From a former passenger to a savior on the streets.

SMART Bus driver Ron Harris pulls into Somerset Parking lot in Troy, Michigan, on Tuesday, Oct. 24. This is where buses usually end up to pick up riders.

Many citizens of the U.S. rely on transportation as a form of travel whether it is driving your car to work in the morning or catching a school bus to even those really cool scooters you find mostly in downtown areas of a city. What many don’t know is the hardships that come with exploring options for transportation.

Ron Harris is a SMART bus driver who traveled all the way from Ripley Tennessee. At the age of 58, with 23 years of experience under his belt, Harris wants to pave the way for those who struggle with transportation.

Harris engages in a conversation with another passenger from within the bus traveling through the city of Troy on Tuesday, Oct. 24. Harris finds it important to engage with the rider as long they are friendly.

“I wasn’t the brightest when it came to looking for a car. My family hadn’t owned one all my life.” Harris recalls. “Living with just a mother for half my life at that time, it was really hard to afford anything outside our rent.”

Later, after having received his diploma in his years of High School, Harris attempted to pursue a degree in Engineering after careful evaluation of his skills during his younger years.

Harris informs the passengers of the ads put up on the bus ride through Troy, Tuesday, Oct. 24th. Ads are posted on every bus and are usually different depending on the bus.

“I attempted, and boy did I apply to many places. I couldn’t even make it up to any of the campuses in other states I was interested in. Not for another 10 years.” Within that time he was stuck in Tennessee, his mother had passed due to a work related injury, and after some time for mourning, he decided upon himself that his next best choice was to leave the state.

“Lemme tell you, I’ve managed to make it all the way up here, up north, in order to settle down with more family by bussing. Yes, I bussed all the way down from Tennessee, walked, carpooled, and even took a train through Indiana. Was some adventure. Met the wildest folks here and there, knowing my struggle and my pain.” He added.

Harris lets in a passenger at a bus stop in Troy, Tuesday, Oct. 24. “This is nothing more than a part of my job.” Harris says.

On his 700 mile journey from his hometown to the state of Michigan, Harris has met a variety of people, some young, some old. In between travels, he would often reminisce with them about stories from their past as well as share their similar tragedies when it comes to traveling.

“There was this woman, who I’ll never forget.” Harris recalls. “She was a 40 year old woman who lived in Ohio. She was traveling, city to city, state to state, to reach her brother, who was admitted in a hospital in Indiana. She told me her car was totaled and she wasn’t able to make the trip any other way, taking buses and staying at hotels for the night. That was just day two of her journey.”

Harris makes a right turn into construction at the edge of the city of Troy, Tues, Oct. 24. “Yes, construction is still one of the many obstructions no one is really ready for.” Harris says.

Harris would go on to say that not every city at that time had the same bus stops as they did now. This event took place in the dead of winter, with little snow on the ground but a fierce freezing wind that harmed anyone in the open.

Harris would never get to hear if the woman made it to her destination safely as their meeting was short lived. He took it upon himself to think about others in his situation, seeing if there was any way he could make a difference.

Harris pulls the bus in for the bus stop at the Oakland mall in Troy, Tuesday, Oct. 24. There is a gentleman getting on in the front, meaning that this isn’t the final destination or final chance for riders to board.

“I remember, I first stepped into Michigan. It’s just as cold as any other place I’ve been to. I remember it also being hard to find a job. I saw this poster in a mall for a SMART Bus driver position. I had my license for years and I finally got to put my driving to the test in a consistent manner. What did I have to lose?”

Harris lets passengers choose their own seating in Troy, Tuesday, Oct. 24.. The seats are clean mostly for riders to sit at their leisure.

For 23 years straight, Harris has been going in between the Gratiot and Orchard Lake routes as well as the State Fair and Pontiac routes. “Throughout my time as a driver, I’ve seen it all. I’ve seen how public transportation affects a person’s health, a person’s mind, a person’s soul.” Harris tells. “You can tell who really relies on the SMART bus system just by looking at them. It’s not always about whether or not they can make it to their job or not. Also lies in the area they’re from. Especially in the inner-city of Detroit. Sometimes it’s just people with disabilities who have trouble going anywhere because of what they got. It’s a sad world and there’s gotta be someone who can make it just a tad bit easier for everyone to make it through.”

After pulling out from the Oakland Mall, Harris turns a left to stop at this bus stop in Troy, Tuesday, Oct 24. It’s very easy for this spot to be missed by a specific bus when two other ones attempt to turn at the same time.

#streetbus #smartbus #multimedia #story