Nelson Gets a Bus Pass

With the rising cost of gasoline, I decided it was time to get a bus pass. After all we have a city bus system why not use my sales tax dollars responsibly?

 First step, put on some sunscreen, comfortable shoes and bright clothing. There will be sun exposure because you will still be doing some walking. Public transportation is not a taxi service. They do not revolve around your errands.

The bright clothing is so that if you are hit by a car or bike, they can't say they didn't see you.

Secondly, locate the nearest bus stop. In my town, they claim that most residents are within 1/2 mile walking distance of a bus stop. Not too shabby.

 

While waiting for the bus, you can study the map. Familiarize yourself with which bus routes stop at that point and at which times. This info can be found online. You can also find a number to call for help with trip planning--very convenient for the directionally challenged.

Some bus stops include a shelter. Get outta the rain!

 Rules: once on the bus, there is no sleeping, drinking or eating allowed...Yes, that's a disappointment, but understood.  Before your stop you pull on the cord overhead to let the driver know he/she needs to stop and drop you off.

 

 You may conquer your fear of heights as a bonus, since you may need to walk from the nearest bus stop to your destination. Keep in mind that jay-walking is illegal.

On my maiden voyage, it took 1 hour to reach my destination...Which raised some critical questions because my chosen destination was about 2 miles from my house. . .  After finishing my errand I decided to walk home, rather than wait 15 minutes for the bus to come back. That only took about 30 minutes. . . Driving myself would have taken 6 minutes. Which I actually had to do because the screwdriver I purchased was the wrong size.

So moral of the story is. . . I should try again with a destination not so near my house. That would make it worth my time, right?

 Afterwards, I spent some time studying the bus route and maps. This proved helpful because I realized the route nearest my house only comes to the same place each hour. Some other routes are shorter and more efficient by returning to the same place every 40 minutes. So if I drove to a different bus stop and parked. . .

  I have a bus pass, but I may not be using it as often as I first thought...