Gas prices are unreasonably high, so rather than continue to fuel the economy through an SUV, News 13's Tiffany Greene took the matter into her own hands and made a personal decision to get around town without spending loads of cash filling up her tank.
Tiffany asks, "Why drive, when you can hitch a ride?" and that's what she is doing when catching the LYNX. Ride along with her as she shares her day-to-day experiences on Central Florida's largest mass transit -- the bus.
Send Us Your Story:
If you have a story about ditching your car, SUV or truck and using the bus for your daily commute, send Tiffany an email at TGreene@cfnews13. com
August 4 - August 8
Over my cold, not over the heat.
I don't have a lot to write because I cheated. I drove. I'm sorry. I promise to get back on track next week.
July 28 - August 1
The Dog Days of Summer!
I'm reminded of them every time I step outside. At this point the heat is unbearable. Wearing cute and fashionable clothes is less appealing now because I'll probably sweat it out on the way to work!
I've had great success up to this point and now I'm wishing I had an icy cold jacket to put over my clothes. Or at least one of those misty fans people walk around with at theme parks. Now that I think about it, that might not be a bad investment.
My only other solution is to walk briskly to my bus stop that will at least give away for a breeze. Kind of hard though when it turns into a workout!
When I step on the bus I'm greeted with a bunch of blank faces all seemingly completely comfortable on the refreshingly cool bus. But in about 15 minutes I'm off the bus, at the terminal and hot again. The extreme temperatures are probably why I caught a summer cold -- I hate those!
July 21 - July 25
OK, so my love affair with the bus is on shaky ground. Something else has caught my eye -- my SUV.
We've been spending a lot of time together lately because I've been driving it to work. I've had some late nights at the job and I don't ride the bus when it's dark for obvious safety reasons, so I'm forced to put half a tank of gas in my truck.
It's safe to say my SUV is high maintenance. Don't get me wrong, it's good to me. It's conveniently parked in my driveway, it protects me from the rain and it always holds my precious cargo, like my golf clubs. Sigh.
But there's a downside to our relationship. In addition to the gas, I've got to wash it and get routine oil changes. That's if it's acting right. Sometimes it will have the tendency break down, get a flat or require major repair. I'm not ready for that kind of commitment.
I know I'm getting a little personal here, but if I start out with something, I want to stay faithful to it (the bus), but oh how tempting it is to switch back (my SUV).
Just gotta keep telling myself to stick with it!
June 30 - July 18
I didn’t ride the bus too much during this time because I was on vacation. I took a couple of trips out of town and used the bus to get me to and from the airport.
I can’t express how convenient it is to not worry about traffic and parking, not to mention the great savings my wallet feels. It really makes you think big city. If you’ve ever been to New York, Philly, Chicago, or D.C. then you know that riding mass transit is the norm.
I was in D.C. for a convention and I used the bus, metro and my feet to get around. I caught the bus from Dulles Airport to Rosslyn, VA for $3.75.
From there, I walked straight into the Metro station, bought a 7-day all you can ride pass for $26.85 and hopped on the Orange Line.
Only one stop away from my hotel, with luggage in tow, I walked about a third of a mile to the place where I was to lay my head. That’s about the same distance I walk from my bus stop to my front door in Orlando.
To me, the advantage of taking LYNX rather any other city’s public transportation is I don’t have to contend with as many people to get on the bus or search to find a place to sit.
Public transportation --embrace it!
June 23 - 27
I'm really beginning to see the positive effects of riding the bus. My wallet is very thankful and so are the plastic cards in it. They've been put to very little use since I don't have to pump gas into my tank all the time.
Minus a trip to Tampa, I've only had to fill up once.
I'm also testing out the theory of keep my tank at least half full all the time. I've read that your automobile gets better gas mileage that way, and it's true!
When I first started riding the bus I talked about how it helped me to relax and help me get on a schedule. I'll sound like a broken record because it does. I get up early, prepare myself for the day, read my Bible, eat breakfast and off I go.
With or without my iPod, I can just take in nature, hear the birds chirping, take in the sunshine, just be at peace. It's really helped me to appreciate time for myself, to collect my thoughts and envision what my day will be like.
I also decided to take a leisure trip to the airport to visit my friend who had a layover. I just hopped on the #51 from downtown and 45 minutes later, I was at Orlando International Airport. Since I'm working on a tight budget, I was extremely happy I didn't have to pay to park.
