Commute to Work - Day Two

Well I stuck with my plan to take the bus at least once a week.  That's right, I didn't give up and go back to driving my car every day.  And depending on my schedule, I might even be able to ride the bus twice a week later in July and August.

This week's ride was almost out of necessity.  On the way home from work Wednesday, my car started overheating.  Steam was billowing out from under the hood.  I reduced my speed for the rest of the trip home, but when it started looking worse (the gauge kept climbing) I parked the car and walked the rest of the way home.  I was only two blocks away by then, so no biggie.

So this week my bus trip was on "Ride Share Thursday".  That's what I hear it called on TV and the radio.  Well the trip was noticeably more crowded on the first two buses.  Since my car had given me trouble the night before, I got a ride from my next-door-neighbor to my starting bus stop.  That first bus, a Norwalk Transit bus, was picking up more passengers along the way than what I observed last week.  I also rode it one stop further than last time because I discovered that the next bus stop is shaded.  Either of these two stops will allow me to catch my second bus.  I would rather sit in the shade than in the morning sun - especially on the way to work.   On the way home I wouldn't care.

When I got onto my second bus, a Metro bus, my intention was to purchase a one-day pass, which would allow me to ride the rest of the day on Metro without paying any more fares.  Well the machine that takes dollar bills was broken, so the driver allowed me to ride for free.  (Not just me, everyone who needed to purchase a fare using bills).  There were passengers with bus passes, and some who paid with coins, but they were not affected.  So when I got to my next bus stop, I just paid for a one-time fare for that last bus that would take me to work.  I figured that I would need to pay 3 one-time fares for the rest of my day, including the ride home.  That worked out to less money than if I were to have bought a one-day pass.

Things got even better on the way home, because the first bus I got on ended it's route before I reached my destination.  This was my oversight for getting onto this bus; I should have waited for the next one which continues further east on the same route.  The bus driver graciously gave me a one-day pass for free so that I could continue my trip when the next bus came along.  So my net cost on Metro yesterday was $2.50 (instead of $5.00).  I'll put that towards the cost of fixing my car, which my mechanic estimated today at just over $300.  Oh well, at least I feel better about doing the right thing by taking the bus.  Maybe I'll bring my camera on the next trip.