Working at Greyhound

The next class is about recruiting and jobs. This is a great topic to talk about since one, I am in need of a summer job or internship real bad, and two, Greyhound employs A LOT of people. Especially in big cities, they need more employees. I believe that Greyhound hires and looks for candidates of a wide range background. There are so many departments you can go into.

At the Greyhound in New York City, their terminal is huge and a lot of people work there. You have front desk people who answers your questions, and help you with ticket inquiries. I also see luggage carriers, maintenance people, concierges, customer service, and most important; the bus drivers. Each of their duties are different, but they all work for the same company and are there to assist the travelers.

When I am on the Greyhound website, I can navigate through it very easily. I scroll down to the bottom of the page and can find a link for employment and careers. From there on, you can select the location you would like to work in, the job title and description. Many big companies have these links on the bottom of their homepage which makes it easier to recruit employees and for us to apply. Although the economy is bad, many jobs are still being offered - such as Greyhound!

Back to Websites

So I know I said I won't talk about the Greyhound Website again, but what we are learning this week really corresponds with something I can talk about. Our lab is on html and java - yeah...all that fun code stuff. I actually thought the lab was cool and fun to do. Well besically the codes I used for my lab is what the people who made the Greyhound website, and what the other website makers use.

When we are entering our information to purchase tickets or even make selections, there is a input box available. That is where we write/ input our information. Like the code I was introduced to put into my own survey web page, this code is meant to make sure all information is inputted. If you are missing something, a notification will occur either a pop up or on the page again stating you forgot something. This ensures that you have entered everything they need.

Then we were to link two webpages together. A button will allow us to go to the next page, or whichever page you want and back. This button is what makes navigating websites easier. The button brings you to the page it is said to do, and by clicking another button, you go back to other pages. I found this lab to be really neat because anyone can do it and make their own web pages.

Weather Conditions

This week's lab will be about web pages and websites. Since i already wrote something about the Greyhound website earlier, I wont write more about it. Today I went out to do some work and when I left, i was caught in the rain. it was cold, but somewhat refreshing. Its better than snow right? Well I started to to think about my next trip home. It's going to be next week for Easter.

I really hope it doesn't snow or rain the day I leave. Greyhound + bad weather does not mix. I remember going home for Winter break and it snowed a lot......we were delayed and it was not pleasant. To make it worse, my friend and i decided to travel at 12:30 AM. We really wanted to get out of Syracuse. hehe. So when things like snow and crazy weather occur, it greatly affects transportation.

Although rain does not have as big of an affect, the bus still has to go slower. I just hate it when I go home and it rains. All my luggage gets wet and I get wet, because I'm not that prepared. Also, you just feel uncomfortable and it kills the happy mood. I notice most of the times I go home, it rains here.....maybe I choose the wrong days or my bad luck??? Hope its good weather next week!!

Greyhound Website

Tomorrow's class will be about the Internet and surfing the web. I am a big Internet user and I surf the web all the time. I go on all sorts of websites such as retail stores, school website, emails, etc. I think without the Internet, many people would be lost and outdated. It would also make people harder to find information and make everything else more time consuming.

Greyhound has their own website - of course!. If they didn't, I think they would have less business and more people at the stations asking information and purchasing tickets. I like the Greyhound website and believe they did a good job in creating it and designing it. It is easy to navigate and most of your questions can be answered on the website. When I purchase tickets, the steps are clear and simple - easy algorithm! The site also allows you to choose your language and shows a lot of deals and discounts that you won't know about at the ticket counter.

The site is colorful and full of their logo. Having their own website just makes traveling faster and purchasing easier. The website address is also easier to remember. It is Greyhound.com and doesn't share a similar address with any other companies or websites. Overall, the greyhound website is a trusty safe source to use.

