Stan was one of the people who stuck with CyRide in the early days and helped overcome the many difficulties associated with the new bus system in Ames. His dedication to the job was one of the reasons CyRide was able to grow into the system it is today. He was a great driver and always pleasant with passengers and co-workers. Our condolences have been sent to his family. (Bob)

Red Buckets: Drivers, when leaving the garage, should ensure that the red rubbish bucket is removed from the dash and placed on the floor. This will present a less "trashier" image of CyRide for our passengers. (George)

Bus Stop Signs, Benches, and Shelters: Drivers, we need your help. Please assist us in making CyRide the best bus system in Iowa. When you see missing or damaged bus stop signs, rubbish strewn, or damaged bus shelters and/or benches, please record this information on a maintenance card. The maintenance card should be given to the dispatcher at the end of your shift. If damage creates a hazard to passengers, such as broken glass in the bus shelter, notify the dispatcher immediately. Your timely reporting assists us in keeping CyRide safe, clean, and professional looking. (George)

Who Are You? Please wear your nametag so all of our new and "not so new" drivers know your name. (George)

Are You Tucked In? Unless you have a female styled shirt (one that is hemmed), your shirt (dress or polo) must be tucked into your trousers. Consult your CyRide Driver Manual if you are unsure of what the uniform wear standards are. (George)

The Mall Transfer Point: We have received several comments regarding drivers not announcing the transfer point at the Mall. The Mall is a transfer point for Red, Green, Blue, and Gray routes. Remembering to announce the Mall will help eliminate confusion; particularly, since we have added Gray route into the Red, Green, and Blue rotation. (Barb)

"Button up" Your Bus: Before departing your bus after the completion of your run, make sure you conduct the following procedures:

Place vehicle transmission in neutral.
Set the parking brake.
Turn off all lights and fans.
Move the seat back.
Stow steering wheel in the upright position.
Walk through of the bus and pick up lost items and rubbish.
Close all windows and vents.

Doing these procedures makes the laneworker’s job easier and quicker. (George)

Trainer: Brent Klooster has accepted the position of Transit Trainer. We were fortunate to have several excellent candidates, which made the decision difficult. Brent worked at CyRide as a driver and dispatcher from January 1992 to February 1997. He then went to St. Cloud, MN to finish his degree program and also was a driver and Assistant Manager of Safety and Training for Voigt's Bus Company in St. Cloud. Most recently he has been the Assistant Transportation Manager at Des Moines MTA. Brent will be returning to CyRide in about four weeks. (Bob)

International Student Airport Shuttle: Thanks to our drivers and dispatchers for another successful airport shuttle. One hundred twenty three students were safely transported to and from the airport last month. The use of mini-buses during this shuttle proved to be very effective. (George)

New Garage: The architect has developed a master plan for our site that maximizes the number of buses that can be parked and maintained here and still be within the budget guidelines. It will be presented to the transit board this month. (Bob)

Mirrors: I am happy to say that we have ordered five mirrors that match the right side mirror currently on unit 955. The mirrors will be in next week and we will put them on the Orion V’s ASAP. Thank you for your input. (Terry)

Gillig Frames: I would like to let every one know that we have accepted the offer from the Gillig Corporation in regards to the frame repair on six Gillig Phantoms. In the agreement, the Gillig Corporation will issue CyRide a parts credit for 50% of the invoice amount for the repairs. At this time we have three buses repaired and one being repaired in Minnesota. We are preparing the fifth bus for the trip to Minnesota. The parts credit for the first three buses has been received. (Terry)