dcrowell

I'm off my bike for a while due to neck issues, So I'm taking the bus to work.

When I got on the bus this morning I had to put my laptop bag on the wheel well (with a dozen other bags) and bodily push myself into the crowd to get behind the standee line.

This bus is constantly crowded. TARC (the bus line) has several routes that run every 15 minutes, but this isn't one of them. Why don't they use extra buses on the crowded routes?

Aaargh. This is a known issue. The local car-free advocacy groups have pushed TARC about this issue, and I guess funding is an issue.

This is not how you encourage people to ride the bus rather than drive. I'm considering walking to work (3.5 miles) tomorrow to avoid this.

Youaintgotjack

how frustrating! would a different bike set up enable you to ride? can you carpool with a driver already going that way? I always hate being on the bus when Im in pain with my back (chronic back issues) . Hope you get it sorted.

Artkansas 

Buses can be frustrating.

I live at the end of one bus line and used to work at the end of another. But it was quicker to walk to work because both bus lines went to downtown so it was a one hour walk and a two hour bus ride. My bike ride of course was faster.

Youaintgotjack

Ok so I just read your blog and I guess you've already tried a recumbent bike- sucks. Im sorry you are having a tough time of it, you write very nicely One thing that I found really helped me heal quicker is eating more raw food. I found if I eat two raw meals a day and a cooked dinner it made me feel better mentally (less foggy and depressing this time of year especially) and it helps your cells heal nd regenerate quicker. If its something you are kind of interested in I can go into more detail.

dcrowell

I own a recumbent, and on good days I can still ride it. The one co-worker I've carpooled with is unreliable, so I don't do that often. I've taken a cab before, but I won't pay for that on a daily basis. I've even walked the 3.5 miles to work, but it's a pain when carrying a laptop. Robin, the woman I'm dating, lives two blocks from my house, and has driven me to work once, but she's usually out of town during the week.

There's another bus line I'll try tomorrow. Maybe it won't be as crowded, but it'll require a little more walking to get to the stop.

cooker

In a bizarre sort of way, it makes economic sense to provide bad bus service. Most bus routes are subsidized and thus the transit organization loses money if they put more buses on.

Roody

I think the problem (politically) is that bus companies can get federal funds for capital expenses, but not for operations. In other words, they can buy a lot of buses, but they don't have the resources to hire more drivers and mechanics. If Congess ever passes a Transportation Bill, maybe this will be corrected. Demand for bus services has been increasing for a dozen years, but funding hasn't kept pace.

But as for your own personal problem.... Would it be possible for you to get an ADA card so you can claim one of the front seats that are reserved for seniors and disabled people? (This might also enable you to buy discounted bus passes!)

dcrowell

I don't know if I could or not, but I won't. I'm stubborn that way. Even if I did have such a card, I'm not sure what the bus driver would have done. It was standing room only. The people in those seats were elderly and/or disabled.

Mobile 155

There are a lot of things that would be nice if they had improved mass transit but it seems with the economy mass transit is one of the first to take a hit. I am not debating what should happen or what they could do but rather what has happened over the last few years in much of the US. Many of the States have cut transportation funds for much of the mass transit inside the state. We were hit pretty hard when Arnold was in office. He allowed about 3 cents of the gas tax that was used for part of the mass transit fund to drop and it cause service reduction in much of the state. As someone said they may have the busses but they can't afford the drivers to make the runs. Here is a link to show how that has played out over much of the country. https://t4america.org/resources/transitfundingcrisis/

Now add to that the bill that passed the house that will cut federal funding for transportation that was passed in september and mass transit could lose even more funding. The need may be there, the riders may be there but the support and funding is not so you end up with fewer runs and more people on the bus. What many MTAs have to do is raise prices and that doesn't always work either. But check out the site and see how many districts have cut services, you are not alone.

Dahon.Steve

Sorry for your difficulity.

I used to have those problems a long time ago. I looked for other bus lines that were less empty and to this day would rather pay more to ride a bus that allows me to sit. I don't know if you have that option but but I would look to multimode commute as an option. You might not be able to bike commute but can you bike to a further bus stop?

The ecomomy is really picking up because my bus for the first time in two years was full! This is a good sign but it means public transit is going to have full loads. I moved to another town that has llightrail and express bus service. In fact, lightrail is a real game changer. No wonder General Motors dismantled scores of tolley lines because there were too many carfree individuals like me who didn't need to drive if trains were available.

Dahon.Steve

I find that living at the end of a bus or tain line does make for a longer commute. You do however, tend to get a seat in the morning! ;-) I don't mind a longer commute so long as I have a seat.

Dahon.Steve

Agreed.

