The Standards Have Changed Dramatically

For those not in the know, I've been hired on with the City of Saskatoon and I am currently training to be a bus operator.  I've only jumped through the first hurdle of obtaining my Air Endorsement and, from what I am told, it was also the hardest portion of that quest.  The task now laid before me is learning and retaining the practical side of the Air Endorsement which is basically applying what I know and proving that I understand it. 🤔

Another hurdle to acquiring this position, is obtaining the Class 2 drivers license.  For this, I was prepared and obtain this classification way back when I drove a school bus.  At the time, I did so to better my value within that company, to allow myself to drive charters.  Unfortunately, the company, at the time did not share that belief and we parted way shortly after, but not before I obtained that beloved Class 2 license, which brings me to present day.  Because I already have my Class 2, I needn't take the necessary road test to obtain it.

The class of potential new drivers is quite large, the biggest in years, as described by the instructors.  As such, there's enough students to allow two people for every instructor.  For the past few days, myself and one other fellow have been taking to the streets of Saskatoon to polish our new craft.  However, until yesterday, I'd not gotten behind the wheel of one of these behemoth machines.  Because of my previous experience as a school bus operator and the fact that I needn't take the Class 2 road test, I've passed on driving to allow my cohort to get in the necessary practice for his driving test next week.  The extra free time allows me to sit in the back of the bus and study my notes, learn from his travels and simply look at the world around me as it passed by at 45km/h.

In the past couple of days, as we drove the most likely route that the examiner will take my fellow pupil on, we've driven past the company Standard Machine.  The company, as described on its website, is such that it provides machining and manufacturing services to (I'm going to paraphrase as it's quite lengthy and I don't wish to bore the two people who actually read my shit) mining, military, marine, oil and gas, and even aerospace industries all over the world.  The facility located on 60th Street is quite gargantuan, but I remember it when it was a small company located on Faithfull Avenue.

My dad worked there when I was quite young, well before I ever attended public school, so I was probably four years old or so, maybe?  My dad worked days and my mom would come to pick him up.  Her practice back then, just as it is today, is to show up way too early for anything and this was no different.  I recall the front bay doors of the building were open.  It was very warm inside and opening the bay doors would allow for a breeze to sweep through the shop, comforting the employees in the process. 

When my mom would show up, I'd immediately spring from the car and run in to see my dad.  Locating him quickly, I'd stand next to him as all the busy chaos was happening around me.  My dad would smile and greet me with a "Hey buddy." before returning his attention to the task he was performing.  I don't remember much more than that, other than playing with the metal shavings that were piling at his feet and accompanying him to the break room when the quitting horn would sound.

It's strange.  Given all the safety guidelines and standards that are in place nowadays, but I was allowed by that company, way back then, to stand next to my dad, wearing shorts and a T-shirt and running shoes.  Today, as a worker, you need to wear a reflective vest, a hard hat, coveralls and steel-toed shoes.  And if your family wanted to see what you did, good luck, because that shit ain't never gonna happen.

Can you imagine all the controversy that would erupt if the small son of this fellow were to be standing at his side while the father was working with a piece of equipment this incredible?  The company would go on lockdown, the father would probably be brought up on some sort of charge of Child Endangerment or worse.  Maybe the child would be removed from the home entirely.  Then social media, holy f**k, don't get me started on all the arm chair experts who'd have to weigh in.  My, how the standards have changed.  Granted, much is for the better, but sometimes, I think shit has gotten too strict.  Not just in industry, but life in general.

Today, kids are required to wear helmets and pads and all kinds of protective wear, when riding a bike.  Even if the bike has training wheels and there's no way of it tipping, they need to wear protective gear.  When I was a kid, I never wore any of that shit.  I remember learning to ride a bike and the training wheels would not stay in place and when I'd tilt to one side, instead of ending there, the wheel would shoot back and I'd continue my decent into the gravel.  I grew up on a farm, so when you crashed you bicycle, which I did repeatedly, you'd get a scrape or a cut.  You'd get up, brush the gravel out of the bleeding patch on your knees and you'd try again.  There was no coddling and if you ask me, kids were better for it.  Nowadays, kids bump into a wall and they're instantly crying then there's a follow-up on how can we make hallways more safe for our youth and blah-blah-blah.  If I'd have cried at something as stupid as that, when I was a kid?  I'd have been picked up by the wrist, smacked on the ass, and told to stop crying. Then I would and today, I'm a better person for it.

Not only have the standards of safety changed, but of life in general and while the former is probably for the better, the latter just makes life a pain in the ass.  Life was better before and I miss those days.