A Tram Conductor's Perspective AV 2019

[CHICAGORANDY]

As always, I spent 9 glorious days volunteering in Oshkosh, meeting wonderful people from all over the world. I worked my 6 hour shifts, sometimes 10-12 hour ones, with absolute glee. Of the thousands of happy guests I had the privilege to entertain and inform on the tram I can honestly say I ran into less than a handful of knuckleheads. Almost an AirVenture record.

Again this year, as has been the case for all my previous years 'on the job', my truly SOLE complaint/suggestion to EAA concerns informative signage, or more specifically the lack of it.

Visitors really DO need to have the tram stops identified on BOTH sides of the road. Visitors really DO need to know where the trams go from each tram stop. Trying to read the sometimes confusing map to eke out specific tram travel details, especially on windy days, proves to be a major frustration and a form of information overload for our guests.

ALL the conductors like myself, and often also the tractor drivers, spend an inordinate amount of time all day long, at every tram stop, answering "Where does this tram go?" and "How do I get to?" questions from folks that could be alleviated by simple location specific signs at each stop stating the destinations. Like this blue tram goes to ultralights, the next stop will be.... The yellow tram will stop at..... next. This red tram goes to Warbirds and...… You get the idea.

Yes of course I know that people won't always read signs but maybe we could also offer at the entry gates a single info sheet explaining in simple terms "How to Get Around AirVenture" with a VERY basic less detailed map drawing showing the tram and bus routes? In truth there really aren't THAT many area "specific" destinations that interest our guests, and those could be highlighted on that simple map?

I'll be back again next year, yapping on my microphone, and loving every second of the experience so it's no deal breaker ner nuthin', but getting around the massive grounds is not as simple to understand for the thousands of first-timers as it is for those of us who are here all the time. A little extra help for them would work wonders.

Gotta go now and do a whole sack of laundry - lol - so I'll just close with "See ya' next year!"

[Low Pass]

Thanks for your service!! I appreciate what you do to make my Oshkosh visit better. And, FWIW, I agree completely with your suggestion. A little more extensive signage would be helpful.

[robert l]

You have a great solution Randy, it is really confusing to a lot of us and I'm sure all you volunteers get a little tired answering the same questions over and over. But, all us regular folks sure do appreciate what you and all the other volunteers do, you provide a very much needed and appreciated service. Thank you, and I'm going to track you down one of these times if I have to spend all day on the trams !!!
Bob

[CHICAGORANDY]

Well then, to tied you over till next year Robert - "I bought a cute Shetland pony a month ago, He was lookin' a little peekid and I though he might have a sore throat soi I called in the local vet. The vet checked him out and said 'No Randy, he's just a little hoarse.'"

[Mayhemxpc]

Randy, those are all great points. As well as I know AirVenture I could still appreciate those signs and I know most people would appreciate them, too.

A friend end of mine came up from Chicago on Thursday and he told me some corny joke a tram conductor made about a plane. I said, “Oh, you must have had Randy.”

[skyfixer8]

Randy, you forgot to mention the mistaken tram colors caused by the yellow roof on the cars and the blue fringe on car sides. I have had to straighten more people out on this mix up and my conductor added it to her speech from day one (based on confusion from last year).

[CHICAGORANDY]

The reason that the trams are identified solely by the pairs of different color pennants -one flying off the tractor and one at the rear of the tram - is so that trams can be used on any of the routes as needs dictate by simply cutting the tape holding the wooden dowel rods to which the pennants are attached and affixing a different colored pair.

The Route Tram fleet 'size' can vary each day based on attendance and need (as well as the finite number of tram volunteers that day and each shift), also allowing for the occasional mechanical breakdowns or flat tires. Being able to quickly respond to those changes, regardless of route 'color', is crucial to the operation of the tram service.

Once our guests recognize those colored pennants some of the confusion is gone..... though they still are not sure where each goes or which tram going which way will serve their immediate needs. Better signs and a single sheet handout would help a lot.