June 16 - 20
For some odd reason riding the bus is not the coolest thing to do. Or at least as my friends tell it.
When I told some of my friends and co-workers I was riding the bus, the initial reaction is "that's cool." But throughout the day or week when I make mention that I have to catch the bus the response then becomes, "Why don't you just drive?"
I guess the questions are: is she really going to keep doing it or is this a joke? I keep telling them riding the bus is worth the price of admission (or bus fare). It's relaxing and allows me to get my mind clear and ready to go.
The people on the bus can also get you going--by talking loud. For some reason, they think we want to hear their conversations. I don't want to know why you got pulled over by the police; not interested in how you get your money's worth at Golden Corral; and I'm not particularly keen on hearing about your medical condition. (Note: I have a weak stomach).
Chatty folk aside, I noticed a man standing at a bus stop with some foreign object on his head. It kind of reminded me of the women in Africa who carry baskets on their heads. As we got closer to the man I saw he adopted the same theory--minus the basket. Instead it was a plastic bag overflowing with clothes, belts, and lottery cards?
TGIF: Friday, June 20, 2008
Riding home on Friday and it starts raining cats and dogs! I mean it was coming down heavy. We're stopped at a light and then all of a sudden I feel a jolt...and hear "boom." I thought to myself "did the bus break down or did someone just really hit us?"
Someone really hit us. Oh, how convenient. That means we can't go anywhere until the police come and obviously it's going to be a while since it's raining hard and we're in the middle of rush hour traffic.
The bus driver made sure everyone on the bus was okay. Next, she made everyone fill out an accident report. Then we played a game -- the waiting game.
June 9 - 13
I
missed a couple of days on the bus because I was out of town. But I quickly picked up where I left off. Week One was a total success and very fun. Week Two turned out to be pretty uneventful.
The good news is I'm saving money. So far I've spent $32. That equates to less than half a tank of gas in my SUV!
Mind you, when I was driving to work every day I would use a full tank of gas in two weeks. The drive to work isn't far but it's the extracurricular activities and quick errands that get me in trouble.
Rather than just running here and there, I plan my trips now. I try to map out a plan so if I have to go somewhere I can make stops along my route--like the bus.
On my way to the grocery store I can go to the bank, the drug store and the cleaners. But rather than making separate trips I can pick a day and do it all in one.
Sounds simple enough, but when I started writing down where my quick errands were, I was losing gas.
That's not scientific, that's Tiffany.
Week 1, Day 5
Friday, June 6, 2008
The Lone Ranger.
This morning I was the only one at my bus stop. The ride to the terminal was normal, but when I transferred busses--it was totally opposite.
Before I got on the bus, I sat on the bench waiting for the driver to open the bus doors. Just to the left of me was a woman who was also waiting. Seemingly in a hurry, she began to look down at her watch and yell out, "Come on bus, let's go!" As the minutes ticked away, still no change. The more she waited, the more colorful her commentary became.
What do you do in this instance?
Nothing.
Lynx is on a timed system and if people or busses leave to early, it will throw off the schedule. We can all understand that. Most people just care about getting to their destination on time.
Finally the bus driver opens the doors. But, before the able-bodied passengers jumped on, we cleared the way for a disabled man. Obviously, he's in the first boarding group.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
The steps protruded out, the bus lowered to the ground, and the motorized wheelchair rolled into a small area. Those very same steps lifted the chair like a forklift--the man dropped in his coins and rolled on.
Who needs the movie "Transformers" and it's once popular action figures--Optimus Prime and Bumblebee? Not me. I've got my own. It's named "Black Hawk." (Note: That's the color of my bus) It can transform too. The next time you see a LYNX bus riding around town, know there's more than meets the eye.
After I got on the bus, another entertaining character popped up. A pregnant woman ran up to the bus just before it left. Once she got on the bus she just started walking around. The bus can't leave if the passengers aren't sitting down. She started looking around and said, "Has anybody seen my breakfast? I left it on the bench outside and I turned around for one second and now it's gone."
What do you do? If you guessed nothing, two points for you!
The bus driver told her to sit down so we could be on our merry way. She sat across from me. But she wouldn't sit still for long.
"I'm 4-months pregnant," the woman cried. She continued her plea, "I just came from the hospital for my check up and my baby and I need our breakfast."
Nobody is budging.
But then I hear a voice. "I got $2." The voice and the pregnant woman went back and forth in an exchange of "take it" and "no I can't." Before you knew it the woman and her baby won out as she reluctantly took the money.
