Public Transit 101

Today was the first of many more 'Transit Training' classes to come. Thanks to University School of Nashville (USN) and the parent association's Evening Class program, we partnered with the Mayor's office, MTA and Transit Now Nashville to create a learning experience for about 15 Nashville residents. The class participants ranged from age 6 to 60 and were interested in learning more about transit options in Nashville. We had a blast!

After meeting at USN, Mayor Dean gave us an overview of the history, progress and future plans for public transit. He also spoke about this blog (nice) and the USN teacher whose poem was featured on the bus as part of the 'Poetry in Motion' April campaign. Freya Sachs actually read the group her featured poem and we all boarded the bus for our venture to the bus depot. There we were greeted by Judy Shelton, an MTA Travel Trainer who toured us around the Music City Central facility, answered our questions and gave us several printed materials to assist us in our travels.

From there, we took the bus to Farmer's Market where we had a marvelous lunch provided at a great discount by am@fm. We then boarded the local Blue Circuit bus to get back to the depot to catch the bus back to USN. The weather could not have been better, the class was informative and enjoyable, and the participants and sponsors were gracious and grateful. What a wonderful opportunity to learn and experience public transit in a group setting that is fun and less intimidating. Please keep an eye out for future posts announcing future Travel Training Camps. Happy Travels!

Right Time, Right Place

I truly believe we are where we are when we need to be there, in most, if not all, situations in life. Today was a bitter sweet day for me in many ways, so I debated whether to stay in or go out and enjoy this beautiful weather. I decided to venture out to Belmont to do some homework, but the bus schedule and time that I would be traveling meant that I would have to wait at the depot for about 20 minutes.

Since I'm trying hard to live in the moment, and not worry about lost time (sometimes referred to as wasted?) or lost opportunities, I decided to sit and enjoy a book I'd been reading. While waiting, I met one of the drivers who used to drive the bus on my home route; today he was starting a new route that just happened to be the one I was taking. He admitted he was a little nervous about the new route and had taken the time to do his 'homework' by studying the streets, turns and times on the route to be sure. Just about that time, another driver came up who used to drive this same route, and assured the new driver that he would be just fine, and that regular riders like myself would help him along the way.

As we got going, I also re-assured my driver friend that he would do well on this new route, and enjoy the regular passengers, too. I told him that I would stay near the front of the bus, but not say anything unless he was going the wrong way. I had even decided that if he wanted me to, I would ride the majority of the route with him so he would feel reassured.

Well, of course, he did a great job, and was so grateful for the confirmation from a regular rider. But for me, it was more than helping out a driver. I reminded him of the one time in my more than 2 years of riding the bus when I was genuinely frightened, and he helped me.

It was late one evening after my classes at Belmont, and there was a man on the bus that was acting strangely. I didn't think much of it, but when I got to my stop, he jumped off right behind me and looked at me in a menacing way. Immediately, I jumped back on the bus and told this same driver I didn't feel comfortable. He told me that he recognized the man and had put him off before. As we rode the rest of that route, he gave me tips on how to protect myself (he was a former cop) and what to look out for. When we arrived at my stop again, he helped me look around to make sure the coast was clear and also alerted the authorities to be in the area. I was reassured beyond measure, and ever grateful. I made it home safely and felt that he had been my angel that night.

So, to take the time today to in a small way return the favor of reassurance was a pleasure. Again, I think I was there for his first run on a new route the same way he was the driver (and an ex-cop) the night I felt unsafe. Confirmation for me that we are where we need to be when we need to be there. Comforting, isn't it?

Exciting Times

It has been such a long time since I've posted, I feel like I need to re-introduce myself. Not really so long, but it seems like forever. As I mentioned in my previous post, my personal life has changed dramatically, but being car-less and carefree has kept me grounded in more ways than one. In fact, as certain aspects of my life have decreased, my commitment and involvement in the public transit movement in Nashville has expanded.

