Free YCAT bus rides on Monday

Express your appreciation for your YCAT bus driver and you will get a free ride Monday, International Bus Driver Appreciation Day.

If passengers fill out the “Declaration of Appreciation” available on buses and online at www.ycipta.az.gov and give it to the bus operator, the passenger will receive a free bus ride.

The Yuma County Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority (YCIPTA), which operates the Yuma County Area Transit bus system, wants to recognize its 29 operators who keep the buses rolling each day.

The bus drivers maneuver 34-foot, 19-ton vehicles through often crowded and cramped streets in all types of weather to safely deliver riders where they need to go, noted John Andoh, transit director.

“Some might think driving a bus is easy, but consider this: for hours on end, operators manage to keep a schedule, check fares, give directions, announce stops, remember stop requests and more, all while safely maneuvering a 34-foot vehicle through unpredictable traffic, adverse weather conditions and some really tight spaces,” Andoh said.

Not only that, he added, drivers face frustrated passengers when the bus is late—even when it's because of traffic or other circumstances out of their control.

And then there's that little issue of bathroom breaks.

“Fact is, bus drivers don't have an easy job, they just make it look that way,” Andoh said.

YCIPTA receives many commendations for bus operators, and Andoh reminds passengers that they don't have to wait for International Bus Driver Appreciation Day to thank their operator for a job well done. Passengers can submit a commendation any time using an easy online form at www.ycipta.az.gov or by calling 928-783-2235.

YCIPTA will paste all the thank-you notes received Monday on a YCAT bus parked at the Downtown Yuma Transit Center from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

YCITPA hopes to receive at least 1,000 thank-you notes “to show how much the passengers of Yuma County appreciate the hard work of their bus operators,” Andoh said.

YCIPTA is participating in this event in collaboration with TriMet, the transit system for the greater Portland area. The transit systems hope to have this event become an international “holiday” recognized by other transit agencies and bus companies.

For YCAT transit information and YCAT OnCall reservations, call visit www.ycat.az.gov or 928-783-2235.

Mara Knaub can be reached at mknaub@yumasun.com or (928) 539-6856. Find her on Facebook at Facebook.com/YSMaraKnaub or on Twitter at @YSMaraKnaub.