Driver just pulled over, told us to get off, and we stood there in the cold for 20 minutes waiting for a replacement that never showed. How do transit systems still not have backup plans for something that happens like twice a month?
I was riding the 8:15 AM Metro North out of Grand Central last Tuesday. We stopped just past 125th street and sat there forever because some guy's backpack got jammed in the doors when they closed. The conductor had to walk through 3 cars to find him and the train crew couldn't get the doors open again. Has anyone else dealt with a delay like this and found a way to stay calm without losing your mind?
Been taking the 42 bus downtown for months. Always showed up exactly when the app said. But this older driver, Jim, told me the express bus leaves 4 minutes early every day. I didn't believe him. Then last Tuesday I missed it by exactly 4 minutes. Had to wait 25 more minutes. Anyone else notice the app times are off like that?
So I was running late for work on Tuesday, like full on sprinting to catch the 7:15 bus on Main Street. I get on all out of breath and this older driver just looks at me and goes 'the bus will wait, but your heart might not.' It kinda hit me different because I spend every morning stressing over missing transfers and being 5 minutes late. Now I just walk normal pace and if I miss it I catch the next one. Has anyone else had a random stranger say something that actually stuck with you?
I was riding the 7 bus yesterday around 5pm and this guy was on the phone saying he's been 15 to 20 minutes late every day for two months because of construction on Broadway. It got me thinking, does anyone else just build in a huge buffer time or do you keep hoping the bus will be on time? I usually add 30 minutes but sometimes that's still not enough.
I always thought the 7:15 bus was fine. Plenty of seats, easy ride. Then Tuesday hit. Bus was packed. I stood the whole way, sweat dripping. Took 45 minutes to finally get a spot near the back. Now I get on at an earlier stop. Saves my sanity. Anyone else have a route that suddenly went bad?
I kept missing the 8:15 express from Union Station because the platform gets PACKED by 8:05 and nobody moves. Last week I walked to the very end of the platform near the last car and got a seat easy while the regular spot was a mob. Anyone else found a weird spot on their route that breaks the crowd?
My usual 8 AM route is a disaster but last week the stars aligned. I showed up at the stop at 7:52 and the 7:55 bus was already there waiting, doors open. The driver let us all board three minutes early and then we hit every green light from Wilson Avenue all the way downtown. I got to work at 8:23 instead of my normal 8:45 and my coffee was still hot. Has anyone else ever had a commute day that felt too good to be true?
Took the local bus every day last week and it only added 8 minutes each way so now I'm stuck with a pass I don't need for another 3 weeks has anyone else fallen for the 'premium' bus option?
I always stood on the left side on the light rail escalator and got annoyed when people pushed past me, then this guy in a suit tapped my shoulder and said "standing on the right, passing on the left" like I should've known. Has anyone else had a commute habit you picked up that turned out to be totally backward?
I used to always stand right by the back doors of the bus even when there were seats open. Seemed like a good spot to hop off quick at my stop. But this one driver kept telling me to move back and I just ignored him every time. One morning he stopped the bus halfway through my ride and refused to move until I sat down. Whole bus was staring at me. I was pissed at first but after that I started sitting down like a normal person. Turns out the driver can see way more of the bus in their mirrors than I thought and I was blocking their view of people getting on. Has anyone else had a driver call them out like that where you ended up being the one in the wrong?
I've been taking the 8:15 bus from downtown for 2 years now. Last Tuesday the driver, Dave, said I should get off at Elm Street instead of Main because the bus loops back faster. He said I was wasting 12 minutes every day sitting through the extra stop. I tried it the next morning and he was totally right. Now I walk the extra block and get to work 10 minutes earlier. Has anyone else had a driver give them a tip that changed their whole commute?
I caught the 6:15 into downtown like I always have, and for ten years that bus was mostly folks reading books or staring out the window. Now everyone's on speakerphone, and last Tuesday a guy was having a full argument with his boss right next to me. Has anyone else noticed their old quiet route turned into a rolling office?
I started counting back in February when I realized I was spending more time on that bus than with my own family. This morning I hit 100 rides and the only thing that changed is the seat cushion is worn down in the exact shape of my backside. Anyone else track their commute miles or am I just making my own boredom worse?
I grabbed a pair of cheap earbuds for $30 to block out the morning chatter on the 6:15 express, and they work okay but the battery dies halfway through my trip. On the flip side, my buddy swears by his $150 Sonys that last the whole ride - is the extra cash actually worth it for a bus commute, or am I just being cheap?
I caved and tried the 7X express from downtown last week after months of telling myself it was just for people with too much cash, but now I can't go back. Has anyone else found a route they were dead wrong about?
Last Tuesday on the 5:15 out of 30th Street Station, we stopped dead in the river tunnel. Conductor said it would be a minor delay, just a signal issue. 90 minutes later I'm still in that tube with no AC and a guy next to me is eating a tuna sandwich that smelled like a pier. By the time we crawled into the station I had missed my connecting bus and had to wait another 40 minutes. Has anyone else had a simple breakdown turn into a whole evening gone?
I boarded what I thought was my usual commuter rail out of Boston last Tuesday and walked through four cars packed full before a conductor asked why I was on the Providence line. Has anyone else had their morning commute completely wrecked by a simple mix-up like this?
I know everyone in this group seems to love the bus because it's cheaper and has more stops, but I gotta say the train is just better for my daily commute between Oak Park and the Loop. The bus takes me 75 minutes on a good day with all the traffic lights and stopping every block. The train does it in 45 flat, no surprises. I've been doing this for 2 years now and I've only had one delay on the train while the bus gives me 3-4 delays per week. Has anyone else tried both routes and ended up switching to rail?
For like 3 years I took the 7:15 AM bus on the Main Street line in Portland and it showed up 5 to 10 minutes late almost every single day. I just assumed it was bad scheduling or traffic or whatever. Last month I had to catch the 7:45 bus because I missed mine and guess what... it was on time. Then I realized I was standing at the stop right after a busy intersection where the light always holds the bus up. Now I walk one block further to the stop before that intersection and my bus is early every time. Has anyone else had a similar light timing issue mess up their commute for months without noticing?
Every single morning at the 3rd Street stop, people crowd the front door while the back door sits empty because they won't push the bar to open it... I timed it yesterday and it added 4 extra minutes to the route just from that. Why do so many riders ignore the clearly labeled "push to open" signs on the back exit?
I used to always sit in the back of the bus, but every day I was losing time waiting for people to get off at my stop. Then about three months ago I started standing near the front door right after the last busy intersection before my stop. Now I save about 12 minutes total each week because I'm the first one off and can walk straight to the transfer. Anyone else have a spot on the bus that works better for them?
I kept walking around the block looking for a proper sign and shelter, but it's just a pole with a tiny sticker half hidden behind a tree. The app said the bus was coming, but I couldn't tell where to stand. Has anyone else had to hunt for a bus stop that feels like it's hiding from you?