Life on Metro Transit

With the high prices of gas, insurance and maintenance, and not to mention looking to save money because of the terrible economy we're in, people are looking for a way to save money or if you don't own a vehicle. People are looking to the bus to get them to and from work. Ridership on buses and the need for spaces at park and ride locations in 2008 went up because of the high gas prices and also partially because of the 35W bridge collapse.

While you get your "normal" people (such as business people, people going to and from other jobs across the metro), you also get what I call the "interesting people". Those are the people who make riding the bus more interesting. While the express rush hour only routes (routes leaving either downtown or the U of M) get mainly business or college people, all day routes that run 7 days a week always makes the best stories.

Because of the fact that I don't own a car, I rely on the bus to get me from home to school, work or a social event. And because of this, I ride at all times of the day and night. At night, it gets really interesting, especially once it gets closer to the weekend. In my opinion, that is like morning for these types of people. Party and cause trouble all night and sleep until late the next afternoon. Although trouble and weirdness can happen at anytime, anyday.

For example, I posted this story on bustales.com back in June 27th, 2007:

Let me start off by saying in the 5 years I’ve been riding the bus, I have never had anything strange happen on Route 70 (the route I ride 7 days a week), at least to me, the quietest route on the Metro Transit system. Today that changed.

It started on 5th & Minnesota at 10:15. This homeless lady hops on and has at least 50 expired transfers in the coin purse. Maybe you know who this person is. She rides the 16 (and other routes) round trip and sometimes sleeps in the 5th Street Transit Center behind the Target Center and has a soft voice.

Anyways, she gets on looking for a transfer. Then asks me to help, which at the point the driver tells me not to since he suspects that person doesn’t have one. After complaining for a few minuets, a transit supervisor happened to be driving down Minnesota Street. After the driver, the lady and the supervisor had a discussion, the driver gave up and told her to get on for free. Well she didn’t. She stayed and talked to the supervisor trying to find a current transfer. As she got off, she yelled at me and giving me this religious mumbo jumbo, which I just kept on saying “Have a Nice Day”. Delayed the bus by 10 minuets. I guess that proves to me even the quitest routes have strange things going on. Ha."

This happened to be true. She didn't have a valid transfer. But kept insisting she had one.

One thing I observe a lot while riding is how people act, like no one is around them. Whether if it's someone talking too loudly on a cell phone, or talking loudly in general can really be interesting. I guess there are some people who really don't care if other people know what's going on in other's lives. Including people announcing to a loved one that she is pregnant, what the plans are for the evening or weekend, what drugs he/she has brought and/or used and the list goes on.

Obviously, I can go all day on this subject. It's something I have to experience with people everyday. If you want to read more bus stories, got to: http://www.bustales.com.