In this series we put the spotlight on the people in Luxembourg whose work or action have become even more important to all of us now, as many of us depend on their continued services.
We say “Thank you” for being there for us during these challenging times – this time to Didier, a bus driver who helps people depending on public transport and who just through his and his colleagues' presence preserves some of the normality.
- What has changed for you due to the Coronavirus?
You go to work with a bit of fear: “Are there infected passengers in the bus?” but we have to think of others, and that is why I come to work every day. We have to keep a cool head.
In the beginning, when we were still following our regular schedule, I had been driving empty buses, which is why now the timetables were adapted.
- Did the passengers' behaviour change?
I think that people are more stressed. Usually when people enter the bus, they are smiling but now they enter making sure to protect themselves, even people who are taking the bus regularly. Some of the people are more talkative though, often people who mention that they telework. I suppose it is also because they don´t have a lot of other interaction anymore that they appreciate a little chat.
- Do you feel safe at work?
Yes, my company has organised different measures. The buses are disinfected during the night, the seats and even the windows are cleaned and every driver is provided with a bottle of disinfectant.
- Have you had situations where you thought: “This could be a bit dangerous for me?
Yes, a couple of days ago I overheard a telephone conversation where someone said that he doesn't feel well and what he should be doing and then he left at a bus stop at a hospital…But none of the passengers in my bus was ever displaying any symptoms.
- Do elderly people still take the bus?
Yes, just recently I was driving a few of them. There were two elderly ladies who I dropped off near a pharmacy, it seems they might have picked up medication and a couple who I dropped off at a shopping centre. They still need us for their necessary errands.
- Are customers respecting safety rules?
Usually, yes. People should not sit next to each other and only very few times I needed to remind them of that.
- How is driving with so much less traffic?
That is the one good thing. We sometimes even have to wait a couple of minutes now in order to keep the schedule so I drive more slowly.
- You are driving in Luxembourg only but you have colleagues who cross the border. How is that going for them?
When they come from France it takes them longer even though they get priority but there is no extra lane, from Belgium there are priority lanes.
- Is there any message you would like to convey?
Yes, a few:
Stay at home, even though we might be running out of work ; ).
The disease doesn't have a passport, the disease doesn't ask if it can join us. If we move, we take the disease along.
Stay positive and ‘Thank you!’ to everyone for your efforts in these difficult times!
Last but not least, many thanks to my company who takes every measure to keep us safe.
And finally: be sure that you can count on us!
