It’s the strangest thing: a lot of girls and guys I meet at UW don’t ride the bus. Chances are, they either stay in the U District, or had the opportunity to take their car to college. So, I get it with the bus- unfamiliar territory, uncomfortable, creepers. But in reality, there are TONS of reasons to ride the bus (if you stick around for a few more seconds, I’ll tell you!), and the bottom line is: it’s really not as bad as you think.
I spent a decent chunk of my life in Enumclaw, WA- a farm town about an hour south of Seattle. There were a few buses that went in and out of the main part of town, but not too many people really relied on them. I moved to Seattle my freshman year of high school, and had to adapt to the bus system as soon as I showed up. Since that time, I relied on the bus for everything: work, school, going out, you name it. It wasn’t until recently (by that, I mean about 3 months ago) that I finally did get my driver’s license. I never needed it! And now that I have been driving for that amount of time, I must say that I actually miss the bus.
The bus saves you a lot of money.
Depending on the quarter and the campus you’re enrolled at, the UPASS is offered to UW students for about $70-99/quarter. UW Seattle students also have the option of it being included in their tuition. It’s valid for pretty much every transit service that goes through the area, which can get you pretty far. On one of the icy days last week, I took the Metro to campus, which cost me a whopping $5.00, one zone, round-trip. That can add up very quickly for a dirt poor college student like myself. In other words, buying a bus pass through the school is an incredible deal and will save you a noticable amount of money. With the rising cost of gas, do I even have to mention the cost-saving benefits it has over driving? Get ready to break even after about two weeks, too!
Myth: It’s dangerous
A lot of student think that the bus is dangerous because it’s public. You never know who is going to get on. Spooky. You know what else is “spooky” by these standards? Walking down the street. Going to the library. Stepping outside. Calling the bus dangerous is like walking down the street dangerous- just be careful, know where you’re at, try not to do it alone at night, and you’ll be fine. Also, the chances of you getting into a car accident are higher than getting into a bus accident. Just saying.
You’re being more social when you ride the bus!
Driving is lonely! When you are driving alone, there is no real human contact, nobody around to start a conversation with…nothing! Some of the most interesting conversations I’ve had have been on the bus! And you’ll never know who you’ll meet or run into. Once someone even gave me flowers!
Myth: There’s nothing but creeps on the bus who want to kidnap me
The majority of people who ride the bus are completely “normal” folks. Everyone on the bus is just trying to get somewhere.
Yes, there are some questionable people who get on buses sometimes. But, chances are, they don’t want to hurt you. Unfortunately I, and I’m sure most ladies can relate with me, have experienced some sexual harrassment now and then on the bus. The best thing to do in this situation is ignore the person who is doing it, or change seats. They’re generally mannerless slime who are just trying to start something for no apparent reason.
Riding the bus adds productivity hours to your days
When I rode the bus to school and back, I did more homework! Think about your commute and how much time you waste in traffic. While riding the bus, you can do pretty much anything- listen to music, read a book, even pull out your laptop (I think most of the buses have WiFi, too…). Taking the bus to school gives you the extra time to catch up on anything you may have missed (or put off) the previous night. Taking the bus home from school gives you time to be relaxed, or even to nap (a personal favorite bus activity of mine).
Parking SUXXXXXX
Need I say more?
Riding the bus isn’t as stressful as driving
I’ve learned that driving is incredibly stressful. I’ve seen a side of myself triggered by road rage that I’ve never seen before. It’s pretty ugly. Riding the bus on that icy day reminded me of how chill my commute used to be on the bus, and really de-stressed me. I wasn’t in a hurry to get anywhere, I wasn’t screaming in a violent rage at the driver in front of me, and my attention didn’t go to changing the radio station every 10 seconds…I just daydreamed as I looked out the window.
For a list of buses that run through the U-District, click here.
For tips on how to ride the bus for first-timers, click here.