News and Notes



« Sat.07.01.2000 »
1:46 am EDT    56°F (13°C) in Ann Arbor

I'm trying out a new feature on this page with this update. I have included the time I make the update to the page, as well as the current temperature in Ann Arbor. I'll see if I like it, and think about keeping it for future updates.

I haven't done much interesting this week -- just work and more work. Well, actually, the work has been the interesting part. I actually violated the federal hours-of-service law on Wednesday by driving two shifts amounting to 10.9 hours. (Anybody who drives for hire is limited by federal law to 10 on-duty hours in one day.) Fortunately, I didn't catch any crap about that one. Then, about 6:00 pm yesterday, a speeding car hit my bus and ran off. The car didn't do any damage to the bus, and apparently the car didn't suffer any damage either, but we bus drivers are still required to report that kind of stuff anyway. What happened was that the car, a black 1991 Honda Prelude (as I later found out), took the "parallel" right turn at Catherine and Glen too tight in the outside lane, cutting me off. I locked up my brakes, stopping before I entered the left travel lane -- it is physically impossible for the bus to make the turn entirely in the right lane -- but the Prelude turned even tighter after I stopped, and clipped my front bumper. The driver then sped off down Glen, but not before I caught the license plate number. I hope that individual got a visit from a not-so-nice DPS officer who slapped him/her with a hefty ticket or more for leaving the scene of an accident.

On the reinstatement front, things have sort of backed off. I can't even meet with Prof. Howard until next Wednesday, and then I think I'll have to re-file the petition. I do have written backing from Bitsy now, so we'll see if that helps at all. I really don't know what will happen -- but I do have a slightly better feeling about it now.

An update on the AATA takeover situation from a few weeks ago: It looks like it's crumbling in Cooky's face. First, the deal to purchase the YMCA facility adjacent to the Blake Transit Center appears to have fallen through, mostly because Cook shot off his mouth before the AATA's board of trustees even had a chance to review the specifics. Secondly, on the University front, a few things have happened. The U-M professor of planning who spoke to the Ann Arbor News a while back has retracted his statements, and an unnamed vice-president of something here at the 'U' is apparently going to either send a letter to AATA or speak at one of their board meetings. So, it looks like Transportation Services may be in the clear for now. Obviously, given even what little I know about Cook, he'll be back, because he doesn't quit, but it looks good for the foreseeable future.