As a result, there are so many exciting things happening related to public transit in Nashville. First of all, I will have the privilege of teaching a bus training class as part of University School of Nashville's Evening Class fundraising program. The class will be held on April 7th, and will kick off with a visit from our very own Mayor Dean riding with our group from 21st Avenue to the Music City Center. When we arrive at MCC, we will be greeted and taught by a Travel Trainer the basics of riding public transit, and have the opportunity to see the depot and learn our way around. From there, we will travel to Farmers' Market, have lunch and a question and answer session about our travels before heading back to USN. Hopefully, this class will be the first of many opportunities for those interested to learn more about public transportation before riding for the first time. It sounds simple, but the first time (or first couple of times) on the bus can be daunting and may prevent many from riding.

I'm also very excited to finally have accepted the invitation of Transit Now Nashville to be on their Board and more actively involved. Their mission of educating people about the benefits of public transit and collaborating with other organizations with similar goals aligns with my objectives. I'm excited to combine my love of education, public transit, sustainability and healthy living with an organization that has similar priorities. A mutually beneficial alliance has been formed. Look for future posts about the activities Transit Now has planned for Transit Week April 16-22 as well as future projects planned targeting students attending local universities. Exciting stuff, exciting times.

So, as I sign off, I commit to making a better effort to post more regularly so as many as are interested can be aware of the growth of public transit in Nashville. No better time to be car-less (or use your car less) and most of all carefree. Safe travels.

Constants

It is interesting how some things in life change, and some things stay the same. Thankfully, I can usually rely on the bus to be a constant in my life. While relationships and situations can vary, being car-free is consistent, at least you know what to expect. In my last post, I talked about my move and new location being so convenient to more bus lines. There is another perk: where I catch my morning bus there are covered bus stops to prevent getting wet on rainy days and trash cans! Seems like a little thing, but being dry on a wet day goes a long way. And I have always thought if there were more trash bins at bus stops and around town, possibly there would be less litter; just a thought. And on days when I miss my usual bus (which seems to be more often lately) then I have a few more options for later buses than I had before. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not; when I had only one option, I tried harder to make that option work and I arrived to work earlier. Now that I have other choices, could that be the reason I'm not the first one in the office these days?

Those of you that have followed my blog for awhile have probably noticed I've gone from blogging about riding the bus as a family, to riding with my son to now riding and walking more solo. As the novelty of being car-less wore off for my family, it seemed to become even more intriguing for me. Whether to school, work, worship or shopping, walking, biking and riding the bus have been a constant for me. Being car-less makes sense for me financially, and also gives me a sense of freedom and independence. As I've stated often in this blog, it may seem just the opposite, being dependent on the bus lines or vulnerable to weather conditions may appear limiting. But I view being car-less as just the opposite; I'm challenged to find other ways to spend my income, choosing to invest in my son's and my education. I like to view it as a game to dress warm enough to be comfortable, but not too warm that I arrive at my destination too warm from walking. Or to time my departure and arrival so that I'm early instead of running behind or being worried about traffic making me late. And I've often talked about the benefits of not having to pay a car note, or for gasoline, car insurance and repairs. It all adds up as a savings.

So, as life changes and we realize that we don't know what tomorrow brings, we can relish in the thought that whatever it is that gets us through today will hopefully bring us to tomorrow. And however we make that journey, it is all so worthwhile. Happy travels.

Car-less Move

Can you move locations without owning a car? You can if you have great friends and an excellent moving company on your side. I recently had to make a move, and wondered how things would work out without a car. First of all, while I was packing I had to figure out how to get the needed boxes from the offices and stores to my home. The first set of boxes I obtained from my office, which seemed easier in theory than reality. The day I went to pick them up it was raining all day. I took my 'granny cart' that I use for groceries to work, loaded up the boxes and then wrapped them in a garbage bag to keep them dry. Quite a site walking to the bus stop, but the boxes arrived at my house dry and ready for packing.

The next couple of trips to get boxes were to a store a couple of blocks from home. I didn't take my cart, but asked a kind store manager to kindly give me a large garbage bag along with the boxes I was taking. Thankfully he did, not once but twice, but I had to laugh to myself at what a sight I must have been carrying that bag of boxes down the street. I resembled a not so jolly (and not as hefty) Santa throwing that bag over my shoulder and heading down a busy street. I received a couple of strange looks, but the boxes were my prize, so I didn't care. I was able to pack my things and get them ready for the movers.

