From Minneapolis-St. Paul: "Bussing – The Other Way of Getting to Where You Want to Be," by Mary Treacy

“With a smile and a profile!” – That’s how my bus driver greeted passengers at the start of his mid-day shift. Our ebullient leader assured us that his goal on the trip was “to extinguish the problem before the problem exists.’  Shoppers loaded with Target totes, moms with toddlers, students headed for class, even the suits on board relaxed just a bit. We were in good hands. (Read more here.)

From Seattle: "Woman says son's stinky diaper got them kicked off Metro bus," by Jamie Lynn for KOMO News

A local mother claims a dispute over a stinky diaper got her kicked off of a Metro bus. (Read more here.)

From the UK via Chicago’s Third Coast International Audio Festival: "The Red, White and Blue Bus," by Luke Eldridge (audio)

The Red, White and Blue Bus

From NYC: "Response to a Cranky Bus Passenger," by David Schaum for The New York Times

Dear Diary:

On a sunny weekday afternoon, I found myself on an uptown-bound M104. It was filled to the brim with the usual suspects for that time of day — seniors, nannies and freelancers.

Around 72nd Street, a grandmother with grandson in hand boarded our vehicle. As he seemed intimidated by the crowd, she softly encouraged the little boy to walk to the back of the bus, offering sweet words in Russian. Together, they spotted an open seat next to a graying, sour-looking woman wearing a long pink dress accessorized with an array of plastic costume jewelry. (Read more here.)