If I Could Start Over: Advice for My First Day in Transit

I wish I had a time machine. I think I’d be a lot slimmer if I did. Wouldn't we all be right? Maybe that's the next thing Elon can work on or something. So the other day I was thinking about my life. My career, choices, my receding hairline, things of that sort, and it gave me a thought. If I could tell my younger self anything about bus transportation?

What would I say?

After 14 years in this industry, there's no denying my love for it. It has opened doors and taken me on incredible journeys I never could have imagined. But throughout these years, I've also gained a wealth of wisdom. It got me thinking, if the 34-year-old Patrick could have a conversation with his 20-year-old self, what advice would he give?

Let's dive into the insights and lessons I wish I could share with my younger self.

Beware of the Foxes.

In the Bible, King Solomon warns his readers to be cautious of the cunning foxes that can ruin their vineyard. At first glance, one might simply interpret this as a literal fox causing damage to someone's garden. I know farmers who have faced the challenge of foxes preying on their livestock, and it can be quite distressing. However, Solomon's warning about foxes goes beyond the literal interpretation. Throughout the Bible, animals are often used both literally and metaphorically, and in this case, Solomon is referring to the fox as a metaphor for a small nuisance.

I would compare the fox in this context to a metaphor for our dietary choices. When I started my career, like most individuals, I was younger and in the prime of my physical life. However, poor dietary habits led to weight gain over time. Did you know that consuming just an extra 50 calories per day can result in nearly 6 pounds of weight gain in a year? That may not seem like much, but when you add it up, that half pound per month can eventually turn into an extra 30 pounds after six years.

In our line of work, we are already under stress, so the last thing we want to worry about is our diet. I understand that completely. But if I could give advice to my younger self, I would say, watch out for the fox when it comes to your eating habits. You are already at a disadvantage because of the additional stress and lack of sleep compared to the average worker, and both of these factors make weight gain much easier.

That extra bag of chips, soda, or occasional sweet treat may not seem significant in the moment, but it all adds up in the end. And as you grow older, shedding that weight becomes increasingly challenging.

So, beware of the foxes in the vineyard of your diet. Take a moment to slow down and evaluate your choices. It may seem unnecessary, but trust me, it will make a difference in the long run.

Slow Down

As a seasoned driver with 14 years of accident-free experience, I never thought I would come to this realization. I could have slowed down. Looking back on my career, I now recognize that there were certain aspects where I could have made improvements, and one of those areas was the pace at which I operated my vehicle.

I vividly recall a day when I was driving the Brown route to White Marsh. The Brown line was known for requiring a high level of aggression to maintain. So to me, speeding was justified. Until one day  I glanced at my driver's mirror and noticed this older lady gripping the back of her seat, clearly uncomfortable.

In my mind, I knew I had complete control of the bus and felt confident about the situation, including the speed. However, that incident taught me that not all passengers share the same sentiment.

As a younger driver, it may have seemed cool to provide a fast ride, and some passengers even applauded such driving. But as I have grown older, my values have shifted. While a quick ride may be appealing, it should not come at the expense of someone feeling unsafe.

Consider the role of a pilot. Passengers cannot see the pilot or comprehend the intricacies of flying a plane. The pilot may have a full understanding of the situation, even if the plane is flying upside down.  But I'm sure most of us would avoid an upside-down plane at all costs

I would advise younger me to consider people who've had bad experiences, people like my mom who have anxiety due to accidents.

This realization had changed my perspective. I would tell younger me to understand the importance of prioritizing passenger comfort over speed. In the end, if someone was afraid or uncomfortable it doesn't matter if the trip was on time or not.

Make Better Financial Choices.

When I started driving the bus I was 20 years old. I came from an impoverished family so I did not know how money worked at all. So I would spend it as fast as I made it.  Driving the bus opened my eyes to a level of financial abundance I had never experienced before. However, the problem was that I lacked the wisdom to manage it.  It's hard to believe that someone could be making a salary of over 80K a year in the mid-2010s and still find themselves struggling to make ends meet. Living paycheck to paycheck, dealing with repossessed cars, and accumulating unnecessary debt, but that was my reality.

In my early twenties, I made the mistake of purchasing not just one, but two vehicles with a staggering 30% interest rate.  Why? because no one told me how that stuff worked. I just knew I needed a car and had a good job. I had no understanding of credit, assets, or liabilities.

I didn't grasp the concept of actively managing a savings account. Growing up in poverty, I developed a scarcity mindset, which led me to buy things I didn't need out of fear of not having enough. After spending a decade at MTA, I assume that I had made approximately 900,000 dollars, but had nothing to show for it by the time I left in 2020.

To be brutally honest, one of the main motivations for me to start a business was the realization that I had mismanaged my money so badly that my driver's salary of 90k+ was not sufficient. Unfortunately, this is the reality for many drivers today. It's no accident that some drivers can earn $35-40 dollars per hour and still need to work overtime just to make ends meet. I know because I was that driver.