Greyhound Identity Theft

In class we learned more about databases, but I wont be talking about it since i did so in a previous post. During lecture we talked about identity theft and it made me think a lot about it. many people ages 18-29 make up most of the identity theft cases in America. Therefore it is very important to keep your information confidential.

i haven't heard of any identity theft caused by greyhound, but somehow it may be possible. although when you buy a ticket, they don't ask for your social security number or date of birth, but they do ask for your name and need a credit card - if you use one. I think the theft would easily occur when purchasing the ticket online. it is a secured website, but you never know.

when you purchase your ticket online, they ask for your name, address, billing address, and credit card information. With access to those information, someone can use your credit card for other purchases and have them all billed to you since your address appears on the screen as well. I trust greyhound and have bought most my tickets online with them. However, I'm always cautious and keep my information confidential.

Speeding Home

I am very happy and excited to be home in New York City for spring break. I am even more thrilled that spring break is here and there's only a month or so of school left after this. My friend drove three people total and it wasn't a bad trip at all. It took 4 hours and 30 minutes only because of the traffic in the end. If not, maybe 4 hours flat. Overall, it wouldve still been faster than the Greyhound. I'm glad I didn't have to take it this time.

While on the road, I did see some Greyhound buses along the way. We took the same route. We were, of course, faster than the bus though. They have to obey a speed limit of 65 mph and it was just constant. When you're driving, especially on a trip like this, you tend not to want to follow the speed limit or go a little more than the assigned speed limit. I guess because we were driving kind of fast, we got home faster and shot passed all the other Greyhoung buses.

Honestly, I was scared that we were going very fast because I didn't want to get stopped. They have a lot of state patrols on this highway and I've known a lot of people who got caught speeding. I'm glad we made it back safe and ticketless. Now we have to see what happens on the trip back to school!

SPRING BREAK!

Spring Break is near and everyone just wants to get out of Syracuse! I know I sure do and can't wait to go back home! Finally relaxation. Well this will be the first spring break that I don't have to take the Greyhound. Instead, I'm getting a ride home with my friends! I'm excited because one, I'm going home, and two, I don't have to cram in a bus and be delayed!

I know for sure there will be a lot of people taking the bus home. There always is a lot because it is a holiday and such. That gate line will be long, and the bus will be stuffed! Also, I have a lot to take back so it will be very heavy if I were carrying it all and taking a bus. I guess I got lucky this time when my friend offered!! Of course I'm taking it!

However, the one good thing about going home by Greyhound is that the price is cheap now. If you buy or order your ticket 3 days in advanced, they are a lot cheaper - $32 to New York City to be exact. Usually on major holidays, the prices go up and these advance options do not work. Since it is only spring break for schools, we get this advantage. I hope everyone has a good week off! I know I will!

Number of Times I've Taken Greyhound

I have honestly lost count of the number of times I have taken the Greyhound. If I were to total up since I was young to know, it would be even harder to remember. As of since I went to college until now, maybe around 30 times? That's just an estimate. Maybe too much? or too little, well it's around there.

I should have made an excel sheet with a record of the times I rode the bus and how much I spent on each ticket fare. I would record every time I purchased a ticket and even the number of hours each trip took. I could be able to estimate monthly usage, average hours, and even see how much money I save or spend on traveling home.

Now that I think of it, I really should have done that. Now I don't even know how many times I have taken the Greyhound nor do I know how much I have spent traveling with this bus company. Either way, I only have a year of school left, so the total times of upcoming traveling will be about another 10 or so. Hopefully I get rides from friends in the future.

Greyhound Databases

I think Greyhound should really keep a database filled with their travellers. When we purchase tickets, we can basically put whoever's name we want and when we board the bus, the driver doesn't look at the name, so you can hop right on. If that's the case, then why do they require our name when purchasing the ticket? I mean, safety is a big issue for travelling and I would say for Greyhound, they are on the moderate level of demanding safety.

There can be a lot of debate about this issue, but I personally think it would help to have some type of database with their clients' information. Kind of like what airlines do. This would help because they can remember who their most frequent travellers are - like me, and offer some incentives or benefits. They should give free round trips for every number of miles you travel or times you travel. That would attract a lot of customers.