[CHICAGORANDY]

My conducting experience has taught that for ME the best way to answer the question "Where does this tram go?" is by asking "Where are YOU trying to go?"....which is really the info they want. Saves a little time each encounter which does add up over the course of a tram shift.

[N3kf]

Thanks for what you do there Randy, all good suggestions. I did not ride the Trams, but "ran into" them many different times. Checked the name tags but did not see you to say hi. There is always next year.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[Auburntsts]

Randy were you working the blue line this year with the joke that there are 2 types of people who want to ride my tram -- those who laugh at my jokes and those who walk?

[CHICAGORANDY]

Yes, I'm afraid that WAS me - lol. "Only two types of folks come to Oshkosh, those who laugh at my crummy jokes on the tram and those who walk....you get to pick which group you're in." This year I worked Blue, Yellow, Red and even Green for a couple runs when that route was jammed with people.

[Auburntsts]

Yes, I'm afraid that WAS me - lol. "Only two types of folks come to Oshkosh, those who laugh at my crummy jokes on the tram and those who walk....you get to pick which group you're in." This year I worked Blue, Yellow, Red and even Green for a couple runs when that route was jammed with people.

We rode your tram! You do a great job!

[CHICAGORANDY]

Thanks - I sincerely luv conducting. Give an old hambone entertainer a microphone and a captive audience and it's heaven on Earth.

[FlyingRon]

Yep, I was standing there and I saw a tram conductor with a Randy name tag. ChicagoRandty? I asked. FlyingRon here!

[CHICAGORANDY]

This year there were actually three tram volunteers named Randy - so I started using ChicagoRandy early on in the week.

[CHICAGORANDY]

I should in fairness acknowledge that there are some of my fellow tram volunteers who actually dislike those of us who make jokes, point out interesting aircraft and events along the way and in general try to entertain the tram passengers each trip. They feel we should remain silent except to formally announce the tram stop arrivals and departures. I have been bored to tears riding on their trams and have also heard some of them complain about us "entertainers" to the tram bosses in stage whispers that are meant to be lough enough for all to hear.

Let's just say I strongly disagree with those who feel a tram ride at AirVenture should be akin to a somber trip through a mausoleum or National cemetery. Folks IMHO come to Oshkosh because they love airplanes, airplane people and want to have a fun experience. I will always continue to do my best to keep them smiling along the way.

[Bill Greenwood]

Randy, I stood right there at the tram depot and looked up at the signs that don't give any info at all about where the tram goes, and it seems so basic and so silly. I asked two of the people who were in charge why they didn't put the destination right on the sign of the trams and got a blank response. There is a mentality that takes over when you have so many officials working hard to do a job and they see themselves as the insiders and to some extent the public as a nuisance, nevermind that without the public there would be any job to do. And by the way, A GREAT IMPROVEMENT, is the absence of that one woman who was so nasty, I didn't see her and when I asked one driver about her, he said, "I know who you mean, I think they got rid of her." "And good riddance."
By the way we looked for you , and even asked about you but never saw you.

I can take or leave the crummy jokes, but if you are having fun and mean well, so be it. Id prefer the quiet moments unless there is some special airplane to point out.

The one thing I really get tired of is having the boss over and over dictate the same tired directions of which side to get off etc. I flew a complex airplane halfway across the country for 37 years and with some weather delays and I don't respect being treated like kindergarten.

Here is a good joke for you and its even clean, unlike most of the other airshow jokes. I just got back to my home airport yesterday, tired from the trip so went to eat Bar B Q, and on a Subaru the bumper sticker read. " I never thought I'd miss Nixon. "

[CHICAGORANDY]

Except for the first and last Sundays I was mostly on afternoon shift, though I usually start a couple hours early to help out. Yes, the one 'dear sweet lady' is no longer on the tram team. Our loss is the world's gain - lol

As to the signage, I am lead to believe there IS an 'official' EAA signage group that oversees and approves all signs permitted at AirVenture. If I can find out who is in charge of that department I will definitely send them my suggested sign concepts for next year. Starting with building another pennant bearing kiosk at each tram stop, one for each side of the road. Then the wording I'd suggest for each sign along the way.

