Waiting for a train that never, ever pulls into the station is a frustrating experience for many a commuter. Especially when a train conductor instructs passengers to wait, as one Metro-North conductor advised riders last week. When the train ended up being canceled, the conductor took matters into his own hands and apologized with a slew of apology notes left on train seats.
On Friday the conductor told passengers at four different stations to keep waiting for an express train — which later was canceled, delaying their trips into New York City, reports NBC New York.
He felt so bad, he put 500 copies of a written apology on seats Monday morning, addressed to “our friends and passengers.
He says that Metro-North often apologizes, but he felt he needed to speak directly to the riders. He’s also the president of the conductors union, so he’s setting quite the example.
As seen in one passenger’s tweet, he explains the situation in the letter, adding that he didn’t find out until the afternoon that the train had been canceled:
When I heard the news I was shocked & furious, and I still am. One, that I was never told this information and two, that I made a huge mistake in tell you, MY/OUR passengers to “trust me and wait for the express train behind us” not knowing Metro North had canceled it.
I am as sick of apologizing to you as you are of hearing it. Like I tell my kids, it’s okay to apologize for something but it’s even more important to not let it happen again.
I will never make this mistake again and I know it’s too late to Friday, but I wanted you to know how embarrassed and truly sorry myself and my crew are for this unacceptable incident.
Some of us still care.
He signs it, “Truly very sorry” at the end.
A Metro-North spokeswoman said the service shares the conductor’s concerns but it sounds like he could be in hot water for the letter, as Metro-North does “not condone his methods of communicating them.”
“[The conductor[ made assumptions about train service based on his long experience, but Metro-North operations managers can and do make changes based on the conditions they encounter," she said in a statement. She didn't add whether or not passengers were notified via Metro-North's website, app or any other way about the canceled trains.
But the conductor seems happy with his decision, saying it's all about the passengers.
"If you communicate, people will understand better," he explained. "It's when they sit there for 30 minutes and don't know what happened, that's upsetting."
You can follow MBQ on Twitter where she will post any apologies for delayed trains, should the situation arise: @marybethquirk
Metro-North Conductor Leaves Apology Note on Train Seats [NBC New York]
by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist
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