The Republican Convention is coming to town and, apparently, the incoming delegates will be receiving discounts on events and on admissions to cultural institutions.

Free MetroCards will be distributed for ease of transportation for use on the subways and buses. I prefer buses, despite it being slower than trains. A window seat allows a scenic trip through a variety of neighborhoods that’s almost as good as a tour bus.

Unfortunately, some, but not all, bus drivers lack the hospitable tone required of all good tour guides.

On one of my rides down Lexington Avenue after a conference a few weeks ago, I witnessed one of the rudest examples of how some MTA drivers interact with the public. A frail looking man carrying a portable breathing apparatus sat behind the driver.

As the bus left the 39th Street stop, the man politely asked the driver what the next stop would be. The driver answered curtly, “I don’t know.” The man then asked if the driver would be stopping at 34th or 35th street. “Man, what are you bothering me for,” the driver answered roughly.

It seemed the man’s destination was 36th Street and he was wondering whether to get off at 37th Street, rather than wait for 34th Street. The less he had to walk, the better, I imagined.

The bus departed 37th Street and the man rang the bell to get off at what he hoped would be 35th Street, but of course the bus didn’t stop until the corner of 34th.

My heart went out to the poor man who had to walk an extra block in the heat of the day thanks to the sullen driver. I jotted down the bus number and the time, but forgot about it by the time I arrived at my next appointment.

Driving a city bus is an extremely difficult job, especially in Manhattan. Drivers have to contend with fare beaters, people fumbling for change, crowds of unruly school riders, equipment that breaks down, and taxi drivers who can’t drive. I can understand their frustration, but they also need to realize they have a responsibility to the riding public that pay the fares that pay their salaries.

It’s possible that the bus driver on the Lexington Avenue bus was just having a bad day and that normally he’s as gracious and patient as the bus driver I encountered on the no.15 bus heading toward South Ferry on Monday.

Jamel Wright, who’s driven a city bus for around 10 years, has the patience of Job, and he needs it to work that particular route. The no.15 runs uptown on First Avenue to East Harlem and downtown on Second Avenue to the ferry. It passes such diverse neighborhoods as the Upper East Side, the Midtown business district, the East Village, the Lower East Side, and Chinatown. The buses are accordion-type double vehicles where wheelchair access is via the front of the bus.

A gray-haired woman in a motorized wheelchair entered the bus and had some difficulty getting the chair onto the bus but refused any assistance. She then wheeled herself over to the seats that had been vacated for her but directed her chair so she was facing the back of the bus. Mr. Wright explained that she needed to face forward or the bus would not be able to move.

“Yes, you can,” the woman insisted. “I do this all the time.” Mr. Wright politely indicated that he was just doing his job and would have to contact his supervisor, but that he was not allowed to move the bus.

People in the bus were getting impatient with the delay while Mr. Wright was relaying the problem to his supervisor. A few people exited, then the woman decided to turn her chair around. When Mr. Wright saw her, he asked her why she had made him go to all that trouble. The woman stubbornly replied, “It’s a stupid rule. You should change it.”

Another passenger pointed out that it was a safety regulation and that all the seats were facing forward. But the wheelchair-bound woman kept muttering to herself about stupid rules and regulations.

Another mile down the avenue, another wheelchair entered the bus. Mr. Wright had politely asked those seated in the ones reserved for wheelchairs to move to others in the rear. He showed no rancor, and the new handicapped passenger was polite. Upon exiting, he thanked the driver and wished him a good day.

Not so, the rude, stubborn, pain in the neck woman who had left without a word.

I felt like reminding this woman that there was a time when the city was not so accommodating to the handicapped. There were no specially equipped buses that allowed the physically challenge to explore the city or to go to jobs. Not all the sidewalk curbs were graded, nor were entrances to all buildings adapted for their easy access.

City bus drivers have a lot on their plate to contend with, and that’s why I’m dedicating these words of encouragement to drivers like Jamel Wright who perform yeoman work with a pleasant attitude and a smile.

Thank you.