Boarding Sequence

I tracked the approaching diesel rumble as the Route Forty-Two coach pulled square to the curb. A sharp pneumatic hiss discharged from the front wheel well. The chassis sank four inches on hydraulic kneeling struts. Then the automated boarding ramp deployed: two warning beeps, followed by an unfolding aluminum plate striking the concrete with a solid metallic clank. Serrated non-skid tread, thirty-degree approach angle. Braced low against the shelter's steel frame, I logged the mechanical deployment sequence. Three passengers boarded. The plate folded back flush into the entryway deck. Ten-second transit window. Heavy transport mechanics documented.