stop bus

As if waking up for class wasn’t already difficult enough, leave it to public transportation to throw an additional wrench in my daily routine.

With a bus stop conveniently located across the street from my apartment, the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority has been my primary method of getting to and from class for the past two years.

And while the first couple of weeks of each semester have always been hectic with over crowding and delays while people are still getting their schedules sorted, this year is out of hand.

Common sense would indicate that a 9:09 bus would be sufficient in allowing me to reach my 9:30 class in time as it is only a 5 minute ride to campus. But when the bus does not actually arrive until 9:15 and then every stop is met with an attempt to cram more passengers onto a bus that is already far too overcrowded and then waiting an inordinate amount of time for stragglers who deserve to wait for the next bus, my ideal 9:30 arrival time becomes mere fantasy.

I have not made it on time for that class once this semester.

A couple times, for my afternoon class, I have resorted to driving and feeding the meter the two dollars for the hour and fifteen minutes of class. This is something that I would rather not do.

One possible explanation for the PVTAs decline in service is new, inexperienced drivers who have to conquer the fine art of operating a bus before we can see the system return to last year’s quality. But this past week has truly been the worst of all three weeks thus far this semester.

I know that I am not alone in my gripes either, as fellow passengers are often very audible in their complaints, generally directed toward the driver.

Perhaps you are encountering similar problems with the areas public transportation system? Feel free to leave a comment if so.

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