Shuttle buses at BAMC

[grayce79]

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I just feel like complaining!
What the hell? At BAMC, employees are no longer allowed to park at the hospital due to an expansion project. Instead of first building more parking or even just laying down a gravel lot, the higher ups decided that only patients can park at the hospital. All of the rest of us sorry suckers get to park 3 exits down the highway and then ride buses over like 5th graders. (If a bus even shows up to pick you up). This has added approximately 45 minutes on to my day everyday. It doesn't matter that I have to be there at 0530 and I may not leave until 8pm like today.
2 weeks ago I went to a private hospital to do a case and I was shocked to see the doctors there have closer parking than the handicapped spaces! While that may be extreme, it just goes to show that in the civilian world doctors are actually appreciated.
I am in residency right now and considered extending my commitment to do a fellowship. I have had a lot of good and bad with military medicine but this shuttle bus thing is the straw that broke the camel's back for me. I'm getting out ASAP!
Anyone else want to complain? That's what forums are for, right?

 

[The White Coat Investor]

At my military job we have to park at the BX and walk to the hospital due to construction. The only exceptions are the commanders and the top enlisted dudes who get a designated spot. At my civilian job, the only thing that parks closer to the door than me is an ambulance with the engine running.

While not a big deal in the big scheme, it is really illustrative of the mindset of military med. You're really no different than the CT tech in the military.

 

[MAC]

I just feel like complaining!
What the hell? At BAMC, employees are no longer allowed to park at the hospital due to an expansion project. Instead of first building more parking or even just laying down a gravel lot, the higher ups decided that only patients can park at the hospital. All of the rest of us sorry suckers get to park 3 exits down the highway and then ride buses over like 5th graders. (If a bus even shows up to pick you up). This has added approximately 45 minutes on to my day everyday. It doesn't matter that I have to be there at 0530 and I may not leave until 8pm like today.
2 weeks ago I went to a private hospital to do a case and I was shocked to see the doctors there have closer parking than the handicapped spaces! While that may be extreme, it just goes to show that in the civilian world doctors are actually appreciated.
I am in residency right now and considered extending my commitment to do a fellowship. I have had a lot of good and bad with military medicine but this shuttle bus thing is the straw that broke the camel's back for me. I'm getting out ASAP!
Anyone else want to complain? That's what forums are for, right?

Do you know for how much longer you have to park and then take the shuttle to the hospital? I am heading out there this June to start my residency and want to know if I have to do the same at that time.

 

[monkeybaronjr]

Ok, I think that the shuttle situation is absolutely ludicrous - this would NEVER fly at a regular civilian hospital. However, I am able to snag a parking spot in the Archery lot (closest to the hospital) each morning and I arrive around 5:50 or so. My "car-to-hospital-front-door" time has increased by approximately 7 minutes. I'm not sure how the OP got an extra 45 minutes a day unless she is referring to the fact that the buses run less frequently at night (q15 min) than the day (q5 min), or if she parks in the further lots. If you get to the hospital at 0530, then park in the Archery lot. Only 20 min is added to my day at the most.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to say it's a good situation. I'm just saying that it's not as bad as I thought it would be.

The other alternative is to get to the hospital before 0500. Then you can park at the hospital.

I've been told this will last about 6 months. I suspect it will be for about a year...('sigh')

 

[dyk33]

a patient at wilford hall remarked how easy it is to park at BAMC nowadays. i told her that the providers and staffs now have to park at off site and take the shuttle to get to the hospital. i thought she was going to sympathize. she instead said, "they should do the same at wilford hall!"

 

[IgD]

I thought you guys were joking at first. That really does sound pretty sad.

 

[grayce79]

Things that have slowed me down making it more than just 7 minutes added on to my day:
-the single lane at the Walters gate to let cars with decals get in
-looking for an open parking lot (Archery lot fills up quickly). Typically I have parking at the PX which also fills up quickly but is usually open around 0600 when the first bus leaves from there.
-I usually leave later at night (since I am a resident). For example, I get on the shuttle bus at BAMC at 2003. It won't move until 2015. Then we have to make stops at some of the other the parking lots before I can get dropped off at the PX parking lot. And there I've just lost about 22 minutes of my life just going from BAMC to my car. Certainly some days could end up being faster if I had gotten on the bus at 2014 but of course this is unpredictable as most of us get done with work at various different times depending on how much work there is to be done.

Has anyone seen General Gilman riding around on the shuttle bus? We were thinking he should get to ride in a shuttle bus with a star on it.

Anyways, the next day after I put up my whiny post, my team had to break it to a 42 year old active duty soldier that she has gastric cancer. So I then realized that if shuttle bus issues are the biggest problem in my life, I'm pretty fortunate.
So even if the shuttle buses suck, I'll guess I'll just "drive on".