Have A Plan

Recruitment has been my calling for the better part of four years now, and one of the main areas where I focus my efforts is the communities where I grew up. By recruiting in these areas, I have the incredible opportunity to positively impact lives for generations to come. How do I know this? Just ask my kids.

While everything I've mentioned is true, it's only part of the story. The problem is that many people, like myself, were simply grateful for the opportunity and didn't think beyond that. And don't get me wrong, it's not a bad thing in theory. After all, who wouldn't want to escape challenging circumstances? But it's important to have a plan for what comes next when you start your career. It's crucial to know your goals and aspirations from the beginning.

I often share this saying with my children to emphasize the importance of being intentional in life. It goes like this: "You can put the world's most powerful boat in the middle of the ocean, but if you do not steer it, the waves will take it away." This analogy serves as a reminder that you have to actively steer your life in the direction you want to go because drifting won't lead you to your desired destination.

As I entered the world of transit, my primary goal was to "get this money", and there's nothing inherently wrong with that approach. I could have simply done that and retired in 2040. But I've come to realize the immense value of having a broader plan in place. It can make a world of difference when you enter any career with a clear understanding of your long-term goals and aspirations.

When you come from a background like mine, you are filled with immense gratitude for any opportunity that comes your way, and it's natural to dive headfirst into it. However, as you progress in your career, a sense of dissatisfaction may begin to creep in if you realize that this isn't your long-term plan. Unfortunately, once you reach a point of unhappiness, there's very little that Transit can do to make you feel satisfied with your job. This is where many disgruntled drivers originate from. It's like being trapped in golden handcuffs because there are very few, if any, opportunities out there where we can simply walk in and earn the same amount of money. Once you realize this, you slowly transition from being just a bus driver to someone who is counting down the days until they can sign out.

After my departure from MTA, I embarked on a journey into entrepreneurship, and although things were decent, I couldn't help but wonder how much smoother the process would have been if I had diligently saved $10,000 a year or $1,000 a month. Imagine having a hefty 100K in the bank! It would have made creating my own company so much easier. I could have even purchased my own bus and became a private driver, I could have even explored the world of real estate. The possibilities were endless, and starting these ventures would have been a breeze if I planned on day one, rather than waiting until year ten.

It’s Complicated

I was incredibly passionate about transit. It was something that truly ignited my soul. In my heart, my deepest desire was for the MTA to become the best transit agency in the entire nation. I envisioned new routes, reimagined bus stops, and listened to the feedback from passengers who expressed their dissatisfaction. I believed that these changes could make a significant impact and improve the transit experience for everyone.

Fast forward to today, and as a bus driver, my perspective has shifted. Being on the ground, interacting with customers, and understanding their needs and concerns, everything I said before still holds true. However, I now realize that my initial idea wasn't incorrect, but it was incomplete.

In 2015, I was fortunate enough to be promoted to service development as a planner. It was a proud moment for me, as I was the one operator who made it through the ranks. Finally, I had the power to implement the massive changes I had dreamed of.

Little did I know, working on the executive or planning side of transit comes with its own set of challenges. Something as simple as moving a bus stop can take years and cost a significant amount of money, sometimes even hundreds of thousands of dollars. I was completely unaware of the complexities involved in procurement, title 6 ADA compliance, and the numerous factors that need to be considered when making changes from the "other side."

Many drivers, including myself, often grow frustrated with the agency, feeling like our suggestions for common-sense changes are ignored or delayed. I vividly remember attending my first local town hall meeting, advocating for a new bus route called the 81 to Deer Park. That was an additional part of Randallstown that could greatly benefit from this service, not to mention it wouldn't have cost the agency much. However, I soon realized that we needed to navigate a multitude of factors, including community approval, which I had previously been unaware of.

During the discussion with the locals about this potential new route, a man stood up and voiced his concerns, saying that bringing the bus to their neighborhood would result in I quote "people stealing his tv". It may sound amusing, but these are the real conversations, real arguments that transit executives face every day when it comes to making changes to the service.

It's important to recognize that transit executives genuinely want to address the concerns of operators and passengers alike. They hear us loud and clear, and they strive to help us. However, it's essential to understand that the decision-making process is far from easy. There are numerous powers and factors at play within the world of transit that can complicate even the simplest of changes. Before passing judgment, we as operators should have a little more patience and understanding.

So, what about you? Even if you haven't been a driver, what advice would you give your younger self about your current career? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Share them in the comments, and I look forward to reading and commenting on each one.

About the Author
Patrick is a former bus operator turned entrepreneur and the founder of Transit Gigs, an innovation studio that creates practical solutions to practical problems in the bus transportation industry. With over 14 years of experience behind the wheel and in operations, Patrick uses his frontline perspective to rethink workforce systems, empower drivers, and bring modern, human-centered strategies to transit.

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