The day of the move the movers arrived right on time and loaded my things with care. I've used Two Men and a Truck for previous moves and have never been disappointed. The two young men along with some great friends from work and school came at the right times to get everything loaded and unloaded in a timely manner. Because the movers had their truck and my friends had vehicles, I could move car-free.

And of course, my new location was chosen because of the close proximity to the bus lines. I actually have more and closer bus options than I did at my previous location. When searching for places to live, shop or visit, I always look up the address using Google search and then click on directions using the public transportation option instead of by car. The search returns the closest bus routes and travel times. I use that feature often when planning to travel to places I've not been before on the bus. And it really came in handy when deciding where to live; my new location had to be safe, affordable and on the bus line. Mission accomplished.

Recession Proof Commuting

Today's travels where varied and many, but through it all I was able to accomplish a lot and spend very little in comparison. The day started out costing only $2.10 for a bus pass for my son. After dropping him off with friends, I walked to work, a beautiful and brisk walk through the scenic Vanderbilt University campus. At lunch, I couldn't resist hitting the sidewalk again to splurge a little at Starbucks (a whopping $2.50) for a good cup of Joe and an excuse to get outside again. After work, I needed to go to Belmont University to get books for the upcoming semester, the most expensive excursion of the day. At least I could walk from the Vanderbilt area to Belmont at no cost; walking is still free, for now.

From there, I walked through the Belcourt/Acklin Park area back to the other side of Vandy's campus to pick up my son. Then we walked to West End to catch the bus toward downtown, another $1.05 for my son to ride. We got off the bus at West End and 25th Ave. so my son could meet his Dad and I could walk toward Church St. to catch the bus heading to WalMart in West Nashville. I reached WalMart in time to use my BOGO Subway coupon for a sub (half of which I'll have for lunch tomorrow) for dinner, purchase the few things on my list for less than expected and in time to catch the next bus headed downtown. I boarded the bus tired but satisfied that I had accomplished so much and spent so little while getting some exercise at the same time.

Planning my activities, my walking/bus routes and my spending is my recession survival plan. Works for me; why not give it a try? When combined, the cost of a bus pass and good walking shoes and even possibly a bike is a lot less than the cost of a car payment, insurance, auto repairs and gas. Consider it, and even if you don't decide to become car-free, think of ways that you can drive less, walk or bike more and save money. Your wallet and waistline will thank you later.

Lessons Learned

Each day on the bus when I encounter different people, it gives me the opportunity to learn lessons of life that I may not have gleaned otherwise. This morning while my son and I were riding, I thought he was being a bit disrespectful and I was contemplating how to continue to teach him these life lessons in a way that doesn't turn him away. To my surprise, a woman riding the bus with us later told me that she was very impressed with his behavior and thought he was quite mannerly. Lesson learned: I was being a little hard on him, he really was trying.

Later, I was riding and met a woman on the way to see her father at a health care facility. The route she was taking was new to her, and in addition to the driver, other passengers were offering her assistance to get to her destination. I shared with her my observances that bus passengers are very eager to help one another. She then shared with me the trails she has been enduring while trying to care for her father on her own. She finally had to relent to having him cared for by others, but was making the effort to visit him daily although it was not convenient for her. Despite not having the support or assistance from other family members, she was determined to care for her father to the best of her ability regardless of the sacrifices. Lesson learned: Doing what you know to be right may not always be convenient or popular, but worth it in the long run.

Last, but not least, I tried a new way of getting to and from the bus stop. I'm usually within a block or two of the bus stop, but lately I've been farther than normal from a stop. My solution is to bike to the stop, leave my bike with a lock at a nearby bike rack, and catch the bus. Then, when I return I hop on my bike to travel the few blocks instead of walking, especially since it's darker earlier. And if I chose to take my bike with me, all of the buses have at least two bike racks on the front; so I have the choice of leaving my bike at the stop or taking it with me. Lesson learned: There are several ways of getting around without a car, you just have to put your mind to it. I'm grateful for all the lessons learned today; I'm excited to see what tomorrow's lessons will be.