I have to dash from my phsyics lab final exam, to the 30 bus route, to get downtown, to attend an Italian supper with the WTS chapter of the HNTB Corporation, to receive my scholarship and make a little thank-you speech.
Then, I have to hop on the 30 bus route again, to shoot back up to campus, and run over to Noodles & Co. to sit with two friends of mine, while I watch them eat and talk with them. (I was originally going to eat with them, but this scholarship dinner invite came up only this morning, and I must attend it to be gracious and show the company who they are supporting. Plus, I mustn't be rude, so I better eat the free meal they are offering me. :) )
This led me to a lot of configuring of the city bus routes, hopping between the 21, 15, and 30. My three golden numbers. My ears will forever prick up when I hear those.
Who'da thought that I, Ms. Phobic-of-Gross-City-Busses as of last year, would not dare to leave anywhere without my UPass in tow now? (It grants free admission on and off any MCTS bus route.)
Sure, the busses are gross. Loud. Rickety. Smelly. Their exhaust makes all the pretty pearly snow turn black. Homeless people hang out on them all day long, to stay warm. Drunk people ride them at nighttime, to avoid drunken driving on their own. As Megan and I witnessed, people crawl on them, spurting blood, after getting into a street fight.
But, I'm proud of how efficient I've gotten with these busses! Timing them, running from one to the next, and exploring where the fuck they take you, because they can get you waaaaaay out there...pretty much halfway to Sheboygan, if I tried! They are very effective, and they've forced me to get to know a lot more of the city now, which is cool. Not too many people can say they know how to navigate bits and pieces of Milwaukee. :)
Anyway, back on track: I found these interesting city bus tidbits online at the Milwaukee County Transit System website, while I was looking up bus routes.
Quick Facts -- As pulled from RideMCTS.com
* Transit benefits everyone by providing an affordable and reliable travel choice that helps reduce traffic congestion and increases economic activity.
* Over half of MCTS riders travel to work by bus. Many credit the availability of transit with helping them find, keep or advance in their jobs.
* MCTS serves 1 of every 12 Milwaukeeans every day with an average on-time rating of 97%.
* MCTS enhances the mobility of the entire community - helping make the economy stronger by delivering workers, shoppers, students and consumers to their destinations.
* MCTS provides regularly scheduled transit service within a quarter-mile walking distance of 85% of Milwaukee County residents, and with customer satisfaction levels consistently above 85%.
* Nearly 70% of riders have access to an automobile but choose to ride the bus instead… saving them money on gas, parking and maintenance of their car.
* MCTS serves every major college and university in Milwaukee County - giving students a travel option that makes their education more affordable.
* One full bus takes 30 cars off the road reducing congestion and making the air healthier to breathe. That's comparable to a line of cars six blocks long traveling at 25 mph.
* MCTS provides more than 150,000 passenger trips daily in the Milwaukee area providing mobility and freedom for all types of people.
* MCTS provides area residents with an affordable alternative to paying high gas prices with over 50 different bus routes serving the greater Milwaukee.
* MCTS operates with an annual on-time rating of 97%, accomplished with 470 buses, on 57 routes, traveling a total of eighteen million miles per year… in all traffic and weather conditions.
* MCTS contributes to the economic vitality of our community. For every dollar invested in local public transportation, nearly five dollars of economic benefits are returned.
* MCTS serves the greater Milwaukee area by providing access through special services to summer events including the lakefront festivals and the Wisconsin State Fair. Without MCTS many of our special events would be less sucessful due to increased traffic congestion and limited parking.
* MCTS is run by a private, not for profit management company under contract to Milwaukee County. With more than 1,200 employees, MCTS easily ranks among the area's top 40 employers.
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Some of that stuff is pretty cool. I guess I can survive off of the busses for two more years or so.
All of this really makes me appreciate my private vehicle all the more, though. I mean, I've never ever ever ever taken my Beetle for granted. (So don't get that idea, if you think I'm spoiled! I earn what I get, and I take only the best care of it.)
Anyway, nowadays, with the bus being my full-time vehicle, I just cherish my time with my car all the more. I think about her constantly, and dream about her. I look forward to the day I'll earn my own garage and access to my vehicle at all hours, with a secure and free parking spot for her.
I'ma get out of the city life as soon as I graduate. That means, I won't have to pay for each and every fricken pinch and smudge I want to move my vehicle to!!
Whoooaaa.
I have definitely, definitely opened my eyes to the luxuries of having my own car, garage, and not having parking meters everywhere you look. Because of this college experience, I feel I have been grounded. I will forever savor my rights to private transportation.
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