Just say no way

COEUR d'ALENE - Not a chance, said Marie Rippetoe.

This 73-year-old was not getting off the Citylink bus in a gravel parking lot, in the dark, in the cold, late Thursday night.

"Who knows if you're going to be attacked?" she said Friday. "There's nothing there. No one is around. What's an old lady like me going to do standing there for 40 minutes?

So when the bus driver announced just after 8 p.m. that all passengers had to leave the bus for 30-40 minutes and wait in the lot that sits several blocks from Riverstone for the bus to resume service, Rippetoe did what she felt she had to do.

She just said no.

While the other 10 passengers filed off, Rippetoe, who was headed for home on the east side of Coeur d'Alene, stayed put. The bus driver then called police.

Rippetoe braced to take a stand as best she could, but instead of arresting her, the officer offered a ride home.

She accepted.

"He was very nice," she said.

Rippetoe said she is upset about a new Citylink scheduling change that leaves passengers waiting outside for more than half an hour while bus drivers take a break.

Citylink is a free bus service funded primarily by the Coeur d'Alene Tribe.

Bob Bostwick, director of communications at the Coeur d'Alene Casino, said he understands Rippetoe's plight, but there's not much Citylink can do right now.

"I think anybody's heart goes out to a passenger, but it's a situation that really binds us," Bostwick said. "We have a little bit of a difficult schedule, and you have to give the driver appropriate relief."

Buses began operating on a new schedule Oct. 11, he added. Departure times were bumped back, creating a 35-40 minute gap in service at Riverstone. Drivers are given a break while the passengers wait outside; they cannot remain on a bus that's not in service.

"You don't want a driver that never gets a break - that's not safe," Bostwick said. "We've had the new schedules out for quite a while now, and we've also had postings on the buses. So it shouldn't have been a surprise."

He said the new schedule was posted on Sept. 1.

Rippetoe said there's nowhere to stand or sit under any cover in the bus parking lot near the Riverstone area. With winter setting in, it's going to be cold and snowy, too, she said. She also believes it's dangerous to just leave people in an area that is isolated and dark.

"It sure isn't safe for me to just stand there," Rippetoe said. "I'm not going to do that."

The Tribe's transportation officials are discussing a possible shelter at the Riverstone stop, Bostwick said. Nothing is officially planned, though.

"It's an unfortunate situation, and we will make it better," he said. "You don't want anyone to be inconvenienced in any way."