18 August 2009
Honesty
I really need to stop being so honest. Today on the bus, the ORCA machine was set to "free ride area". I pointed this out to the driver, and he changed the machine. I tapped my card, and then I realized that he had set it to "peak", even though that was a "non-peak" ride. So, my honesty just cost me 25¢.
What's worse is that this is the third time this week that the machine has been set on "peak" for a "non-peak" ride. I caught it the other day and made the driver change it, but today and one other time I didn't.
I'm finally annoyed enough that I emailed ORCA to complain. I'm sure they'll rush right out to fix that bug that is bringing in extra money.... (she said sarcastically).
What's worse is that this is the third time this week that the machine has been set on "peak" for a "non-peak" ride. I caught it the other day and made the driver change it, but today and one other time I didn't.
I'm finally annoyed enough that I emailed ORCA to complain. I'm sure they'll rush right out to fix that bug that is bringing in extra money.... (she said sarcastically).
Labels: bus
23 July 2009
Seattle Train Update
I just saw on the news -- they're having problems with the trains. And after all that practice, too! Aren't we all surprised?
[Also, I didn't see tonight's Torchwood. Well, maybe I did, but I'm trying really, really hard to pretend I didn't. Character death, you say? What character death? La la la la la....]
[Also, I didn't see tonight's Torchwood. Well, maybe I did, but I'm trying really, really hard to pretend I didn't. Character death, you say? What character death? La la la la la....]
18 July 2009
Shuttle Buses
While waiting on the street for my bus tonight (since the bus tunnel was closed to buses today), I saw several route "97" buses go by. Often they would be right behind each other, and all of them were mostly empty. I had never seen a "97" bus before, so I was puzzled.
When I got home I looked them up online to find out what they were.
So, "every five minutes" explains why I saw so many of them. It doesn't, however, explain why they thought they needed so many of them!
(Did I mention they were mostly empty?)
(And can you tell I'm still bitter about buses being banned from the freaking BUS tunnel? Yeah.)
When I got home I looked them up online to find out what they were.
So, "every five minutes" explains why I saw so many of them. It doesn't, however, explain why they thought they needed so many of them!
(Did I mention they were mostly empty?)
(And can you tell I'm still bitter about buses being banned from the freaking BUS tunnel? Yeah.)
Labels: bus
14 July 2009
Tunnel Update
After all that practice, they're finally going start taking passengers on the trains this coming Saturday.
Which, naturally, means that they can't have any buses in the tunnel this Saturday and Sunday.
No, wait, that doesn't make any sense.
Which, naturally, means that they can't have any buses in the tunnel this Saturday and Sunday.
No, wait, that doesn't make any sense.
Labels: bus
01 July 2009
Practice. Lots and Lots of Practice.
Since the Seattle Bus Tunnel -- oops, I mean "Transit Tunnel" -- reopened in 2007, they've had signs proclaiming "Light Rail -- coming in 2009!". I recently read that the train will start running in mid-July.
When the tunnel expanded its hours in May of this year, we started seeing "test trains". They don't have any passengers, they just drive up and down the track.
This week, the tunnel is back to its old, shortened hours. Why? So they can do more testing.
On the one hand, I guess it's good that they're making sure that everything's running smoothly. On the other hand...
What exactly are they testing?? For two months? And now they have to do special testing when the tunnel is closed? Huh?
Cynically, I expect there to be problems withing the first few months of actual operation.
When the tunnel expanded its hours in May of this year, we started seeing "test trains". They don't have any passengers, they just drive up and down the track.
This week, the tunnel is back to its old, shortened hours. Why? So they can do more testing.
On the one hand, I guess it's good that they're making sure that everything's running smoothly. On the other hand...
What exactly are they testing?? For two months? And now they have to do special testing when the tunnel is closed? Huh?
Cynically, I expect there to be problems withing the first few months of actual operation.
Labels: bus
02 May 2009
ORCA Update
So.
I put some money on my card, and my account said it was "pending". I waited the suggested 24 hours, and it was still "pending". I called the ORCA people and, after much discussion and checking of records, the ORCA dude called the Metro people, and told me that because I hadn't used it yet, everything was still pending.
Which makes no sense at all. Any careful person (like, say, me) would make sure my money had cleared before I tried to use my card.
Anyway.