PS- This doesn't change the fact that I am sticking with the whole "get out as soon I can" plan!

 

[grayce79]

Do you know for how much longer you have to park and then take the shuttle to the hospital? I am heading out there this June to start my residency and want to know if I have to do the same at that time.

I have been told 1.5 years.

 

[bogatyr]

Things that have slowed me down making it more than just 7 minutes added on to my day:
-the single lane at the Walters gate to let cars with decals get in
-looking for an open parking lot (Archery lot fills up quickly). Typically I have parking at the PX which also fills up quickly but is usually open around 0600 when the first bus leaves from there.
-I usually leave later at night (since I am a resident). For example, I get on the shuttle bus at BAMC at 2003. It won't move until 2015. Then we have to make stops at some of the other the parking lots before I can get dropped off at the PX parking lot. And there I've just lost about 22 minutes of my life just going from BAMC to my car. Certainly some days could end up being faster if I had gotten on the bus at 2014 but of course this is unpredictable as most of us get done with work at various different times depending on how much work there is to be done.

Has anyone seen General Gilman riding around on the shuttle bus? We were thinking he should get to ride in a shuttle bus with a star on it.

Anyways, the next day after I put up my whiny post, my team had to break it to a 42 year old active duty soldier that she has gastric cancer. So I then realized that if shuttle bus issues are the biggest problem in my life, I'm pretty fortunate.
So even if the shuttle buses suck, I'll guess I'll just "drive on".

PS- This doesn't change the fact that I am sticking with the whole "get out as soon I can" plan!

You should park in the PAL lot as it is the first one the bus services when going to main post.

The command have their own shuttle that goes from the horse stables to the hospital. Most people I've asked have said it would not be a good idea to park at the horse stables and ride the command shuttle.

If I were a betting man I would put the over-under on the shuttle buses at 3 years. I think enforcement will slow down in about 3 or 4 months and you should be able to sneak in to the BAMC lots. Have you seen how many empty rows there are?

 

[Zulu451]

I would bet on the 3 years also. I have found that this system adds more time on the day just because you have to get there earlier to get a spot at the archery lot.

Funny though, this system has improved communications between providers as we see each other every day on the shuttle. I have taken care of a few consults too and from the hospital!

The military mentality exemplefies Obama medicine headed for the rest of the country. You can get out, but it will catch up with you real soon.

 

[67echo]

Have any of you see the cops at the Stanley Road lot today? They actually had golf carts with radar guns pulling people over and giving tickets in the damn parking lot at 0545 today. 10mph is the max with no tolerance. 11mph is speeding! the provost marshal is friggen unreal....

 

[backrow]

Have any of you see the cops at the Stanley Road lot today? They actually has golf carts with radar guns pulling people over and giving tickets in the damn parking lot at 0545 today. 10mph is the max with no tolerance. 11mph is speeding! the provost marshal is friggen unreal....

This seems to be a favorite tactic of the police force at hospitals. They love patrolling the parking lots. Heck at NMC Portsmouth they would sit on the second or third level of the parking garage and catch people coming up the ramp. The speed limit there was like 5 mph...how in the heck do you go uphill at 5mph or less. And they too would give tickets....gotta love em.

 

[grayce79]

Have any of you see the cops at the Stanley Road lot today? They actually had golf carts with radar guns pulling people over and giving tickets in the damn parking lot at 0545 today. 10mph is the max with no tolerance. 11mph is speeding! the provost marshal is friggen unreal....

LOL! Didn't know that- thanks for the warning! I will seriously laugh if I get pulled over for going 11mph!

 

[jabreal00]

---------------- Listening to: Digitalism - Pogo via FoxyTunes

I just feel like complaining!
What the hell? At BAMC, employees are no longer allowed to park at the hospital due to an expansion project. Instead of first building more parking or even just laying down a gravel lot, the higher ups decided that only patients can park at the hospital. All of the rest of us sorry suckers get to park 3 exits down the highway and then ride buses over like 5th graders. (If a bus even shows up to pick you up). This has added approximately 45 minutes on to my day everyday. It doesn't matter that I have to be there at 0530 and I may not leave until 8pm like today.
2 weeks ago I went to a private hospital to do a case and I was shocked to see the doctors there have closer parking than the handicapped spaces! While that may be extreme, it just goes to show that in the civilian world doctors are actually appreciated.
I am in residency right now and considered extending my commitment to do a fellowship. I have had a lot of good and bad with military medicine but this shuttle bus thing is the straw that broke the camel's back for me. I'm getting out ASAP!
Anyone else want to complain? That's what forums are for, right?

Good ole BAMC. I graduated from there this past June so I missed out on the parking fiasco. If that is your major problem so far in the military wait until you get to an MTF. The level of dysfunction is so much more pervasive and maddening. Enjoy your residency at a Medcen while you can. I am speaking from experience.