[Frank Giger]

Yes, the additional signage would be nice on both sides of the road...but I'd rather have little signs at intervals saying "Tram stop 300 yards ahead." (etc.)

One thing I really liked is that when I rode there was a nice man saying which tram was going where in the line to get on. I don't know if he was an official volunteer or just a very nice soul.

[CHICAGORANDY]

At the Tower and Hangar Cafe turnaround terminals, our volunteer tram workers were directing traffic and helping the folks in line with any questions.

[Bill Greenwood]

There are lots, dozens of volunteers who are willing to answer questions about where the tram goes or even how to get somewhere, Even the drivers would answer. The more obvious one that I never got an answer to was why not put the destination on the sign right above where the trams stop and then most wouldn't even have to ask a volunteer.

[MEdwards]

As for signage, it doesn't even have to be complicated. Just signs at the Hangar Cafe and Tower (especially there) turnaround boarding lines saying Northbound and Southbound would be a big improvement.

[gmatejcek]

Randy, thanks for the work.
To the rest of the troupe, while at Oshkosh, you are among a half million of your best friends. Ask anyone for guidance, and odds are you will get the help you need. You might even have an interesting chat with an interesting person!

[GeorgeP]

Randy, thanks for volunteering and providing a service that I used on quite a few occasions. I used almost the entire rainbow of tram routes. It was nice to be able to board a tram to the bus station after lugging 18lbs of camera gear and 10lbs of cold / frozen drinking water around the grounds for close to 10 hours per day.

A suggestion for tram stop signs (I believe a sign stating northbound or southbound may not be useful because a lot of visitors, particularly those from out of town, don't know the direction of north) is to copy some subway signs that I've seen around the world. Just indicate which stops are downstream of the current location; words or pictures would OK.

...and I agree with your suggestion for tram stop signs to be located on both sides of a road. It confused the hell out of this lil' Aussie.

See you next year when I'll definitely wait for a tram with you aboard.

[Sirota]

I got to meet the infamous ChicagoRandy this year!

I did have an uncomfortable tram experience this year - not on Randy's tram. I didn't complain because (1) I didn't get a name and (2) I wasn't going to make a big deal out of it. Now that I've thought about it and read this thread, I'm putting it out there. I'm pretty thick-skinned and politically inappropriate most of the time but this even made me squirm. I rode a tram where the "announcer" never shut-up. He made several homophobic, semi racist comments and would follow them up with "Hey, I'm a veteran and risked my life to be able to say what I think. And I'm a volunteer - what are they going to do, fire me?" He was so obnoxious my friends and I jumped off at the next stop and waited for the next tram. I'm not bitching about the trams or the other 99.9% of the volunteers, just curious if anyone else had this experience and how they responded.

[CHICAGORANDY]

For AirVenture my guidepost has always been if I wouldn't say it from a pulpit in a church, I won't say it on a tram.

[Mayhemxpc]

Randy,
I have been on your tram. You must have a very "interesting" church!

Didn't ride the tram except on Thursday -- didn't have time to wait, so I got a lot of exercise. I did not see anything unprofessional from the tram guides and operators...just one or two of the riders. In any group, there is always one...

