Thousands of bus riders adjusting to strike

Tuesday, May 21, 2002 | 11:13 a.m.

Usually, Frank Downarich can get to a destination in North Las Vegas in 90 minutes by taking two CAT buses from his neighborhood 13 miles away.

To make his 9:30 a.m. appointment in North Las Vegas Monday, Downarich went to his stop at 6:30 a.m. He figured three hours was plenty of time, even amid a citywide bus strike.

He was 10 minutes late for his appointment.

Downarich was one of thousands of bus riders who were inconvenienced by the first and second days of the strike, but he also was one of many who say they support the striking drivers in their cause.

"They are underpaid for what they do, and I hope they get more money and the benefits they want," said Downarich, who has lived in Las Vegas for five years and relies on public buses as his main form of transportation.

"I'm just going to have to leave earlier until it is over."

James Schofield this morning waited at the Downtown Transportation Center for a bus to take him to the Guy Veterans Clinic off Martin L. King Boulevard. The VA would not take him after he was late for a Monday appointment because of slow bus service, so he was trying again today.

"I waited 2 1/2 hours for a bus at Civic Center and Eastern yesterday," the seven-year local resident said. "This bus today already is 20 minutes late."

He, too, sympathizes with the drivers saying, "no raise in five years, I can see why they are striking." But he also says he believes there are enough people in Las Vegas who know how to drive buses to replace the union drivers.

Ron Bateman, who works in a housekeeping position at the MGM that has a no-strike clause in its union contract, said, "I can see their (drivers') point. After all, there is a strike coming in our business, and we support our maids who are overworked and underpaid."

Still, Bateman, who was off today and waiting for a bus at the downtown center to take him to Rainbow Boulevard and Smoke Ranch Road, said, "I've got all day to get what I have to do done, but I don't like waiting around all day."

Getting to work on time was a big problem Monday.

"My employer called because she knows I'm a bus rider and advised me to leave early," said David Baker, who works at the Vons supermarket at Buffalo Drive and Lake Mead Boulevard and waited for a bus at Martin L. King and Lake Mead boulevards. "I left an hour early. I will be late for work."

Baker noted, however, "there are some real friendly bus drivers on the routes I take. I hope they get what they want."

Frank Jackson, a resident of Las Vegas since 1991, was waiting for his third bus of the day Monday afternoon. He rode his bike between bus rides.

"The buses on Charleston and Decatur (boulevards) were running on time early today, but as the day goes on, they seem to be running slower," he said. "On my bike I passed three buses that were out of service. I don't understand that."

For the most part, the valley bus stops in the late morning and early afternoon Monday were empty, or had one or two persons waiting for a ride. The Strip had lots of people at some stops and hardly any at others in the early afternoon.