Often people who are considering trying the bus for the first time admit that they wouldn't know which bus to take, or where to find the bus stop closest to their home or destination. There is a handy tool on the MTA website called Trip Planner that uses Google Maps to help you plan your bus trip. Just as you would plan a trip by car, just enter the starting location and destination, and then either plan according to departure or arrival time. In other words, if you need to arrive at your destination at a certain time, you would be able to see what time you would need to be at the initial bus stop, and still have enough time for a bus transfer if needed. Most find it surprising that even with a transfer, the round trip takes less time and hassle than originally thought.
Unfortunately, today we are attending a funeral to support a dear friend who lost her son in a tragic house fire. This family has inspired us by their strength and strong faith during a time of material and family loss. We want to be there to support them as their friendship has supported us through difficult times. Since the location of the funeral is one we have not traveled by bus before, I just went on the MTA website and logged in the locations and times, and we have our round trip planned. Even during this time of grief and uncertainty, we find a little comfort in knowing which route to take.