[Bill Greenwood]

One problem with the trams is there is really no way to get a change or improvement during the week. The people at the top that make the decisions are sure not riding the tram, they have their close end parking spaces. An example it our parking area is about halfway to the museum, its right next to the cemetery that borders the road next to N 40 parking. So I have to use it at least twice a day, driving in in the morning and out the evening. Then we walk a ways over through the entrance gate, and there is a car path right there inside the back fence. It would be easy for the tram to stop and pick up as they did last year. But not this year, the tram driver goes right by and further south past the pavilion for homebuilders, even if there is a group waiting to board. In the week I only once saw any homebuilders go there, but it is heavily used by warbird and other eaa segments. Its not a big deal, but it adds about 1/4 mile walk each time for no reason. So that's twice a day for a week or an extra 7 miles to have to walk for no reason. And the busiest day, Sat, we waited while 7 trams came through full with no one getting off, no seat available. I have a old knee injury from ski racing and the extra walking is a nuisance.

[CHICAGORANDY]

The 'official' three tram stops at that back end behind Homebuilts are across from the North 40 Red One Market, the Homebuilt pylon by their showers and lastly at the Vendor's Parking lot - Uber/Lyft stop -Nature Center pylon.

I can't answer why the pylon is not by that entrance gate rather than the HB showers? I did often stop the tram at that gate to let folks board, but technically that is a violation of tram operating guidelines. This was just the 3rd? year we even ran the Red route back there in no-man's land - lol. You'll recall we used to always just loop around at the North 40 gate and come back to Warbirds and the forums. In truth this year, at least on my tram runs, we rarely picked up more than a handful of folks total for those three stops on the West end, so I don't know if it's worth all the time it takes for the very few riders it carries. But hey, I'm just the guy who gets dragged wherever that John Deere up front takes me - lol

[Bill Greenwood]

Randy, "the few riders it carries"? Did they make weed legal out there? Or you breathing too many diesel fumes. The red tram serves 3 big parking areas. And I am not talking about over by the red market on the south side of n 40, I am talking bout south of there on the south side of the cemetery., and due west of "Fighter town and most homebulid parking, Has nothing to do with the showeres over in N 40.

Doesn't require any new or longer route, just to stop for people on the path the trams are already driving.

[CHICAGORANDY]

Hi Bill, though weed IS now legal in Illinois, and I AM a Vietnam Vet... I have NEVER even once tried the junk. Nor have I mentioned the N40 showers...you sure YOU ain't puffing on the ganja? - lol

I can ONLY speak to the tram runs I conducted on the west side of homebuilts, along that "cemetery" road. From the N40 gate we go west and then turn south and make our 1st stop at the N40 Red 1 Market stop. then continue south past the cemetery to the next stop by the HOMEBUILT showers, just past that entrance gate you mentioned, then a final stop going south to the Uber pickup point. From there we go back east and stop by Aviation Gateway Park and then proceed to the Tower terminal where we turn around and do it all over again.

In the context of the MANY Red route trips I conducted on the afternoon 2-8 shift over a couple days, I'm tellin' ya' we just didn't get many folks at any of those three west-end stops. I am NOT disputing your experiences out there, just relaying mine.

[Bill Greenwood]

Randy, we are talking about the same route, that is inside the back fence beyond homebuilts. All I am asking is the red tram, WHICH IS ALREADY DRIVING ON THAT PATH, stop at the open gate when folks from warbird parking and vendor parking are standing right there. Don't drive by and make the people walk an extra 1'4 mile down to the homebuilder showers. As for how many people use it, well they fill up two big car parking lots, and might be more riders if the tram stopped for them. There is another little tram, part of warbird camping, that has made the extra effort at 7pm to drop us off right at the gate.

As for weed, I am a non Vietnam vet, Air Force "69 but didn't get sent and damn sure didnt raise my hand begging to go. But in that jungle , that hell hole, especially that late in the war when no clear headed people any longer had any positive outlook, I think I would have been the Willie Nelson of the east. It might have made it easier. I went to school with the Pres daughter, and the younger Bush, but strangely it had not really hit among my college group yet. I dont use any of it now as a pilot, but if I wasnt one I might for some knee and back pain, have some friends who do.I use more Advil than I'd like to.
I see how I missed you on the tram, as I didnt ride in in the middle of the day.