The hassle of using the bus for work

[ianr1950]

Had to come to work by bus today and what a pain it was too.
Bus leaves at 06.35
20 min walk to the bus stop, 45 mins on the bus then change to another bus and 15 mins on that and another 10 min walk from there, finally arrive at work at 08.00.
Tonight, bus leaves at 17.40 from the city and I then will get home at about 18.50.

What a pain and it costs me £8.00 return.

No wonder I use the car.

[essexman]

i used to have a horrible public transport journey. walk, train, wait, bus, walk

Then i got a brompton: cycle, train, cycle. Ahhhh! And if i wanted to or if the weather was rubbish i could get the bus and take the brommie.

Publuc transport without a folding bike is rubbish.

[Tim Cox]

Having a bus pass does alter ones conception of bus travel. I live five hilly miles from Dartmouth. The 93 service which runs between Dartmouth and Plymouth is one an hour on average. If the weather is wet or I have a lot of shopping then I do use it, otherwise I cycle as I get fed up with waiting around as this bus service due to narrow roads and breakdowns is not the most reliable. However on the top deck you do get fantastic views as it is reckoned to be one of the most scenic bus routes in the country!

[thirdcrank]

Wasn't it Thatcher who said something about bus passengers being failures?

Thanks to Woy Jenkins, I had fwee bus twavel for the last 20 years of my working life.

I've got a pensioners' concessionary pass now. We are very lucky here. The bus rervices have been cut back a bit over the years but we still have services to Leeds (3 different routes), Huddersfield, Pudsey, Dewsbury, Bradford and Wakefield.

In fact, when I've finished this, I'm off shopping in Leeds, by bus

[ianr1950]

A folding bike is not a problem in the morning but on the trip home the bus is packed solid.

It's just a nightmare.

They only run one an hour up to 18.30.

Train is not an option either as none can get me to work on time and it is £14.40 return which includes 1 change.

Mind you I wouldn't swap living where I do as I don't have to use public transport that much.

Don't know why I am complaining really.

[paulah]

Expensive. I used to pay about £850 a year for all the trains and buses in the manchester area. even the bus is only £10 a week for stagecoach only. I got the train to work and used the buses a fair bit locally, for which it was very useful - very frequent during the day and didn't have to park.

The annual ticket ran out a few weeks after I was made redundant in October and now I've got a new job starting in the new year that's only about 4 miles away so I'm now praticising (pothole familiarisation) the route in daylight on the bike. Might also get a brommie as they do cycle to work.

Only problem is, although I'm also cycling more as a result of not having the pass, I'm also driving more, particularly in the evenings when there's more of a wait for the bus.

[irc]

I wouldn't criticise anybody for using a car instead of public transport a short or medium commute.

My commute is 10 miles, urban traffic all the way or I can use a couple of miles of canal towpath at one point. 45 minutes on the bike.

Public transport is a 20 minute walk to train station, wait 5 minutes for train, 25 minute journey to city centre 10 minute wait for bus and 10 minute bus journey 1 hour 10 minimum. If I finish late on a back shift after around 1130pm public transport stops running. Starting early at 7am it is impossible to get to work by public transport.

By car it is 45 minutes during the day, 25 minutes if starting early or finishing late.

I use the bike mostly. If I didn't cycle I would use the car every day. These public transport times are for travelling through Glasgow which has one of the most extensive public transport networks outside London. In many places the public transport option will be close to useless.

[UrbanManc]

Had to come to work by bus today and what a pain it was too.
Bus leaves at 06.35
20 min walk to the bus stop, 45 mins on the bus then change to another bus and 15 mins on that and another 10 min walk from there, finally arrive at work at 08.00.
Tonight, bus leaves at 17.40 from the city and I then will get home at about 18.50.

What a pain and it costs me £8.00 return.

No wonder I use the car.

My bus leaves at 5:19 , it costs about a fiver return ... BUT , they do have a 7day saver for £10 .

Busses are a pain, and they are full of people that give you the flu, like they did to me.

Your local authority should have a bus route organiser to make sure you're getting the best way into work.

[Jack]

I've got a pensioners' concessionary pass now. We are very lucky here.

Aye, very lucky it's only 35p on the trains, too

[ferrit worrier]

Ahh the joys of public transport ---- I think not! I started using the bus quite some time ago. one of the ladies who works in the same building as myself, lives around the corner and occasionaly we travelled on the same bus, I got so fed up with having to listen to some of the illiterate youths shouting at one another and being unable to string a sentence together without using expletives. In a strange sort of way I should thank them! It caused me to return to the "Bike" There is talk of the congestion charge in Manchester, improved bus routes and services, thats as may be, but will they educate the clientelle. Those who cannot behave in a socially acceptable manner. I dont think so! There are members of the community,decent people, who have no alternative but to use public transport, sadly for them it goes on!

Sorry guys I'll get off my soap box

[paulah]

I got so fed up with having to listen to some of the illiterate youths shouting at one another and being unable to string a sentence together without using expletives.... Those who cannot behave in a socially acceptable manner. I dont think so! There are members of the community,decent people, who have no alternative but to use public transport, sadly for them it goes on!

Sorry guys I'll get off my soap box

I only started using buses a few years ago but have always been impressed by the standard of behaviour on the buses. Where else nowadays do you find people giving up seats for the elderly? The other week a teenager even let me on the bus first, and I'm not even middle aged!

Sometimes I even prefer the bus for safety reasons - it's much better than an empty train and isolated station late at night and I don't have to park it down a quiet badly lit sidestreet.

[kwackers]

The other week a teenager even let me on the bus first, and I'm not even middle aged!

Cheeky sod, I hope you clipped him round the ear!

[paulah]

The other week a teenager even let me on the bus first, and I'm not even middle aged!

Cheeky sod, I hope you clipped him round the ear!

I was carrying gully (pictured, left) in a heavy flight case (also useful as a bus case, bus drivers not usually being familiar with the concepts of gentle acceleration and deceleration) at the time and this would have made it a bit difficult to run away afterwards. Possibly this was also why he let me go first.

[kwackers]

I was carrying gully (pictured, left) in a heavy flight case (also useful as a bus case, bus drivers not usually being familiar with the concepts of gentle acceleration and deceleration) at the time and this would have made it a bit difficult to run away afterwards. Possibly this was also why he let me go first.

I know so many people that are put out when someone offers them a seat. Quite funny really - wonder how old you have to be to actually appreciate it.

[eileithyia]

Bus from my place to work, with walk and change of bus at Preston bus station nearly 2 hours, cycle to work direct door to door 1hr 15 slightly longer when I have to travel at rush hour! I can understand your frustration.