Caring director resolved problem

Published 9:00 pm Friday, December 15, 2006

Recently, I accompanied my mother to a doctor’s appointment via Everett Para Transit. On the trip, the bus picked up one other rider, drove to Wal-Mart on 112th and stopped – where we sat for 15 minutes. Realizing my mother would be late for her appointment, I inquired about our stop. It seemed the other rider, Laurel, lived outside the service area for Everett Transit so needed to transfer to Community Transit. Then the driver explained that Laurel moved to Everett specifically to use Everett Para Transit. She had verified the address would be in the service area, only to be told now that it was not. To add insult to injury, Everett Para Transit serviced the other three corners of her block!

I offered to call Everett Transit Director Tom Hingson on her behalf. I told her Tom was a warm and caring individual who would look into the matter. Tom did investigate the situation and discovered an inconsistency between the supposed Para Transit service area and the actual Everett Transit boundary. He gladly resolved the matter and thanked me for bringing it to his attention.

I say “Thank you,” Tom Hingson. You put the flourish on Everett’s title “All America City.” Also, thank you to the anonymous bus driver. She cared so much about Laurel that she explained the situation so I could accurately communicate it to Tom. She also loaned me her personal cell phone to call the doctor’s office to let them know that we would be late.

Marlee Huber

Everett