June 20, 2009
by Mary Treacy | June 8, 2009 • As a committed public transit user I applaud a superior driver when I encounter one. For years I have enjoyed a welcome exhale when I find a favorite driver, George Hogetredt at the wheel. In George’s hands I will be on time, maneuver the barricades and, above all, survive winter’s ice slicks. Above all, George will regard us riders as human beings deserving of respect.
| Cabbages and Kings is a multi-author TC Daily Planet blog that offers space to interesting but hard-to-categorize blog submissions, in the sole discretion of the editors. |
Reflecting on all this one recent morning I penned a note to the Metro Transit hierarchy expressing my appreciation of this committed public servant. This little note triggered a chain of events:
First, I received a gracious thank you from Metro Transit management, informing me that the note was entered into George’s permanent record of 35 years’ outstanding service. Even better, I chanced to catch George’s bus earlier this week. George was eager to report that he had been summoned by management re. my letter. They had shared a copy with him.
Some observations:
• George is a superior exemplar of all that is good in public service and public employees.
• We who benefit too often ignore, take for granted, or just plain neglect to express our appreciation.
• Management does care about public response and about letting exceptional employees know the good they do.
• There is a chain of appreciation that benefits the appreciator, the appreciated, and the folks who set the agenda for quality service for all, even the public transit dependent.
Kudos – not cuts – will go a long way towards creating a public transit system that’s kind to the environment, public employees and the riders.
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