I used it this morning, and it worked fine. The bus driver was quite excited, actually. Apparently I was the first rider he'd had who used the new system.
On the way home, the bus driver had the ORCA box set for the free ride area. When I tapped my card to the box, it said "free ride area, no fare deducted". So I guess the bus drivers aren't used to the new system, either.
But hey, I got a free ride!
Here's the kicker: When I looked at my account tonight, it showed the money I added, minus the $1.75 I used this morning. It also said that my money is still pending.
Huh?
I put some money on my card, and my account said it was "pending". I waited the suggested 24 hours, and it was still "pending". I called the ORCA people and, after much discussion and checking of records, the ORCA dude called the Metro people, and told me that because I hadn't used it yet, everything was still pending.
Which makes no sense at all. Any careful person (like, say, me) would make sure my money had cleared before I tried to use my card.
Anyway.
I used it this morning, and it worked fine. The bus driver was quite excited, actually. Apparently I was the first rider he'd had who used the new system.
On the way home, the bus driver had the ORCA box set for the free ride area. When I tapped my card to the box, it said "free ride area, no fare deducted". So I guess the bus drivers aren't used to the new system, either.
But hey, I got a free ride!
Here's the kicker: When I looked at my account tonight, it showed the money I added, minus the $1.75 I used this morning. It also said that my money is still pending.
Huh?
Labels: bus
28 April 2009
ORCA
I got my ORCA pass today! I'm very excited.
Sometimes I buy a monthly bus pass, and sometimes it's cheaper to pay cash so I don't. The ORCA pass will function as both. And if I buy a $1.75 pass, but take a $2.00 ride, it'll charge me 25¢ for the ride. It's going to be awesome!
Assuming, of course, that the system works the way they say it will...
Sometimes I buy a monthly bus pass, and sometimes it's cheaper to pay cash so I don't. The ORCA pass will function as both. And if I buy a $1.75 pass, but take a $2.00 ride, it'll charge me 25¢ for the ride. It's going to be awesome!
Assuming, of course, that the system works the way they say it will...
Labels: bus
31 January 2009
Bus Fares
Metro is raising its fares... AGAIN. It wasn't that long ago that they raised them by 25¢, now they're raising them another 25¢.
Good plan, Metro. That'll definitely encourage people to ride the bus.
Sigh.
If this keeps up, it'll be cheaper for me to drive my car to work.
Good plan, Metro. That'll definitely encourage people to ride the bus.
Sigh.
If this keeps up, it'll be cheaper for me to drive my car to work.
Labels: bus
09 November 2007
Quote of the Week
I've got another bus driver quote for you this week!
As we were going down the freeway, the bus driver said:
"It's time for our native Washingtonian test. What's that stuff on the windshield? [pause] If you said 'rain', you're probably not from here. Those are sprinkles."
As we were going down the freeway, the bus driver said:
"It's time for our native Washingtonian test. What's that stuff on the windshield? [pause] If you said 'rain', you're probably not from here. Those are sprinkles."
25 October 2007
Quote of the Week
As I got on the bus, another rider said to the driver, "There's one running [to catch the bus]."
The driver replied, "I'd be disappointed if there wasn't."
The driver replied, "I'd be disappointed if there wasn't."
Labels: bus
23 September 2007
Bus Tunnel
Tomorrow the bus tunnel re-opens. Yay! I'm very excited. It makes taking the bus through downtown so much faster.
Labels: bus
30 July 2007
Bus Adverts
My favorite bus advertisements are the ones that use that fact that the advertisement is on a bus, rather than a regular billboard.
Currently, Life Savers has a series of ads that I've been enjoying. They feature a picture of a man (who's supposed to be the bus driver, and who has a giant life saver on his head) and shows the things he's saying. For example, one says, "I'm everybody's designated driver."
Here are my favorites:
"My sudden stops and starts are there to liven up your commute."
"I never drag-race other buses to defend my manhood."
Currently, Life Savers has a series of ads that I've been enjoying. They feature a picture of a man (who's supposed to be the bus driver, and who has a giant life saver on his head) and shows the things he's saying. For example, one says, "I'm everybody's designated driver."
Here are my favorites:
"My sudden stops and starts are there to liven up your commute."
"I never drag-race other buses to defend my manhood."
Labels: advertisements, bus
