We'll Get You There (Or Not)

I take public transit. This often means buses, though I take the light rail slightly more often. 

The light rail has a schedule, which gives you the time between trains at any given time of day. This being said, trains don't run at all according to the schedule. There us no traffic, nor is there anything else to delay the train. 

Buses have schedules of course. These are often late due to traffic and the sheer time involved in loading a wheel chair passenger onto a bus. This is entirely understandable. However, often buses simply don't show up. 

Yesterday I was taking light rail to work. I got to the station a few minutes later than I like, so I knew I'd be slightly less early than I usually am. 

I got on a train, which I did not have to wait especially long for. We arrive at Stadium station. Nothing out of the ordinary thus far. 

We sit there for about five minutes, with no announcement or anything as to why. Finally we are told there is a "service delay" and that the train will be moving again "shortly." 

Over the next twenty minutes, we hear this announcement three more times. Finally the driver makes an announcement: "this train ain't gone no farther. Get off and get on a bus." 

No explanation. No shuttle. No hint as to which bus follows the general train route. Just broken English telling us to disembark. 

We say that we care about easing our traffic problems and curbing greenhouse gas emissions. Our transportation systems clearly don't line up with those values. Until they do, we'll never see mass ridership on public transit. Hopefully things will improve soon, but I'm certainly not holding my breath on this one. 

I take public transit. This often means buses, though I take the light rail slightly more often. 

The light rail has a schedule, which gives you the time between trains at any given time of day. This being said, trains don't run at all according to the schedule. There us no traffic, nor is there anything else to delay the train. 

Buses have schedules of course. These are often late due to traffic and the sheer time involved in loading a wheel chair passenger onto a bus. This is entirely understandable. However, often buses simply don't show up. 

Yesterday I was taking light rail to work. I got to the station a few minutes later than I like, so I knew I'd be slightly less early than I usually am. 

I got on a train, which I did not have to wait especially long for. We arrive at Stadium station. Nothing out of the ordinary thus far. 

We sit there for about five minutes, with no announcement or anything as to why. Finally we are told there is a "service delay" and that the train will be moving again "shortly." 

Over the next twenty minutes, we hear this announcement three more times. Finally the driver makes an announcement: "this train ain't gone no farther. Get off and get on a bus." 

No explanation. No shuttle. No hint as to which bus follows the general train route. Just broken English telling us to disembark. 

We say that we care about easing our traffic problems and curbing greenhouse gas emissions. Our transportation systems clearly don't line up with those values. Until they do, we'll never see mass ridership on public transit. Hopefully things will improve soon, but I'm certainly not holding my breath on this one. 

We'll Get You There (Or Not)