The Joy of Public Transportation!
Two days ago, I saw a few guys at the Manna Soup Kitchen, wearing shirts that said, STAND UP for transportation . . . with some cool logo, and I asked them what that represented, or what was going on, promoting? They said, they just got a free t-shirt, and that is all they knew about the shirts. So, I knew it had to have something to do with the local transit, the buses, the trolleys, and getting enough money and support for the city transportation system, or it may be a national movement, promoting bus travel, rather than a million or billion, carbon emitting cars, trucks and other rigs, going in the same direction. So, bright and early, yesterday morning, I jumped on the bright, red & white buses, that empower my day, just seeing them, makes me happy, to know they are there, and I just love the wonderful choice of colors, so fun, matches the city's atmosphere, and connects with the old times, when trolleys, ran up and down the streets, here in Durango, Colorado! A short history of my exposure to public transportation.
Teenage Trips into the Big City, Salt Lake City, Utah . . . Freedom
I remember, my older sister, Shelley, babysitting us, while our parents were somewhere on a vacation. I think this was my first taste of freedom, getting off home turf, and taking off with friends, to explore, shop, and got trippin' around Salt Lake, from Bountiful, Utah, where I was raised, without my mother or father, escorting or chaperoning me along the way. What a thrill, making me feel like a grown up, or at least trusted enough to navigate the city, by myself, or at least with my friends, in this maiden village into the big city! I love the fact that many of the Montana cities, let teenagers and students, ride the buses free all summer. Helena, Montana, has trolleys, also, that take kids to kid destinations, free many parents, to either work, or get something done at home, or with other duties, while kids, get the freedom of discovering schedules, connecting points, maps, and that the world doesn't revolve around them! LOL! If you miss the time or don't get to the bus stop, guess what, the bus leaves you! Unlike moms and dads, who get pissed, manipulated, and tricked into waiting for their little darlin's, the bus has no such emotional attachments, and they will leave their sorry asses in the dirt, making them more attentive and on time, the next time . . . not bad lessons for your little princes and princesses to learn! It will make them better students next year!
Chicago Transit Mecca . . . the "L", Subway, Bus System!
Between my second and third year of law school, I had an internship in Chicago, Illinois, with Americans United for Life, and the law firm, sent me a letter, telling me and the other intern, Julie, from Columbus, Ohio, that we should not bring our cars to Chicago, that while the law firm paid for our apartment, it would cost us an additional $80 per month, just to park the car, in the parking structure of the apartment! And that was 20 years ago, in the summer of 1992. Chicago, a monster city, with at the time, about 3 million people, right within the city loop, there were 3 million people alone. Now, imagine, what those city streets would look like, with 3 million people driving their own cars? Crazy town. My sister, Rachel, who lived, at the time, out in the suburbs, of Shamberg, Ill., would come in and visit me in the city, and inevitably, one of her kids would want or need something from a store, and we would sit in 5:00 traffic, for a hour, not moving, just trying to get to Walgreens, a corner away from my apartment or work, on Dearborn Ave., at the Fisher Building.
Finally, I would get pissed at just sitting there, and I would tell her, I was walking to get what was needed. And generally, I would get back to the car, after shopping, and she would be in almost the same place! So a car was a determent in the city. Julie, actually, one weekend, missing the freedom of her car, went home and picked it up, and I believe, while she had the option of driving, the car just sat in the parking lot . . . I don't remember ever going anywhere with her, and we hung out all the time. But, I flew my four kids out to Chicago for a week, and I remember the fun, and thrill of taking the electric, above ground train, the "L", going past the projects, close enough to look right into the hard life, real deal, projects, just south of my apartment on Polk Street, and down to a White Sox game at Cominski Park, Stadium!
One time, a boyfriend, Bart Weed, flew to Chicago, to see me during my three month internship, and he didn't change his watch, and we almost missed his flight, and panicked, when we saw how late it was, and how close he was going to either connect his flight to Salt Lake, or miss it, staying with me another day or two. But, I was so impressed, when we just went around the corner, down to the subway, and hit the underground train, straight to O'Hare Airport, U.S. busiest, and Bart was able to go right to the terminal his plane was leaving from, up the escalator, and make his plane, totally amazing! Chicago, had the city wired and on time, in sync with all buses, subways, trains, above and below ground, absolutely easy to navigate, and get around. I believe Rachel, a flight attendant for United Airlines, was stationed out of that air port, and there was easy access, to get to her house, from down town, by train. Adventure, excitement and beauty . . . sit back and let someone else worry about traffic signs, cops, defensive driving . . . etc.