I brought up the database topic because in class we were doing things with Linux, and I was able to pull up old files I have saved in any Syracuse University computer. I thought it was very neat and helpful. Greyhound does do everything on the computer, thank goodness they are technology savvy. So I thought , I'm pretty sure every time we buy a ticket and they enter all the information in order to print out the ticket, that it is saved somewhere is some database they have. I guess they can pull up transactions just as how we can pull up our old documents. It sounds OK after all......

Greyhound drivers and their microphones

So this week's lab in my IST 195 class, we talked about audio and audio editing. We did some audio editing with a program called Audacity and it involves us using a headphone and microphone set attached to it. After doing this lab, I immediately thought about Greyhound, and their audio technology.

When all passengers have settled down in the bus, the driver starts the engine and starts the road trip. Many drivers introduce themselves and tell us the rules and regulations of riding on a Greyhound bus. There would also be some drivers who get lazy and not say anything at all. You can easily tell which driver is friendly and professional and those who kind of aren't.

Well when the drivers do introduce themselves, they usually speak through the mic attached to the bus in the front next to their steering wheel and such. Right when he/she is about to speak, it usually makes a big beeping sound, and then their voice. And as they speak, you hear a lot of static. When I did my lab, I heard my own recording and a lot of the background noises and static interrupted my message. I thought this really related to the driver speaking through their mic because of the technology we used was similar and the outcome was the same. Overall, I believe that better equipment will produce better quality, and since cheaper equipment was used, cheaper quality we got.

Getting to Know Greyhound

Today, or this week's lab was about getting to know our computers. We had to make a PowerPoint which taught people how to build a basic computer. We also included the basic components used and what each of them did. I have heard of many of the terms, but until I did some research, I did not actually know what their main functions were. I even learned other functions it possessed.

In relations to the Greyhound bus company, I would say I know the Greyhound pretty well. I am a frequent traveler who uses their company a lot. I know the rules of buying the ticket and rules on the bus. I would say I got to know them well when I started college. Obviously, since I had to take the bus most the time and it was the same destination back and forth.

I know their refund policy, bus policy (when you are riding), luggage/baggage policy, and even my way around both bus stations. (NYC & Syracuse) Although I have ridden the Greyhound to other cities, I wasn't familiar with anything. Maybe it was because I was young, and was a long while until I rode the Greyhound again. However, the service seems to be the same and quite reliable since a lot of people are still traveling with the company.

The "New" Greyhound???

Many people take the Greyhound buses as a source of transportation to travel. I have been riding the Greyhound buses since I was young, and ever since going to college in Syracuse, I rode the Greyhound even more. That was basically my main source of transportation to get home to New York City. Many things can be said and have been said about Greyhound the company and its service.

The bus ride from New York City to Syracuse is about 5 hours and it gets really exhausting. My latest Greyhound ride was coming back to Syracuse for school. That was about three weeks ago. We left on time from New York and arrived on time to Syracuse. However, the ride in between was tiresome and quite uncomfortable. Past rides have also been long, tiresome, and uncomfortable as well. I sat next to someone, which limited my leg room. Added to that, the seats had really small space for legs.

Majority of the time, the bus usually leaves the Syracuse bus station late. They are NEVER on time and many of my friends can prove that. Occasionally bigger buses are used, but it will never beat the long hours you have to sit in the bus. The other thing that bugs me when traveling is the amount of time spent to drop off and pick up travelers, as well as the meal stops.

So these are the things that bother me when I travel using Greyhound. I feel they need to improve on quite some things. Such things are like the ones mentioned above; punctuality, comfort, and then there are driver issues such as being professional and some not. As much as Greyhound is trying to improve, they still lack important needs and I believe many customers are still not satisfied. I will be writing more about other occurring issues as well as some positive changes made later on.