Three Cheers for Our Marguerite Shuttle Drivers!
Katryna Dillard has been commuting from San Carlos for the past four years using her free Stanford-issued Caltrain GoPass. From the Palo Alto Transit Center, she takes the Marguerite Line X to her office in the Chemical Engineering Department, where she works as a senior program manager for Stanford’s eWEAR initiative. When Katryna contacted our team and said, “My favorite part of my commute is the friendships I’ve made with the Marguerite drivers,” we figured she casually knew a driver or two.
Then we invited Katryna to the bus yard for a National Transit Employee Appreciation Day photo shoot, and something extraordinary happened. As shuttles drove in, Katryna jogged over and warmly greeted each driver by name. And they greeted her back by name. She asked about their families and hobbies, beaming a smile almost as wide as a bus aisle.
First, there was Willie Daniels.
Then, Miguel Navarro-Torres. “That’s Miguel,” Katryna said. “He plays soccer.”
And Najiba Nawbury.
And Kris Vegas.
She knew them all!
Want to show your appreciation on Tuesday, March 18, National Transit Driver Appreciation Day?
Here are five easy ways to say thanks!
During the morning, most Line X passengers are nurses and hospital workers who get off at the School of Medicine. For the rest of the ride, it’s usually just Katryna and the bus driver – a perfect one-on-one opportunity. “Even though I only see the drivers for a short trip, I love talking to them and creating connections,” said Katryna. “Willie finally told me to stop pressing the button because he knew my stop; that was just a nice thing.”
“She’s the type of person we love to see in the morning,” said Willie.
Thanks to Katryna and our dedicated Marguerite drivers for reminding us to take time to notice and appreciate life’s simple pleasures in this often harried world.