Freedom, While Waiting to Die . . . Volunteered to Give Up License
Logan, Utah, has an award winning transit system, that gets a huge ridership, federally funded grants, and provides the city and county residents, even up to Idaho, free transportation, with fares and tickets, monthly passes, barely paying for gas to man the buses and system, so going without my driver's license was not that big of a deal, and combined with a bike, holy shit, it was fun. I could go to a late movie, and ride out during the daylight hours, and just hook my bike on the front of the bus, and get home, usually, not wanting to go into the house yet, and getting on my bike and cruising down some hill, into a church parking lot, to feel the exhilaration of a late night, cool summer ride, with the wind in my hair! Being without wheels, is not that bad, when you have other options, that make you even healthier, happier, and more social . . . you always meet people, even old friends on the bus, as I did in Kalispell, Montana, I ran into a lady who had interviewed me, when I was an assistant attorney general, at the Utah AGs Office, and I had been her, apartment manager, before I had a degree, or had gone to law school, so old home week, three states away, meeting on the bus! Plus, the bus driver is hot, too bad he is not single! LOL! I can look, but I can't touch!
Some mornings on both bus systems, there is standing room only. On the Logan bus, there were so many students, leaving as early as 6:00 a.m., when I would cross the street and go get a Diet Coke, at my favorite gas station, to get my morning social hour in, that they were packed like sardines, right up to the safety yellow line, up by the driver and front door! Same with in Kalispell, I had plans for the bus driver, before I knew he was committed, or at least living with someone, and not, formally free to hang with someone else, you learn these type things on the bus too!, but I planned on getting on the 7:00 a.m., bus, and doing him, each morning, as incentive to get me to the Summit Gym, but to my total chagrin, there were 25 students, riding the bus to the college, for early morning classes! Anyway the bus can be fun, social, entertaining, and relaxing. I didn't drive for 9 years, then reactivated my law license and driver's license, to practice law, because I didn't die, and was getting bored waiting to die . . . reactivated, both, in October of 2009.
University of Montana . . . One of Three Student Owned & Operated Bus Services on Campus!
The U Dash is amazing . . . back in the day, as a student, college, I would have a class on one side of campus, and after that one, I would have to hike across campus, in none other than 10 minutes, to get to my next class, running, with book bags, and backpacks, to get there on time. Well, the smart students at the U of M, solved that problems with U Dash . . . campus buses, that not only get you around campus, but down town, late night dance clubs and bars, serving the students in such a great manner! They are proud of the services, every 10 to 15 minutes, on a regular basis, with guaranteed class attendance on a regular and dependable daily trips! That is all free too, and the student bus, coordinates with city buses, and serves to the optimal service they can possibly serve, so great, and a wonderful service to those of us, who really at 60 are not crazy about running across campus, or even walking it, sometimes, to attend seminars, guest lectures, and Presidential Lectures! Thanks!
Durango Transit and Fort Lewis College, coordinated, to include a bus pass in your semesters tuition, so you always have transportation, and the buses go to the college all the time . . . so use it, cut your expenses, your parents will be impressed, what are you spending now, $30 bucks a week on gas, when you can get to the college with the bus pass you already paid for, for $30 bucks, or $20 for students, I think, all semester!
Two Deer, A 360 on Ice Between Two Semi Trucks, Taking Out a Government Sign, Going the Opposite Way of Traffic, and 5 Vehicles Later, Payback from the Government . . . Back on the Bus!
So when I see those, way cool, refreshing, all less than 5 year old, fun buses, I am grateful, that they are around, when I need them! Usually I walk to the library along the river. But after two weeks in Durango and seeing just a few locations, my three hour bus ride for $1, was well worth it, for the tour of the city! Durango is a lot bigger than I thought! I am an early riser, love that the library is open at 9:00 a.m., dig it, most cities, are open at 10:00 a.m., and I love to catch the first bus of the day, and take a tour of the city, watching the sunrise, business owners, putting out their signs, sweeping the streets, and gutters! Yesterday, we went out to the Three Points Area of Durango, around the bend, to the newer sections of town . . . the Walmart bus did not have room for one more rider, people were going to work at Walmart, the Chocolate Factory, the Hospital, and various other morning stops, with the bus driver, familiar with the locals and their routines. The sun was vibrant on the new spring grass, and I had a whole new perspective of the town . . . buses are all about freedom for so many people!
