OpEd: Grab a Friend and Get On the Bus

Julie Funke and Melissa Damaschke are two friends that decided to navigate the Detroit area together by bike and bus and share those adventures by writing about them on their blog, Two Women, Four Wheels.  They are two professionals in their 30s that work downtown and want a public transit system that gets them to and from work in a timely fashion, prevents them from experiencing the stress of I-75 traffic jams, and saves them some money on gas - with the goal of using that saved money on happy hours! 


OpEd: Grab a Friend and Get On the Bus

What? People take the BUS around here?

In March of 2010, we asked ourselves the same thing. We had a vague notion of the bus, but pretty much from the perspective of being stuck behind them in traffic. "Who takes the bus?" we thought to ourselves. The schedule is probably really irregular. We'd never get to work on time. And using the bike racks? Those things look like you need a PhD to operate. With the whole bus watching you try to figure it out? No way. 

But then...then...Happy Hour.

We really like happy hour. Happy hours that turn into happy evenings of conversation that turn into "Is it really 11 p.m. on a Tuesday?" Driving a car isn't ideal, for obvious reasons. 
So yeah, about this bus…

We know it will never be easy to use public transit when you have the convenience of a car, but it is hard to turn down meeting up with a friend, so we made a pact: we'll bus together so that the bike rack and bus schedule will seem less daunting. And whether we knew it or not, checking in with a friend to match bus schedules also kept us accountable to each other to keep riding the bus. That's why, four years later, we're still riding the bus.

So the inevitable ended up happening. We fell in LOVE with the bus. The biking and transit community embraced us with open arms. We really could get to work on time. Overall, the schedule was pretty regular. As we became more ingrained in the transit community, it became even more apparent that we actually had a role here. We could encourage others to take the bus. We could start using our transit experiences to not only encourage more people to use it in the Motor City, but to also share transit experiences with those running the region's transit system, SMART and DDOT.  

For example, we've always wondered why SMART and DDOT don't talk to one another? Coordination of service and bus passes seems like a simple thing that could easily happen. For example, a single bus pass that is accepted by SMART, DDOT and the People Mover would save us the time we spent making sure we have all the right passes or change to use these systems. Yet it continues to be one of the great mysteries of our region.

So you may be asking yourself – what's a typical day in the life of 2 Women and their 4 Wheels? We call or text each other to pick a day that works best for both of our schedules. Next, we stalk our weather apps to make sure we plan accordingly. Polar vortex face mask? Rain jacket and pants? Sunglasses? CHECK. We make sure we have everything we need in a bus/bike-friendly bag. Chapstick, bus passes, and most importantly – snacks. We'll coordinate a time to meet – usually at the Royal Oak Transit Center – and bike from our respective homes to catch the bus. Julie actually doesn't need her bike during the workday, so she locks it up at the Transit Center. When the bus arrives, Melissa places her bike on the rack and we're off. While on the bus, we chat about the latest local transit gossip, chat with our fellow bus riders, and just relax. When we see our stop, we signal the bus driver that a stop is indeed requested and our workdays begin. We'll coordinate with each other on the best bus to take to happy hour, and we'll meet at the same bus stop – no missed bus connections here! While on the bus, we have been known to be involved with a musical singalong or two, while navigating the area in search of the best happy hour specials. Depending on where we end up for happy hour, Julie may catch a bus to her bike, or Melissa may end up biking home. The commute has been stress-free, happy hour has been a success, and we're ready to do it all again the next day!

As much as the transit system does work for us, we still have to plan our bus/bike days around our lightest work schedules. We make sure it's not a big deal if we arrive to work late and must stay near our pre-planned bus/bike routes. We love taking the bus, but acknowledge it's a seriously limited service. 

Let's face it:  in order to see improvements in transit service for all of us, demand needs to increase. We need those of you reading this blog to buddy-up and ride the bus! We also need you to share your thoughts on transit in our region so we can better inform SMART, DDOT, the future M-1 Rail, and the Regional Transit Authority more specifically on how to improve the system in ways that benefit us all.

It's a simple equation: 

You + Friend - Stress about driving + Taking the bus = Better transit service + more happy hours for all. 

So grab that friend and get on the bus!