January 2, 2010 by Ken Deschere
Photo: TCAT The new TCAT bus station on Green Street in downtown Ithaca. I'm very grateful to have lived in Ithaca since 1967 without having a driver's license. Ithaca's diverse collection of services downtown and the fine local transportation system have made things pretty easy for me and I appreciate that a lot.
Photo: TCAT The new TCAT bus station on Green Street in downtown Ithaca. I'm very grateful to have lived in Ithaca since 1967 without having a driver's license. Ithaca's diverse collection of services downtown and the fine local transportation system have made things pretty easy for me and I appreciate that a lot.
Going to work yesterday morning, I stopped in at the new TCAT/Gimme location next to the Green Street Bus Stop, got a 35-cent discount for bringing my own mug, and got a tasty brew to help me start my morning. After the sudden snow dump on Monday and the sub-zero windchills on Tuesday, a calm day with 23-degree temperatures seemed pretty easy, but navigating the roads is left to the TCAT driver, so that's rarely my worry. Route 31 drops me right at my office at Langmuir Lab, after I've had time to organize my lists of things I need to do during the day.
Coming home from work on the Route 31, a passenger fell across the aisle, hitting his head and landing on the floor. The driver calmly stopped, called 911, and helped another passenger determine that the rider on the floor was still breathing. They tried to make him comfortable and noticed his Medic-Alert bracelet -- he'd had an epileptic seizure. The CHFD Rescue truck arrived quickly, as did Bangs Ambulance. The rider who'd had the seizure seemed to be coming out of it and was receiving qualified medical care. A second TCAT Bus pulled up behind us and took the two other passengers (me and the first guy to help the seizure victim) downtown, arriving only a few minutes later than scheduled. From the Seneca Street stop, my errands at the Post Office and the bank were easily accomplished and I was home again after a short walk up the hill.
I remain very grateful for all TCAT does for all of us. Taking good care of passengers, getting us where we need to go, and reducing the number of cars on the road, are all in a day's work for TCAT and its employees. Thank you!
Thanks also to the City of Ithaca, Tompkins County, and Cornell, for supporting TCAT. I'm delighted with the changes coming in 2010, and will gladly swap my paper passes for a TCard. I'm even happier to learn that my advanced age (60 -- oof!) allows me to get my rides at half price!
We all have a long list of blessings which we should take the time to count often. High on my list is a caring community that supports TCAT.
