Tales from a Public Transit Traveler

It's funny what seemingly insignificant events in a person's everyday life can suddenly become the scheduling focal point of an entire day. For me, that seemingly small event is transportation, specifically the bus. After just over two months in Seattle, the King County Metro Transit Bus schedule and route information now officially rank third in the "Alyssa's Thoughts That Require the Most Brain Power Rankings," just under thoughts about how to improve the lives of my students and thoughts about how to live on $200 per month. So, in honor of this third place ranking, I dedicate this blog post to the public transit busses of Seattle. 

Having never lived in a city without either a car or an expansive metro train system, bus riding was nearly completely new to me when I moved to Seattle. And let me tell you, riding the bus is not as simple as it may sound! First, there's the matter of planning your route. What would take a mere 12 minutes by car will likely take up to 45 minutes on the bus, so learning the ins and outs of the most efficient routes is key. And while Google Maps Directions might give you a good idea of the route you need, the cross streets for the bus stops are never 100% accurate, and you can usually anticipate adding an extra 10 minutes of leeway into your estimated travel time. Second, there's the issue of paying for the bus. Luckily, MVS Employeers pay for unlimited "Orca" (affectionately called "Dork-a") monthly passes that you simply tap on a card-reader when you enter or exit the bus. However, if you happen to forget your Orca Card, then you'll be paying $2.50 each way during rush hour and $2.00 during off hours. Finally, there's the issue of timing your arrival at the bus stop so you aren't stuck waiting somewhere because you missed the bus by 2 minutes. For the longest time I was simply in awe of the people who would literally come out of the woodwork and arrive at my morning bus stop literally seconds before the bus arrived, while I had been standing out in the rain for 15 minutes. What was their secret? Turns out, there is a texting service that allows you to text the bus you are waiting for, and you'll receive a text back with a very accurate estimate of the number of minutes until that bus arrives at your stop. Nifty, huh? 

Although a great deal of Seattle residents use public transit as their primary mode of transportation, the demographics of bus riders vary greatly depending on the route. Each morning I wait alongside suit-wearing professionals at the bus stop nearest my home in the rather ritzy Capitol Hill neighborhood. Two busses use this stop: My bus and Everyone Else's Bus. When Bus 43 to the University District arrives, literally everyone standing around me climbs onto the bus of UW students, professors, staff, and businessfolks. Then the bus driver looks at me as if to say, "Uhh, aren't you getting on??" and I usually have to shake my head to indicate that, believe it or not, I am waiting for a different bus. 

My bus, the 8, travels to the Central District, where I work. It's one of the most racially and ethnically diverse neighborhoods in the city, and includes everything from houses that are about to be condemned to newly renovated mansions. The riders on this bus are primarily mothers with children and single men. The sociologist in me is constantly analyzing my surroundings when I'm on the 8. Most people seem to know each other, and riders are frequently waving to others in the back when they board. The bus begins to get pretty crowded as we near the Central District, so nearly every seat is taken. No one ever seems to want to sit by me, however. The seat next to me will often be the only seat left, and yet a newcomer will often stand instead of taking the seat. I can't know for sure what the reason is for this behavior, but I do know that I do not match the general profile of most riders of the 8 during rush hour. On most days I'm one of the only women riding alone and I am also usually the only white woman on the bus.

Despite my seemingly out of place presence on the 8, I have made several "friends" on my morning bus ride. One of my favorite friends is an adorable 4-year-old boy who rides the bus to daycare every morning with his mother. He and his mother usually sit directly in front of me, and the boy frequently turns around to make bus-wide announcements like "We're turning left now!" and "The firetrucks are outside of their garage today!" and, my favorite, "I only fly Alaskan Airlines because it's the best." In September, the boy and his mother weren't on the bus in the morning for nearly a whole week, and my morning rides were significantly less enjoyable. Then, towards the end of the month, they returned to the bus one morning and sat across from me instead of in front of me. The little boy didn't see me until he got off, and as he stood up, he turned around and caught my eye. Beaming, he pointed to me and exclaimed, "Ta-Da! SHE'S HERE!" His mother and I shared quite a laugh. Ever since then, we've been bus buddies, and he never fails to make my morning with his charm and hilarity :). 

Until next week, keep on the sunny side!