If there is one thing I know for sure is the words my friend, Anne Wilde, gave me several years ago. She said, "You can just feel it when you're in the place where you belong." Those words echoed in my head when I decided to move back to Milwaukee. But more than just feeling as if I was in a comfortable place, I knew I had to become part of this place. I couldn't just sit back and watch the game.
I realized from my experience in Appleton that I have some facility for writing, that is beyond my fantasy that I write compelling fiction. I have to give a shout out to Jon Croce, publisher of Appleton Monthly Magazine, for that opportunity.
Since coming back to Milwaukee, I have been given a chance to write for Urban Milwaukee, which is a digital news source that is widely read and respected. My editor at Urban Milwaukee is Bruce Murphey, who is not only publishing my work but helping to make me a far better writer. My first article for Urban Milwaukee.
Also, I'm working on a four-part series giving readers of MCTS's Rider Insider newsletter, a look at what it takes to become a bus driver in Milwaukee County Transit System. I can tell you from attending training classes and talking to some of the applicants, it's not just driving the bus, as difficult as that is, that qualifies someone to work in the system.
Some of you might wonder why I'm so concerned about transit. It's been at the top of my action list for years. I was the social media editor for now renamed Metro Go Facebook page, and I continue to contribute to the Facebook page for Transit Services Advisory Committee (TSAC). TSAC is a group of citizen volunteers who advise the County Transportation, Public Works and Transit Committee on concerns and observations about the Milwaukee County Transit System. (The supplier of scheduled bus service and paratransit services).
My biggest attraction to Transit is selfish. I don't drive, and I have not driven a car for some years. Depending on friends and relatives who have cars is not the answer for someone who values their independence. Safe, reliable, and quality bus service is the best alternative. In all my years of using the system, I can tell you that it is not only necessary to a thriving city, but buses are also an economic generator and essential service.
The people that I ride with do not necessarily need to use the system, many of them choose to use it. Many riders use the bus system because it's more economical, time-saving, and responsible. I know people who haven't tried using the system look at standing at bus stops waiting for a bus a waste of time. These people evidently feel that driving up and down streets looking for a place to park is fulfilling.
I hear some concerns from non-riders about who they would be riding with on a bus. I tell them they are young people who are going to work or school that give up a seat to seniors and people who need the seat more than they do. They are people who travel miles each day to minimum wage jobs.
Some passengers are patients that need treatment or are seeking help from their doctor. Many of them are going to shop for everything, from clothing to groceries. Some are senior citizens, like myself, who have given up driving because we admit we aren't competent to handle an automobile, particularly in dense urban traffic. (You're welcome.)
And let's be honest. Some of the people that get on a bus are not people you want to hang out with. But they are a part of our community, and you're going to run into them regardless of where you live and how you travel. You may be safer on a bus than you would be in many other situations. Everything that happens on a bus is recorded on security video. People with bad intentions either know this, and it serves as a deterrent, or they aren't aware of it, and they find out when they are charged or confronted about their behavior
I'm writing, working, and training to become a better, more competent citizen of this community. I'm not patting myself on the back here. I'm really bragging about a community that helps me become a member and values what I bring to the table.
I realized from my experience in Appleton that I have some facility for writing, that is beyond my fantasy that I write compelling fiction. I have to give a shout out to Jon Croce, publisher of Appleton Monthly Magazine, for that opportunity.
Since coming back to Milwaukee, I have been given a chance to write for Urban Milwaukee, which is a digital news source that is widely read and respected. My editor at Urban Milwaukee is Bruce Murphey, who is not only publishing my work but helping to make me a far better writer. My first article for Urban Milwaukee.
Also, I'm working on a four-part series giving readers of MCTS's Rider Insider newsletter, a look at what it takes to become a bus driver in Milwaukee County Transit System. I can tell you from attending training classes and talking to some of the applicants, it's not just driving the bus, as difficult as that is, that qualifies someone to work in the system.
Some of you might wonder why I'm so concerned about transit. It's been at the top of my action list for years. I was the social media editor for now renamed Metro Go Facebook page, and I continue to contribute to the Facebook page for Transit Services Advisory Committee (TSAC). TSAC is a group of citizen volunteers who advise the County Transportation, Public Works and Transit Committee on concerns and observations about the Milwaukee County Transit System. (The supplier of scheduled bus service and paratransit services).
My biggest attraction to Transit is selfish. I don't drive, and I have not driven a car for some years. Depending on friends and relatives who have cars is not the answer for someone who values their independence. Safe, reliable, and quality bus service is the best alternative. In all my years of using the system, I can tell you that it is not only necessary to a thriving city, but buses are also an economic generator and essential service.
The people that I ride with do not necessarily need to use the system, many of them choose to use it. Many riders use the bus system because it's more economical, time-saving, and responsible. I know people who haven't tried using the system look at standing at bus stops waiting for a bus a waste of time. These people evidently feel that driving up and down streets looking for a place to park is fulfilling.
I hear some concerns from non-riders about who they would be riding with on a bus. I tell them they are young people who are going to work or school that give up a seat to seniors and people who need the seat more than they do. They are people who travel miles each day to minimum wage jobs.
Some passengers are patients that need treatment or are seeking help from their doctor. Many of them are going to shop for everything, from clothing to groceries. Some are senior citizens, like myself, who have given up driving because we admit we aren't competent to handle an automobile, particularly in dense urban traffic. (You're welcome.)
And let's be honest. Some of the people that get on a bus are not people you want to hang out with. But they are a part of our community, and you're going to run into them regardless of where you live and how you travel. You may be safer on a bus than you would be in many other situations. Everything that happens on a bus is recorded on security video. People with bad intentions either know this, and it serves as a deterrent, or they aren't aware of it, and they find out when they are charged or confronted about their behavior
I'm writing, working, and training to become a better, more competent citizen of this community. I'm not patting myself on the back here. I'm really bragging about a community that helps me become a member and values what I bring to the table.
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