Going Car-Less: Bus(t) a Move!

“Oh, Marge! You know buses are only for losers!” Thus saith cartoon character Homer Simpson when his wife suggests he try busing it after his car breaks down.

Maybe buses are for losers in the Springfield where the Simpsons live. But this is Marin, baby! 

Having been on countless buses, trains and bikes in the last four weeks of going car-less, I have to say that buses have become kind of a treat for me.

Consider:

1) They’re all new – Our Golden Gate Transit buses look good, they smell good, they have fun seats to sit in. They have no crazy exhaust to gag you while you’re waiting to get on them. They all have bike racks. Many have these hydraulic steps front and back so they can “kneel” to let you on with your baby stroller or your luggage or your wheel chair.

2) The bus drivers are great – I don’t know what happened, maybe they got kindness training, or great raises, or what. But the bus drivers on the Golden Gate transit line are helpful and friendly. Are you taking three buses to Novato? Tell them. They’ll tell you how to get it down to two. Are you unsure of which stop is best for you to get to your meeting?  Tell them.  They will often call out your stop when you get close.

3) The online schedule is awesome --You go to this Trip Planner, type in your starting address, the address of where you’re going, when you want to leave or arrive there and the date you’re going. Bingo! Within milli-seconds you have a choice of three or four trips that will make your trip a cinch.

4) The ride is fun— You can read, or sleep, or watch the scenery go by. The people are great. They’re generally quiet and respectful of each other and if they’re not, the bus driver will tell them to chill. 

5) They’re on time – You heard me. They are on time. So, if you catch a bus to the transit center for a connection to another part of Marin or SF or wherever, you will make it to the connection. In this entire month of riding two to four buses a day, I only experienced one bus that was late. That was the 42 to Del Norte BART, Wed, May 11 at 3:30 p.m. It was about 12 minutes late. See? It is so unusual I remember it precisely.

I like bus riding too because I am out and about – in the air walking to and fro cheerily. If a bus I need doesn’t stop close to me, I take my bike and pedal to the near-by alternative bus stop. I find it all quite cheering.

And I like the planning. To make it all work, I look over my Google Calendar every night before I go to bed. I get out a 3 x 5 card and look up my route on the internet. I write the buses I need to take to my destination(s) on one side of the card. Then I put a magic marker orange square around my outgoing bus plan. I turn the card over and write the homeward bound schedule on the back and decorate it with a dark green marker. Then I tack the card to the front door. I make sure I've got four singles in my wallet--$2 out; $2 home.

Then I’m ready for tomorrow. At this point, I’m tired. It’s been a lively day. I haven’t gotten a traffic ticket. I haven’t had to wait in line for gas. I haven’t had to worry over any funny rattling under a car. Yet, I’ve been out in the world traveling with a lot of people.  It’s been a good experience with some lovely adventures.

I shut off the light. I go to sleep.