My bus driver in Tacoma gave me a tip that saved my morning last month

I was always late because I'd check the app at home, but the bus would come early and leave. He told me to stand at the stop 4 minutes before the scheduled time, no matter what the app says. It works because the schedule is the real target, not the live tracker. Anyone else have a simple rule like that for catching their bus?

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3 Comments

mila_king226mo ago

Actually, the schedule is the minimum time.

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simong796mo ago

Read an article that called this the "schedule buffer" rule. It said transit systems build in a few minutes of wiggle room on purpose. So showing up early based on the printed time just works better.

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adams.vera5mo ago

Check the real time tracker if your system has one. The printed schedule is just a rough guide these days. I always give myself an extra five minutes to be safe.

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