Transit was slashed during the recession to balance budgets and gas is now at an all time high. We are not even in the driving season and gas is climbing past $3.30 a gallon in New Jersey. I think we will pass $4.00 dollars a gallon this summer and won't drop until winter. I suspect this time next year, gass will be at $3.80 going into the driving season.

The oil companies are doing everything to get the price high and it's working!

Suburban

We're paying $1.29/liter here. In USD and US Gallons, that would be $4.92/gallon. New Jersey is getting a deal!

Cities outside of Toronto have been investing in their transit systems. It's getting easier and the buses are running much more frequently. My kids prefer the bus to the car. No carseats.

Buses can be nice. But it would be even better if they finished plans for the LRT on the main lines asap. We could have them in a couple of years running right by my house.

cooker

1.22 downtown.

Mobile 155

I worked in Transportation for almost 20 years and I sort of knew it was coming from the industry news letters I would get every month. But to be honest I thought it was more or less a bigger problem in California because of the love affair with personal transportation. But looking at the map I posted I see it is all over the US and just as heavy on the east coast as here. As I see it here the people that can least afford a fare increase are getting hit the hardest. They also have no alternative because they don't tend to have a car to fall back on.

Still as our new governor said the other day, you can't spend money you don't have so transit takes a hit and there are fewer bus runs so more people have to jam onto the busses they do have. The runs are also taking longer. I don't know how it is in Ohio, another state hit hard, but here the only bright light is we still have federal funding for light rail and that seems to be expanding.

But it all comes back to the economy. The other night they said the economy may be improving as reported by News at 6. They example they used, GM is once again the number one car manufacturer in the world. What does that say about any lessons learned?

ro-monster

If this issue looks like it's going to last a while, maybe something like this would help. It looks fun, I would try one out if I had a chance. I guess you would have to put your laptop in a backpack or a handlebar bag though.

harry2110

Ouch depending on the part of town I would rather walk the 3.5 miles than take the tarc. I am a new albanian and have never taken it personally because it was just easier to bike from NA to where ever and a lot fast too. In fact if your on the indiana side it could be faster and easier to walk it. Now just get a standard backpack to carry your laptop it conceals it and makes it a lot easier to carry.

dcrowell

I was fed up enough with the bus (and my neck) that I basically said "eff it" and rode my single-speed to work today. It's a drop-bar road bike, and it hurt, but I feel free. I may consider the recumbent tomorrow. The doctor has told me that I won't injure myself riding a bike, it's just uncomfortable. Sometimes it's MIGHTY uncomfortable, but today is better.

I live in Germantown, so I don't have to cross the bridge. I used to live in Charlestown, and rode 16.5 miles one-way and had to cross the bridge. I wasn't car-free then so I still drove sometimes. Moving into town was partially to able to live car-free.

TARC is a sorry excuse for public transportation, but it's better than nothing. I'm glad it's around, I just wish it was better.

zoltani

TARC is a sorry excuse for a transit authority. It sounds dumb to say "I took the TARC here"

009jim

That is what happens when you live in a country where private companies are given control of public services. The focus of a private business is to maximize profit. To do that you have buses running chock full every 2 hours instead of a bus every 10 minutes. Move to a country where they have public facilities owned and run by the public.

DX-MAN

Sorry to hear of your bus issues, dude. Wish I could send some of my good luck your way.

Most of the buses around here are rarely more than 2/3 full, and usually only get more so in REALLY bad weather. Tomorrow may be interesting, as the precipitation coming down now is already icy, and will be worse tomorrow morning; I'll be riding the bus tomorrow, and maybe Friday.

I suppose I shouldn't complain, because here it is the end of January, and I haven't missed a ride day yet! One or two isn't even on the radar! (But I have this feeling that, within 10 days of getting my Kona built up, the shizzle will hit, and I'll be busing it again....)

Roody

It looks like fun, but I would probably fall off and kill myself. They do say it will help with a sore neck.

One problem--here, and I believe in most states, "bicycle" is legally defined as a pedaled device with a seat. I have a feeling that this contraption isn't really street legal.

Roody

I've heard this a lot--people complaining about how bad something is, but they've never actually tried it.

dcrowell

I'd try one, but I can't see using it as transportation. It just seems weird.

As far as legality, it really doesn't matter around here. Bicycle-related laws are rarely enforced here, so salmon, sidewalk riders, and ninjas are ignored. I doubt the lack of a seat/saddle would matter.

Dahon.Steve

Good post.

That looks real fun and what a head turner! LOL! However, at $1,800.00 dollars for the low end model, I think I'll wait for the price to come down a bit. If it ever comes down!