ATC chief apologizes for rude drivers

Friday, April 9, 2004 | 9:29 a.m.

The chief operating officer of the local bus company apologized to the Regional Transportation Commission Thursday for a sharp increase in reports of rude drivers and said the company was undertaking a "comprehensive program to root out unprofessional drivers."

W.H. "Bill" McCloud, senior vice president of ATC, contracted operators of the Citizens Area Transit bus company, made his comments during the citizens participation portion of the RTC agenda.

McCloud said he felt it was important to make a public apology and take action in the wake of RTC findings that the bus company had a 14.6 percent increase in driver complaints in 2003 following a year in which such complaints dipped by 2.4 percent.

CAT bus ridership, meanwhile, decreased 11.3 percent in 2002 from a record 51.9 million riders in 2001, and rose just 3.4 percent last year to 46.9 million riders. In addition, overall service complaints dropped 9.5 percent in 2002 and increased 13.7 percent in 2003.

McCloud told the commissioners that seven additional undercover company passengers were "immediately" added to the streets to board the buses and monitor the conduct of the drivers.

Brown said the company will not only discipline rude drivers but also will reward good drivers with incentives.