Bus Girl goes a travelin'

Most of my bus experiences happen in the short trip between home and school. Over the past year I have had the pleasure of riding public transportation in other parts of the country and world. I have some interesting observations and pictures to show my travels :) Enjoy!

My dorky lingo key:

public transporation= p.t.
mode of transporation= m.o.t.

We'll start with the furthest from home: Vietnam. I went to visit my cousins there this past January and it was phenomenal!!! Since their personal m.o.t. is a motorbike...


...we alternated taking taxis and the local bus. WOW, what a different world for me! My taxi experience over there wasn't too much different initially than taxis in the states. Although seat belts are not enforced, the drivers are still extra crazy but for the most part get you where you need to go.
Here's one of our taxis now!


We did use the motorbike a few times, but mainly just so that we could get the whole 'Vietnam' experience! It was crazy, thank goodness Dennis (my cousin) is a good driver!!


Onto the bus we go! After crossing a few streets, (you cross by forming a wall of people and just start walking as the cars and motos fly around you) we got to our bus stop. While waiting for the bus I definitely felt like a tourist because lots of people would just stare. It's not considered rude there to stare so I tried not to be bothered by it. Also while waiting for the bus it wasn't uncommon that we saw someone peeing...AH! One man was peeing on the side of the road and then came over to us and started touching my little cousins faces telling them how cute they were!!! That was too much for me, and I'm not really a germ-a-phobe! haha anyways, so as soon as we'd see our bus number coming I was told to just PUSH your way on as fast as possible and get in that bus. Sure enough, people flooded out and in of the little bus and most bus drivers there will just start driving regardless of whether people are half way in or barely hanging on! Once you're inside the bus and settled, then a little man comes around and collects the fares since this is much faster than everyone paying one by one as they get on the bus. The bus rides are SO cheap, I think I calculated it to be about 15 cents a ride. Amazing!

Because of the affordability, most every time we got on the bus it was PACKED full. I appreciated very much that for the most part people would always give up there seat for an elderly person or a mother with her kids. The other interesting thing while on my Vietnamese bus was that if it wasn't too full we would get in trouble for talking. Being chatty girls, we would be talking away and not too long after we'd get a shhh and stink eye from the fare collector. Clearly though once the bus was packed with people it didn't matter quite as much. I loved riding the bus there and it was absolutely a neat way to be up close and personal with the people who live there!!

And I'm not exaggerating when I say up CLOSE...


...literally someone on every side of me.

Overall, the bus ride there for me was a rush and was not my normal relaxing, nap inducing environment! If you're ever in Asia, I'd definitely recommend traveling this way.

Coming back a little closer to home, earlier this month I went to Boston. My friends live in the middle of downtown and are only there temporarily so they don't have a car. From the moment I arrived I was graced with their very own SUBWAY! Loved it. I really knew I was on the east coast when my first m.o.t. was underground. So savy.

Here I am on the subway with my sweet little friend :)


After much walking on our second day, we decided to take the bus home. The thing that was AWESOME about Boston's p.t. was that you can buy a card, there called a 'Charlie' card, in the subway station, load it up with money and then use it for the subway and the bus. Everything was so convenient and it made each step happen so quickly and efficiently. Because of the effortless mode of entry for each system, I noticed that the bus would get packed quick! It was filled with people of all ages, whether it was a Harvard student on their way home or an older adult with an arm full of groceries. Here I really saw a variety, showing me that it was simple and worth it for those people to take the bus rather than deal with driving. Back home, I feel like it's more looked at as a hassle to take the bus and in reality probably not as convenient as other places. Ok, off my soap box. :) So one night coming home from Cambridge, while sitting in my comfy seat, I noticed the bus really starting to fill up. I was trying to take a picture without disturbing people...aka letting them know I was taking it, and this was the only shot that kind of showed the amount of people actually there.



I loved how the subway went all over the city to stay down away from the cold air above. The buses were also quite handy and I did see some taxis around as well. Point being, if there is a good p.t. system set up people WILL use it. Get with it, my sweet state of CA, get with it!

