COMET bus driver creates friendships, fosters community

Omar Blancas has been a video editor for Telemundo, an IT worker for Sparkletts water and a paralegal for an accident attorney. It’s his current occupation, though, that surprises him the most.

“I never thought I’d be a bus driver,” Blancas said.

The Maricopa resident is a driver for the City of Maricopa Express Transit – COMET – a bus circular that allows riders to call and arrange transportation throughout the city three times a week.

Blancas does more than drive, however. Just ask a few of his regular passengers.

“He’s more than a bus driver, he’s a concierge,” said Anita Anderson, who moved to Maricopa in 2010.

Coming from the Bay Area in California, Anderson, who uses a walker because of her arthritis, found adjusting to Maricopa’s lack of public transportation difficult.

“When you don’t have a car here, you’re housebound,” Anderson said. 

Although at the time there were some bus stops, they were miles away from her new home in the Meadows, and too far for her to walk. 

Anderson lives with her daughter and son-in-law, Angela and Matt Manzer, and their young daughter. 

The couple has one car and since Manzer works as a machinist in Tempe all day and attends Gateway Community College at night, the women often are without transportation until 9 p.m. or later.

Being unable to visit other places made it hard for Anderson to make friends. And, constantly being in the same home began to strain the relationship with her daughter.

“Before I didn’t have a life,” Anderson said.

That all changed when Anderson and Manzer discovered the COMET — and Blancas — a year ago. 

Blancas often introduces riders, especially those with common interests, to each other.

“Omar is kind of like the friendship-maker,” Anderson said. “He’s a very observant man, very social.”

Mary Denis, another regular rider who often brings Blancas coffee and a snack, said she’s “met a lot of nice friends” because of Blancas.

Anderson now has a group of friends she calls “The Golden Girls,” who go with her on her Monday trips to the food bank. 

The group also spends time together socially, often traveling together on the COMET.

Blancas, who said he gets along with everyone, makes it a point to introduce people because he said “people need to know each other.” 

He’s also turned the bus into a networking opportunity for Angela Manzer, Anderson’s daughter, who runs a tutoring business from her home and also sells baked goods.

“I’ve met other small-business owners and gotten cake orders, just from riding on the bus,” she said. “Even though we might have developed this relationship with other people, (Blancas) really is the catalyst.” 

It’s not just that Blancas can get a good conversation going that makes him special, Anderson said.

He’s also been known to help riders carry their groceries or, if the schedule allows, check with them to see whether there’s someplace else they need to go.

“He thinks about what his riders need versus just getting them to where they need to go,” Anderson said. “He understands that they just might need to go to the store.”