The big giver? The disabled man in the motorized wheelchair.
Week 1, Day 4
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Revelation.
You can use pennies to pay for bus fare!!
Why am I super duper excited about this you ask? Well, it's hard to come by $1.75 in change every day. But if there's one coin I have plenty of, it's the penny. (Note: My 7-day bus pass doesn't take effect until next week)
I saw one of my riding buddies drop the copper into the machine with no problems, despite a bright yellow sign on the machine that says, "No pennies allowed." Guess that "coined" phrase isn't true.
Overjoyed by my epiphany, I tried to discover more new things. However, nothing else came to me. But I did realize how empty the bus was now that school is out.
"Man, do you hear how quiet the bus is the morning," the bus driver said excitedly. One of his long time riders responded, "Yeah, it's so quiet."
Don't quote me on this, but I have a feeling the bus driver likes driving during the summer months. He said in so many words that it's less activity on the bus and on the roads. He’s certainly right about the traffic.
We got to the bus terminal in no time. It looked weird because there were only a few other busses there. Normally when we drive up the place is packed. Not today.
My evening ride home was extra special because my sister came into town. And guess what? She had to ride the bus too! She agreed that it's really not bad. Actually it's quite relaxing. Although, it gets a little awkward when people don't have all their bus fare.
One guy walked on the bus and apparently didn't put enough money in the machine. Since he was walking on with a crowd of people it looked like he was trying blend in, but he was caught red-handed. The bus driver, who happened to be the first female I've seen in the driver's seat, told the man to come back.
The guy patted his pockets and shuffled through his belongings looking for more money. None was found.
So, we sat delayed for a few minutes on the street while bus driver and the man went back and forth about how much was paid. Finally, the bus operator said, "Look," referring to the counting machine. "It says you only put 75 cents in here and that's not enough."
The man broke down and appealed to everyone on the bus to please give him some change so he could complete his fare. I looked down and my sister clutched her purse, as if to open it and pull out some money--here again the spirit of goodwill prevailed again.
After a minute or so, people were reaching out giving him their passes to swipe and then one compassionate passenger pulled out a dollar to give to the man. Problem solved.
Week 1, Day 3
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Morning
Day three and I'm still surviving. I actually like riding the bus.
I still don't speak to anybody other than one lady at my stop and the bus drivers, but that's OK. Unlike the first two days, the bus was pretty empty. That's cool -- that means more room for me :-)
Now, what I've noticed about the bus is the same people pretty much ride it everyday. So, when we slow down to stop, the bus driver has an idea of where people will get on and off. That's helpful especially if you aren't paying attention or just happen to doze off.
I was wide awake this morning because when I got to the terminal I noticed someone putting a bike on the rack. I'd never seen that done before and was very curious, seeing how I might get one in the future. If I'm not mistaken, you actually have to take a class on how to load and unload a bus before you take with you on your bus ride. Crazy right? But I guess it's better than someone fumbling with it during rush hour and causing the bus to be delayed along its route.
Speaking of delays, I was delayed in leaving work. I looked at the bus schedule and saw my bus was leaving at 5:35 that evening, or so I thought. I rushed out of work, walked to the bus terminal in the unpleasant Florida temperatures during rush hour traffic which meant inhaling fumes from the cars along Orange Ave.
It was only a matter of time before I missed the bus. Today happened to be that day.
As I walked up Livingston, I spotted my bus, like a hunter eyes his prey. Still a few hundred yards from the terminal, I thought I had two minutes left. As I quickly approached the "cat," the four-wheeled animal got away and left me stranded!
When I looked down at the printed schedule, I saw the next bus didn't come for another 30 minutes.
Oh no!
I had to think fast. I spotted another bus that rolled through my neck of the woods. Then, I eagerly ran over to the bus driver. Meanwhile people are looking at me, crazy. I asked him would this particular bus take me home. As cool as the breeze blowing through the covered bus parking lot, he answered, "I sure can." Wow, what a relief.
Just 10 minutes later we were off.
It's a good thing the busses run so frequently or my entire evening would've been thrown out of whack. The theme of "help is on the way" continued to manifest itself on the ride home.
A father was rushing to get to his son's kindergarten graduation, but he wasn't sure what route to take. He also wasn't too sure about where he was going exactly. Nervously, the father asked people on the bus, "Hey, do you know where this is," pointing to a piece of paper. "Am I going the right way?"