Love, Bus Girl

My Almost Bus Ride to Heaven

This morning I ended up taking an earlier bus than usual, but other than that it was just like any other day headed to school. Once we were on I-5 on our way to Sacramento, just passing the airport, I started dozing off because it was SO stinkin' early! Then I felt the bus beginning to brake a little bit and that woke me up just in time. The right lane that we were in was beginning to slow down and there was a semi-truck directly in front of us. The bus driver changed over into the left lane (like all drivers would do) still going about 60 mph. As soon as we were in the left lane all we could see were a see of BRAKE LIGHTS! The cars in our lane were coming to a complete stop within a hundred yard and there was absolutely no way our huge bus was going to be able to stop in time. Everyone around me was screaming and I was just sitting there thinking, "oh my gosh, we're going to plow into those cars right now...alright, here we go." It's really bizarre how calm and still I was right as the chaos was happening. I was sitting in the first row of the elevated part of the back of the bus and I just imagined myself flying over the rest of everyone else and through the front windshield......

Literally within 2 seconds, the driver quickly pulled off onto the shoulder in the gravel, remember we were going 60 miles per hour in a BUS! But even in that much pressure, that angel of a bus driver knew not to slam on his brakes and he calmly came to a stop, without swerving or fish tailing at all in that loose gravel!! It would have been so easy for that bus to have tipped over and swerved sideways onto the road. Everyone erupted into cheers and clapping because it was such a shocking experience! Within a few seconds we were on the road again and the traffic was moving. Needless to say, I no longer was feeling sleepy; that adrenaline rush was more powerful than a double latte.

I heard later that there was a pretty bad accident on the 5 right where we were a few minutes later and I wouldn't be surprised if the people directly behind us were a part of that. It was 100% God's hand a and a miracle that we were all completely fine and I can't stop imagining what that car that was stopped in front of us in the left lane was thinking, seeing a bus going FULL speed in his rear view mirror.

This whole thing made it even more evident how important it is to give your complete attention to the road when you're driving. If that bus driver would have looked down for even a split second, all 30+ of us would've been tossed around and no doubt several of the cars in front of us would have been completely smashed like little aluminum cans. It could have been soooo bad. And I'm just so thankful that there was a decent shoulder to pull off on. Not too much further down the road the shoulder was slanted and there's no way we would've stayed upright. The other thing is that even in that scary experience, I still feel much more safe in the bus than I do in my little Honda. Those drivers are so experienced and are better drivers than me and most likely the crazy person to your left or right on the freeway.

Wow, what a bus ride!! I promise you'll never be bored ;) And I promise the next post will be quite lighthearted. Bye for now!

Back to Bus (School) Blog!

6:40 am Walking to the bus!!!


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....where is everyone...

The Newbies Bus Guide

Last fall when I first stepped on the bus I was SO nervous. It was something I had never done before and I had to go all by myself. I was so worried that I would get on the wrong bus, sit in the wrong seat, and somehow get yelled at by the driver. So I thought I'd share the things I learned that I wish I would've known before heading out that day. Maybe it'll help you have a more stress-free first bus experience!! :)

1. Try and look up ahead of time what your fare is (thats if you don't have the sweet school pass that I do :)) The bus driver can't give change and people will be annoyed if you're standing up there fiddling around with your nickels and dimes. Don't be like the ridiculous woman who only had a $100 bill on her! She got a laser beam look from the driver, I wish you could've seen it!

2. Oh, before you even got on the bus: when you're waiting there on the sidewalk and the bus pulls over, after the doors open, you should wait a few seconds before getting on and let the driver motion you on. Sometimes people will be getting off the bus through the front doors and need to get off before you board. This was one of the times I got yelled at by the driver...I am such a softy and don't deal well with people yelling :/

3. The front rows in the bus (the ones facing in towards each other and the first regular row) are reserved for senior citizens or any person with a disability. You can sit there if you really want to, but you might as well just head to the middle of the bus so you won't have to move later. For some reason if I ever sit in the front, I kind of feel stuck up or like I think I'm entitled to be up there, even though it's completely fine as long as someone else doesn't need it. But don't be that super rude person who's sitting up there zoning as the 135 year old woman shuffles past you. Don't doooo it!

4. In general, if there's a bunch of seats open most people would choose to sit next to an empty seat. But if the bus is filling up, don't be oblivious and leave your huge purse (I can say that because that's the only kind I own) or backpack taking up the seat because you're feeling anti-social :) In opposition, if the bus is empty, don't choose the seat RIGHT next to someone...they might be a little creeped out by you.

5. It's totally fine to make phone calls while on the bus, so if you choose to, be aware that the entire bus can most likely hear you. I've heard some ridiculous conversations, most that I didn't really want to hear! And the road noise can be super loud sometimes, it's not always the best place for phone calls, but ya can if you want!

