From Tel HaShomer, Israel: "The Young Man at the Bus Stop," by Rickismom

I was standing at the bus stop, waiting for the number 7 bus to Tel HaShomer hospital. As he arrived at the bus stop, and sat down, I immediately noticed that the young man had Down syndrome. I was impressed by his appearance; he was impeccably dressed. He appeared confident and self assured. And shortly afterwards I noticed that as an older man passed, he nodded towards the young adult, saying “Hi Charles” (not his real name), “How ya’ doin’ ?” and “Charles” smiled and answered “Fine, thanks.”

(Read more here.)

From San Francisco: "Compliments on the F," by Matthew F. via Muni Diaries

It’s not always easy to give someone a compliment. Rider Matthew F. sent this hilarious conversation he overheard on the F: (Read more here.)

From Pondicherry, India: "Love Stories – A Valentine’s Day Special," by Sairam Krishnan

It was raining hard that Sunday evening as I got on to the bus to Villupuram from Pondicherry. I had screwed up. Yet again. Dad had warned me that not booking the ticket to Coimbatore early would land me in a terrible soup. And, as my Dad is right almost all the time, it did. I did not get any direct bus to Coimbatore and had to resort to route buses to get to Etti on time. Also, the course, that is, Pondicherry-Villupuram-Salem-Coimbatore was so crowded, that I barely had space to stand, let alone sit. But, duty beckoned! I would not be absent on the first day of semester, I had decided. That decision, in hindsight, was one of the best I ever made in my life.

(Read more here.)

From Toronto: the second of a pair of stories: "TTC to passengers: Don’t snap texting drivers," by Amy Dempsey and Curtis Rush for the Toronto Star

The Toronto Transit Commission wants you to quit playing paparazzi with its employees.

The please-don’t-play-gotcha request comes after at least three TTC drivers were caught on camera this week by shocked passengers who observed them texting or chatting on cellphones while operating buses. (Read more here.)

From Toronto: the first of a pair of stories: "TTC fires 3 drivers for texting: reports" (CBC News)

The Toronto Transit Commission has fired three bus drivers for allegedly using mobile devices while operating transit vehicles, two published reports say.

The Toronto Sun and the Toronto Star are reporting Tuesday that the workers were fired after being caught using mobile devices or cellphones behind the wheel. Both newspapers cite unnamed sources close to an internal TTC investigation into the matter. (Read more here.)