December,2014
Seminar for exchanging good ideas
Summary from Kaia Laur, bus driver:
For this year’s last outing the active members of the Estonian Bus Drivers Association gathered at the Tuhala energy column near Tallinn. It has been a busy year and the bus drivers needed some recharging.
People arrived from everywhere – Tallinn and southern Estonia. Weather on that day was sort of devious – the sun was shining but the roads were covered with ice. So, after turning off the main road, the bus from Tartu “parked” itself in the middle of a small intersection a few kilometres from the destination and began waiting for the helping hands from Tallinn. With joint forces the bus was quickly pushed back on steady grounds and the planned day could begin.
By the energy column, Ants Talioja, the manager of Tuhala Nature Centre, spoke about the Tuhala nature reserve, explained how the Witch’s Well works and also shed light on the problems related to the construction of Rail Baltic.
After our batteries were charged we went on to get acquainted with the habitants of the local miniature zoo. We brought along carrots. The goats, sheep, rabbits and horses were really happy with our gifts but next time the carrot bag should be several times bigger. After meeting and feeding the animals we proceeded towards the Vikings’ village to have a meal before bus industry discussions.
Interesting topics were waiting in the schedule:
Ingmar Roos from the Road Administration gave an overview of the current situation in public line traffic; traffic assistance specialist Tarmo Kahem and chairman of the board Jaan-Hendrik Toomel of the Transportation and Road Workers Trade Union, chairman of the board of Mootor Grupp, Hugo Osula, and chairman of the board of Eesti Buss OÜ, Gunnar Obolenski, discussed many interesting topics. The topics were current and initiated people to think along and ask questions.
It was news for me that female tram drivers earn more than male drivers. Add the new trams to this news and I was already making jokes about becoming a trolleybus driver. The colleagues replied that they would then remove the wheels from my bus and lay down tracks – anything so I would not leave them.
After dinner, everyone one had the chance to enjoy sauna, chat with colleagues or sing folk songs with the bus driver trainer Raivo Avango.
Sleeping was organised on the second floor of the same house. But some topics were closed only in the early morning of the next day when the “baton” was passed on to the first early risers.
Before leaving the Vikings’ village we were offered morning coffee and porridge and then everyone was happily on their way, looking forward for the next outings.
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