Remember that unwritten policy of people not talking to each other the bus? It was totally thrown out the window today.
The frantic father asked me if he could use my cell phone to call somebody to help him figure where he was supposed to be going. I handed over the phone, but nobody answered. Just as soon as he got off the phone the same bus driver who assured me he could help me get home was the same bus driver who calmed the zealous father saying, "Don't worry, we'll get you there."
I got off the bus too soon to see the outcome, but I trust the proud father made it to his son's graduation on time.
Week 1, Day 2
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Remember I talked about preparation? Well, I didn't follow my own advice. Once again, I stepped on the bus with $2. So at this point, I've given over 50 cents to LYNX. It doesn't seem like a lot, but during these tough economic times, every cent counts.
My same bus stop buddies from Monday boarded the bus with me. This time I had to go all the way to the back of the bus because no seats were available closer to the front.
On my left was a toddler and her mom. To my right, I found a little kid and her mom. To my surprise, there wasn't a lot of noise onboard, but there was a lot of movement. After each stop, it seemed like the passengers were playing musical chairs.
Heck, I'm still trying to figure out where the premium seats are. I assumed all seats were great since the bus is air-conditioned, laced with plasma TV monitors and the windows provide a scenic view. Later, I gathered the end seats are most popular because it gives you more room and easy access to get off.
On the way back home, I decided to try a different bus. I got out of work late and feared that I missed the last bus before dark. Luckily, one of the LYNX employees told me that I'd made it in time (sigh).
While I was at the main terminal, I decided to buy a 7-day bus pass for next week. I didn't buy the monthly pass yet because I want to continue testing the waters. I grabbed the pass, signed the receipt and headed for the same bus that services my area in the morning. And I'm off.
My main concern on the ride home was getting off before it rained. I was prepared with my heavy duty rain coat but the quarter of a mile walk I had ahead of me I wasn't looking forward to. And then...one drop, two drop, several drops! Shucks! Now, the walk home seems more like five miles.
Since it was raining you can imagine how quickly I wanted to get home. Thank goodness I had my running shoes on. While I did get rained on, I was fortunate to escape the torrential downpour that followed just minutes later.
Monday, June 2, 2008
$140
That's how much it takes to fill up my SUV twice a month.
Totally disgusted with the pricey pumps, I found a way to cut my transportation budget by more than half.
The magic number? 44.
It only takes $44 to purchase a LYNX monthly bus pass. After seeing a ton of buses cruise through downtown, I decided to try it out for myself.
Of course, I had to mentally prepare for this journey.
I need to plan and execute. I got my mind around the date of starting on June 1, and off I go.
I got up at 5:30 a.m., and for me, that's super duper early! Ironically, I felt wide awake and refreshed. I made sure to go to sleep at 10 p.m. the night before, and turned off my phone to make sure I wasn't distracted. This is definitely a total lifestyle change.
I took my shower, brushed my teeth, washed my face, fixed breakfast and I was off.
I made sure to bring my friend, the iPod with me. It lets me keep to myself on the bus. I learned a trick from using mass transit in big cities: Avoid eye contact at all times.
The bus arrived two minutes late, at 7:20 a.m., and to my surprise, there were a lot of people on the bus. I think at my stop alone, there were eight people.
The bus arrived two minutes late and to my surprise, there were a lot of people on the bus already. I think at my stop alone, there were eight people. I paid $2 because I didn't have exact change ($1.75 per way) and the machine doesn't spit out change. I found a seat relatively close to the front -- mainly so I could see where I'm going.
From the observation deck, the bus riders were pretty diverse -- everyone from students, to nurses, to city employees to people working at the theme parks were all hitching a ride on this chariot. I think I stood out, though, because I was dressed up in a pant suit.
My first bus arrived at the depot and then I hopped over to my second bus with my transfer ticket. Before I know it I'm out of the terminal and in front of News 13.
I jumped off and strolled into work 10 minutes before 8 a.m. That gave me time to visit the "Greene" room to curl my hair and put on my makeup--now I'm ready to face the cameras.
On the way back home, I made sure to have exact change, since riding the bus is supposed to be a money saving measure. I walked about a third of a mile to my stop.
Due to rush hour traffic, my new limo was a little late. When I walked on, I was surprised to see how many people decided to catch my same bus home -- there was standing room only!
I was lucky enough to spot a seat near the front. Still a little unsure of the route, I waited and watched to see where it dropped off its passengers. Slowly people trickled off the bus and within 30 minutes I was home.
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