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Bookmarked! Thanks for the link. Just a random and quick observation: Aramark is the company who provides the catered food to Amtrak. For the life of me, I could not recall the name after Gate Gourmet was fired.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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Having had some experience with hearing impairment, I just had to go to the page dealing with deaf passengers:
H. Assisting Passengers Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Chances are you will not notice a person who is deaf or hard of hearing unless the person has been witnessed using sign language or wearing a hearing aid. Remember, not all people who are deaf can read lips, and those who do generally understand only about 25% of a conversation.
Communicating Verbally
• Get the person’s attention before starting a conversation. • Follow the passenger’s cues to find out if they prefer sign language, gesturing, writing or speaking. • Eliminate noisy distractions. • Move to a quiet place if possible. • Position yourself to be seen, face the person, and do not let any object obstruct the person’s view of you. • Do not eat, smoke, chew gum or hold your hands in front of your mouth. • Position yourself facing the light source to avoid shadows on your face. • Use gestures and facial expressions to help get the message across. • Use a clear and normal tone. • Be prepared to write it down. • Check for understanding. • Be patient!
Be sure that on-board and station announcements are communicated to passengers who are deaf or hard of hearing. If needed, write the messages down
-- That's all great good sense to me, and it helps explain why the likes of me seem to have a lot less difficulty than in the past with OBS crews, especially in the dining car.
However, I must observe that almost never is that last paragraph about on-board and station announcements followed. For instance, only once or twice has a sleeper attendant told me that the dining car was open (the most important on-board announcement of all, eh?) or relayed the conductor's explanation for a long delay.
I don't really blame them. They've got a lot to do without having to decide which of the announcements must be relayed.
Same thing happens with flight attendants. The ones on the Chicago-Washington flights never tell me, as requested, when passengers can get out of their seats to use the john.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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Both my wife and I are hearing impaired as well and the only problem we have is with the announcements. I try to remember to alert good folks that work for Amtrak to this. When I do remember to tell them I let use their good judgement and common sense to prioritize the messages they pass on. Most of the time it works well.
Posts: 229 | From: Long Beach CA | Registered: Jan 2007
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Read that doc last week and I'm still laughing at 6:19 c) that reads in part:
When performing paperwork or administrative functions associated with job responsibilities employees are required to: • Avoid using tables in Dining Cars • Avoid using tables in Food Service Cars • Employee grips and outerwear must be stored out-of-sight, and must not be left on tables
So this is why OBS and op crew spread out (sometimes) volumes of papers/reports/tickets/orders etc etc etc on Diner and Lounge tables.
Lest we jump to their defense, the manual notes:
When performing paperwork or administrative functions associated with job responsibilities employees are required to: • Use the crew office or Dormitory Car. If the train is not equipped with a crew office or Dormitory Car or if crew office or Dormitory Car space is not available, then employees are expected to use a vacant Coach seat with drop down seat tray.
Please read the entire reg b4 blasting this poster. The reg is structured for what appears to be LSA exceptions,,,
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