More handy dart drivers are speaking out about a decline in service quality.
Shirley Stadnyk has been a driver for TranslLink’s door-to-door service for elderly and disabled people for 12 years.
She says a major problem is their scheduling system, which sends drivers all over the place with empty busses, what they call “dead heading.”
“I had a schedule one time where I drove empty to north Burnaby and I did a call, then i drove empty to north Poco to do a call, then I drove empty to north Burnaby to do a call…we explained this to management one time and they said what does it matter to you – you don’t have to pay for the gas.”
Stadnyk says the computerized scheduler also doesn’t give drivers enough time for pick-ups and drop-offs, sometimes causing busses to be several hours late.
As a result, some handy dart users have run out of oxygen, or soiled themselves waiting for a ride.