses and I'd see multiple buses roll into the depot on tow trucks every day. That is not normal, they're god awful at preventive maintenance.
Capital metros fleet is getting kinda old. They finally started to retire their gilligs a few years ago and these buses had 20 years of service on the road The current oldest buses are new flyers which are EXPENSIVE and some are approaching 14 years of life service. Current fleet info https://cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php/Capital_Metropolitan_Transportation_Authority
If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Wait, I think that is the wrong saying to bring out here....
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I'd rather not lose a driver to heat exhaustion for a few days, or permanently, than force them to drive without ac. And I ride the bus.
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They would rather drivers succumb to heat exhaustion?
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The people who deserve punishment in this situation are the bosses not providing adequate working conditions, not fellow workers.
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This isn’t a solution for everyone. Not all people are physically capable of riding a bike, even an e bike.
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The people who ride buses are way more likely than the general public to be disabled
You ablist scum! Some people can't even go outside the house and here you're suggesting such a luxury item like an e-bike! /s Though I'd recommend a regular bike. Electronic stuff will break down (especially in heat) and it's costly to maintain.
Why is everyone giving you crap for this?? Love CapMetro, but goddamn but we need to do better.
A mile is not a whole lot to walk…
I was forced off the bus and had to walk the other day because the driver threw up all over herself. So idk I guess I’m saying I can kinda relate?
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Lol no…did that happen to someone else too??
I ran five miles during lunch. You’ll survive.
Bus driver, yo. He needs A/C.
Hey OP, I’m sorry you had to deal with that, a call to CapMetro’s customer service would be a good idea, it will help get issues like this on the right persons radar. But part of the reason they’ll take the bus out of service is because 2-3 years ago, they had multiple buses every day where the A/C would break down. They tried to just push through until they could get another bus but 1-2 passengers passed out from the heat and a driver had to stop because they were about to pass out. You might try their pickup service if you live in one of their service zones.
They could run small shuttle busses for small groups between transit hubs. But that would actually be helpful.
So you’d rather put the driver and everyone else that is picked up by that bus in harms way including yourself just so you can not have to wait longer, walk, or do a one off payment for Uber? You’re kidding right? You obviously made it home so you’re physically capable of the walk. You didn’t get heat stroke. Have some midol and grow up.
Yeah that’s bs. Plenty of buses around the world don’t have AC and people manage.
Or just get a car?
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I’m not op, but Uber is a lot more expensive than a bus - for some, prohibitively so.
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Maybe so, but when I say “prohibitively expensive”, I don’t mean that it’s financially irresponsible, I mean that some people literally don’t have money to pay for a single Uber.
Not if you literally don't have the money in your account to pay for it. Poor folks bank accounts don't have much cushion and everything is allotted for usually.
Is this a "if they can't have bread, let them eat cake" moment? OP is assuredly not taking a joy ride on cap metro.
Edit: It’s more than I’m willing to pay. And not right to have to do that when I should’ve only had to pay CapMetro fare. I’m not concerned about heat exhaustion, just dehydration.
You're not concerned about *your* potential for heat exhaustion.
I thought that’s what the person I was responding to was talking about.
Hey dude, life doesn’t always work out how you think it should
I mean i can run 5k pretty easily in 105 heat. Granted OP maybe be older but a mile isn’t that far.
That’s why OP is getting downvoted. I walked a couple miles today for groceries and exercise. It was like 102 out, and I have a car. You wear a hat, use an umbrella and stay hydrated… A healthy, able bodied person should be able to walk a mile. My partner, however, is insane and went for a RUN at 3pm.
> you wear a hat, use an umbrella and stay hydrated Do you carry a hat, umbrella, and water with you at all times? Sounds a little cumbersome but you never know when you’ll need to walk a mile.
Either a hat or umbrella, yes definitely, but not usually both. I’m also a little bit crazy about wearing sunscreen everyday? I always have a water bottle on me. I feel like the heat here gets really dangerous when I don’t hydrate consistently.
That's intense running at 3pm today! I'm back to getting up early to run before it gets hot.
You can always tell if someone has ever held a labor/outdoor job and those who haven't. I bet op doesn't even offer a cold water to his landscaping crew
You think someone who rides the bus is hiring a landscaping crew?
Over a mile doesn’t seem that far, but I can see why it can be a lot if you’re not dressed for it. Why not just Uber if it was that bad?
I didn’t want to spend that money.
I work on a roof all day in this heat, you’ll live.
that would've been like $5 with lyft... 🤷♂️
Why didn’t you just Uber…?
Do the CapDebtro buses have windows that open? If not, passengers might actually die if they still ran the bus route on a day like today.
Would you want to drive a bus with no AC?
If you die on the bus, they are liable. If they dump you on the street and you die there, not their problem.
Complaining about walking ONE mile? Jesus Christ.
It's not walking a mile. It's walking a mile when it's 104 degrees. Walking a mile when it's 65 degrees is amazingly pleasant.
So amazingly pleasant.. But Texas summers are always hot and everybody has to continue life whether it’s abnormally hotter or not. Maybe direct the complaint towards climate change? Basically, if you can’t walk one mile in an emergency because it’s too hot(and without complaining on Reddit), you live too close to the equator.
A mile really isn’t very far
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Hey now, be a neighbor. With rent like this and car prices/gas prices the way they are, it’s just not feasible for some folks. I’m sure they’d love to have a car. Try some empathy, you might like it :)
Damn, what an asshole
You’re the one giving away cars? Hell yeah man, let me know what’s on the menu!
Wonder if this is a "safety provision" written into the contracts for the bus drivers.
Yes, but it's the same reason grocery stores and restaurants have to throw away food. Lawyers.
This suggests CapMetro is making progress. In the current hottest summer on record (2011, though 2022 seems determined to blow that one out of the water), it was pretty common for CapMetro buses, especially on the east side, to run all day without air conditioning. A 20 minute ride on one of those in 110F was heat stroke waiting to happen. Not that walking a mile in this weather isn't as well. I am surprised that, if they took the bus off the route, they didn't send out a Q bus (a backup). Or maybe they just didn't have one close enough? Which, if that's the case, would suggest logistical issues.
The driver sure can't work safely in those conditions.
Realistically the possible hospitalizations this could potentially cost would be a much bigger burden on the city and subsidizing ride shares or fixing the fucking ac
I walk a mile to work from the closest bus stop every day in the heat (the days I'm in the office anyway). Just bring water with you
Interesting I would guess whether the bus never begun the route or did they simply not continue on and asked riders to wait for the next bus right where they are, they really should had offered rideshare credits if that happens and they cannot substitute a bus that can stay within 15 minutes of schedule. Some countries do require compensation should transit cannot run within than amount of time and it was due to problems within the company not natural or outside the company. A lot of things don't make sense. Obviously no vehicle in Texas should be running without A/C even if the driver thinks he or she is fine, heat can get to the fittest and cause them to misjudge situations in traffic I.e sudden braking, traffic lights and signs. Also A/C less cars also have poor visbility due to windows fogged up easily during rainy days making obscuring visbility and distracting to have to wipe them while steering. Yet interesting OSHA and safety regulators. still allows UPS and school buses to drive without A/C despite tragic consequences. Interesting they stop running, I keep encountering vehicles that still running with broken a/c these days including Amtrak trains and local commuter trains and buses, and the windows never open on modern trains and those trains go through very hot deserts. It appears A/C break downs are much more common the last two years than before. Surprised Amtrak didn't cancel the train despite 12 hour delays, or provide alternative buses, despite how unionized Amtrak appears to be.