One of the things, that the campaign is pushing, it that to have a viable, lively and working community, you need to support a great transit system! People either can't afford a car, or they lost their licenses, for a DUI, or a family car is in the shop for the day and they will lose their jobs if they don't get to work, with no other means of getting there! In Montana, or if you are on a fixed income, your only means of transportation, to get food, get to the store, or visit, is the bus! I think, as I did, that most people, who just get up, get in their cars each morning, have no clue, how vital, a bus system is, to the society you live in . . . mothers, students, the elderly, the disabled, the disenfranchised, the legally rehabilitating, and others, totally depend on the city transit systems . . . they are kind of the invisible people of our communities, but as vital mas the rest of you, performing their part of making a city run! There are a lot of both free and paid transit systems, that serve the community, that go unthanked and underfunded . . . know what is available to help out people who are new, or need assistance.
Funding Sources For The Durango "T" . . . The Gasoline Tax . . . Hasn't Been Raised Since 1991! Funding for Buses, Sometimes Means a 1 Cent Raise in Taxes to Citizens . . . Too Much to ASK?
I am friends with several bus drivers, in Kalispell, Montana, where I just came from, and they were graded for overall services, at I believe an "F." The bus driver was depressed, he is a likable guy, nice, and fun, but he couldn't figure out why they got such a low grade by riders, and whom ever took the survey? I had been down in Missoula, Bozeman, with both city bus systems being free, and Missoula, got a 22% raise in riders, in the first month, going from a paid fare to free . . . not bad, as more and more people see how really easy it is to get around the city, I am sure the ! cent tax raise will be well worth it. But, both cities, are more Democrat than Republican. The southern part of Montana, tends to be more liberal, in fact, in Missoula, very liberal, but along with that mentality, comes a carrying and concern for those beyond your family and church circle, and college towns, tend to be liberal breeding grounds, with humanitarian principles taught and practiced . . . those damn liberals! They love their fellowmen, women, and children, they want them to get to work, and are willing to pay a bit more to provide those services . . . they might even get to the voting booths! God forgive them . . .
Kalispell is very conservative, and they don't want to pay to have a great transit system. So, when my friend was depressed about his grade and the grade of the Eagle Transit System, I could not help but, put a political gab or two in, and said, if there were more liberals up here, we would have a better transit system, because they care about other people, rather than just big business! He didn't have much to say back, and maybe he started to see the difference of the two parties, as he constantly had buses, that were broken, had no air conditioning, with him having to rig up small fans, to get somewhat cool! This party thing, goes to the core of your communities, best to have a balance! You can't give away all the money, but you can't stop all funding either, if you are going to get people to work!
A Side Benefit for OUTLAWS Like ME! LOL!
I loved pulling into the bus transit center, in Missoula, with so many options, of places to ditch, in and out of, about 6 buses at a time show up . . . with the police station, right next the the bus station, it was fun to watch them, checking which bus I was on, and I would very slyly, slip off the one, and hit the one, just behind it, or under the transit cover, moving from one side to the other . . . my favorite, giving the cops a slip, was bus 4 out to Bonner . . . a 12 mile ride out of the city, by the river, and in the mountains! Ah, fresh air, until the bus driver ratted me out! LOL! Two highway patrol waiting where I said I wanted to get off! LOL! Never mind, I will take the next exit, or just go back into town! LOVE IT!
In a car, or truck, I am a sitting duck! I often tell people on the bus, that they are my insurance policy from getting blown up and killed, too easy in a private vehicle, she just fell asleep at the wheel, or she had a vehicle malfunction, that blew her car in a thousand pieces . . . I remember seeing the mob, walking down the streets of Chicago, with two hot shot attorneys, flanking both sides of a mafia don, right after a car bombing, rocked the city, with no suspects, other than the normal MOB! My last car was blown up with a pipe bomb, point of impact, right behind the driver's seat, smoke, jet black, a hundred feet in the air, fire under the carriage, parts flying all over the road, after a 10 inch jump in the air . . .
I Think I Will Take the Bus, Thank You! Not Funny!
I met Justin, the guy, I wrote about in the title . . . I met him on the bus . . . Stand Up for Transportation . . . two meanings, yesterday! THIS GUY NEEDS YOUR HELP, ATTORNEYS WITH A HEART!
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