"Be on Time" chronicles 3/1/19

Whenever I get a no-show on para-transit, it makes me more anxious and hyper-aware for a few days.
I'm watching more carefully, concerned that a new driver won't know where to pick me up at work, or which building I'm at in my apartment complex.
The weather hasn't been cooperating - its been wet and cool (sometimes cold), so I haven't been able to wait outside as much.

The no-show happened a week ago yesterday at the grocery store.
I actually talked to the driver about the no-show - he was my driver coming home from the store yesterday.
So now at least I know what happened.
He arrived 15 minutes before my window opened, and picked up another passenger, so I thought he wasn't there for me.
Usually I ask, but this time I didn't for some reason.
Silly me.

I ended up waiting more than 90 minutes.
The second driver was parked at the wrong entrance, so I almost got no-showed a second time.

Conversation with the dispatcher (as best I can remember):
"Is this (my name)?"
"Yes."
"Your driver is waiting for you outside."
"I don't see anyone. I'm waiting inside."
"He's at the north entrance."
"No he's not. I'm at the north entrance, and there is no vehicle or driver."
"He's there."
"I promise he's not. I'm waiting just inside where I can see. No one is there. Let me go outside and look."
"Okay."

I go outside and walk to the curb. I look to the left. There are two other doors to the grocery store: the check-out door, and the door to the pharmacy area. There is a para-transit bus parked at the pharmacy door. I call that the south entrance.
I go back to my phone:

"I see him. He's at the south entrance, by the pharmacy. He's not in the right place."
"Okay, I'll let him know."
"Thanks."

Thank goodness the dispatcher called me.
But this is the problem with curb to curb service.
The drivers have to be in the right place.

My original pick up was at 5 pm.
I arrived home shortly before 7.
It's especially frustrating when this happens at the store, because I had refrigerated items that had been sitting out for over two hours.
Yes, I have insulated bags, but still...

What happened with the first driver was technically my fault, and I'm grateful they found me another ride.
What transpired with the second driver was not my fault. 

librarianintx