6. One thing I was so nervous about was when the bus will stop. The bus will only pull over to the curb for a few reasons 1)someone has pulled the yellow cord that hangs horizontally around the perimeter of the bus 2) someone is waiting by the little sign on the side of the road for that bus # or 3) it is a stop where they have to stop and wait a few minutes (this will be posted in the bus schedule with an arriving and departing time from that one location). The first time I rode the bus I had just assumed that it would pull over at every single sign, but nope!!

7. A few things about pulling the golden cord of wonders :) hehe: be sure to pull it within enough time for the huge bus to slow down and pull over. The bus driver will get mad and most likely just drop you off at the next stop if you pull it too late! Also, if you accidentally pull the cord for the wrong stop, just tell the driver 'sorry, I meant the next one'. One time I saw a girl pull the cord and then didn't get off...the bus driver was mad when they pulled over for no reason and the girl looked really dumb when she pretended like it wasn't her that pulled it!

8. If you have a question about your stop or what bus goes where, feel free to ask other people on the bus. Some people know every single bus route and are happy to share their knowledge with you. For the most part, I've found my fellow bus people to be very friendly and helpful.

9. Always say 'thank you' to the driver. They put up with a lot of annoying poo ALL day and I like to think my 'hello's and 'thank you's might just make them feel a little appreciated.

10. Last but certainly NOT least: haha it makes me laugh thinking about this one. Ok, if you are getting off the bus through the back door: once the bus has stopped a little green light should turn on above the doors and that means they'll open. Now you just have to push the doors from the middle and they'll open outward. OK here's the important part!!! These doors will not stay open for long and they DO NOT have motion sensors! One day I was getting out and WHAM the doors closed right as I was walking through, ouuuuch. Definitely squished me like a bug, but I survived. Just hold them open as you walk through and you'll be fine :) The front doors stay open due to the driver so you don't have to worry about them.

Well, those are the main things I had to learn myself and I hope they'll make you feel more like a PBR! And by that I mean professional bus rider! hahaha

Bus or Bust!

I never rode the bus to school growing up. In a way I feel like I missed a pretty common part of the childhood experience. Because I didn't start young, I didn't have the experience of riding on public transportation until I was 21 years old.

To me the bus seemed like an inefficient, dirty, and a hassle as a way of transportation. In our individualistic society we want our space, music, and needs met at the speed of light. I had never given public transit a second thought until I started going to school 30+ miles away, totaling 60 extra miles a day on my speedometer and up to 240 miles a week. That was outstanding (in a very bad way) to me and I decided something had to change.

Once realizing that a 6 month bus pass was included in my tuition, for only $10 extra dollars, I started asking around to find out about bus times, stops, and friends' experiences with public transportation. I began taking the bus twice a week to school. At first I had to adjust to not being on my own time, having to wait (sometimes at not so safe or clean) bus stops, and figuring out the maze of routes on the map before me. After a few weeks of riding the bus, I began to feel more comfortable and began to really enjoy not having to drive to school. On top of saving $150, on the parking pass alone, I calculated I was saving more than $500 a SEMESTER on gas! That fact caused me to fall even deeper in love with my new wheels.

Having ridden the bus for the past year, I have found that the bus is no more confusing, dirty or inefficient. Between driving to school, parking and walking in, my commute is almost exactly the same. I greatly enjoy my mornings on the bus; it gives me time to catch a few more Zs, sip my coffee, and wake up for the day. The ride home provides a time to reflect on my day, people watch, and yet again take a sweet nap. I don't miss the stress of traffic, changing lanes, sharking for parking, and filling up at the gas tank every other day! By riding in a seat next to people of all races, ages and backgrounds I feel like I am actually experiencing the world around me as opposed to driving to and from school in my little Honda box listening to the latest pop music. On top of all of these things, I am never ceased to be entertained and amused by the community around me on the bus. I found that several times a week I would get home and have the funniest stories from the bus and I decided that I would share my experiences and humorous stories with those of you who already do ride the bus or are yet to be apart of the glorious world that is public transportation.

Many people rely on the bus everyday. Whether it's the sweet 80 year old lady going to the grocery store, the 91 year old man on his way to manage (yes he's STILL a manager) his apartment complex, the 40 something woman on her way to work, or the student studying on their way to Sac State, the bus is a reliable, eco-friendly, and inexpensive option for anyone who choses to use it. I am not obligated to ride the bus, but since I first stepped onto the Yolobus a year ago I have found that I enjoy it so much and encourage you to give it a try too!