It’s raining today. I hate taking the bus when it rains. Sometimes I think it would be better to walk to 2 miles to work, in the pouring rain, than ride the bus. It is not SEPTA’s fault that more people bus it when it rains, and that those passengers are rude.

It amazes me that some people think it is a good idea to place their soaking wet umbrellas on the cloth covered seats next to them. This leads to much surprise when unsuspecting travelers then sit down.

Soggy bottoms and cranky SEPTA riders do not make for a good combination.

Any suggestions for eliminating this problem? I wonder if things like umbrella stands or slots under seats would make for fewer occurances of “walking into work with a wet butt” syndrome.

I would imagine that most people, especially those taking public transit often, or even every day, would know by now how SEPTA buses work. Even those ignorant or taking a bus for the first time should be able to read.

There is a bold sign above the rear door that’s rather hard to miss, as it’s usually eye level to someone waiting to exit the bus. This sign reads something like “wait for lights, doors open when bus stops”. Sometimes the opening is not immediate, and the lights linger for a few seconds before the doors actually open.

However, in the morning on my way to work, at each bus stop, someone feels the need to scream “Yo! Back door!” at the driver, sometimes even before the bus has come to a complete stop. Occasionally someone will also bang on the doors, attempting to push them open, also while yelling at the driver. Why, even the other day, I had a gentleman proclaim “back door!” for me!

Ordinarily I am not a patient person, but I’ve learned the way the buses work. I can wait the four seconds between the lights going on and the rear doors opening.

And, in the event that the driver didn’t realize I requested a stop (as often happens when the bus aisle is crowded and the view of the doors are blocked), I just exit the bus at the next stop. It’s never killed me to walk that extra block!

I was excited when my workplace closed at 3:45. I thought I would take a nice early train home, have something warm and relax. The trolley was fairly painless, but 30th street was madness. I heard from people seated nearby that the prior train on our line refused passengers at 30th because it was too full. When the next arrived it only had two cars. People jammed in like I’ve never seen before. Sardines would be an understatement. I’m not much of a pusher, so I ended up with one foot on the platform and one in the train when the conductor told us we would have to get inside or wait for the next one as she was not allowed to let us stand in the back vestibule. Then, at the last second, she relented and let three of us stay.

The view is great with windows on three sides, and this turned out to be quite the advantage. We stopped just before the first station and let a few trains pass, then news came of a frozen switch. We went up to the station, on the wrong track. Then an another conductor came back and they drove the train in reverse all the way back to the bridge over the Schuylkill. Having an up front view while going backwards in a snow and ice storm was more than a little exciting, and made up for the wait.

That said, the train left 30th street around 4:30, and I just got in. It’s about 6:00 now, and I can’t feel my toes yet.

Most people know that I am a big defender of the SEPTA system—not their management or their drivers’ lovely people skills, but definitely their routes and buses. One thing I’ll never understand is the lack of printed timetable schedules on buses.

Yesterday morning, while waiting for the bus to get to work, an older gentleman asked me if I knew when the bus would come. Coincidentally, I had a schedule on me. I took it out of my bag and gave it to him, so he would also know when to get his return bus. We got to talking about routes and schedules, and he mentioned that he often sees the schedule slots on the buses empty. I’ve noticed this as well, but also it seems that when there are schedules on the bus, they are for a completely different route, e.g. Route 56 schedules on the 12.

So what’s up with that?

Has anyone ever picked up a bus schedule for that route while actually on that bus route?

If you’re an animal lover it’s best you don’t read Willa Rohrer’s column in the latest Philadelphia Weekly. In fact, you may want to stop reading this post right now. Rohrer starts by describing a horrific scene on the R8 line (which happens to be my commuter line as well), and then drops it to talk about the riders and scenery instead. This wouldn’t bother me if the initial paragraphs were not quite so heart-rending.
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This Sunday marks the 100 year anniversary of the El. In celebration, all rides on the Market-Frankford line will be FREE from noon to 5:00 PM. SEPTA will also host a public reception from 2-3:30 in their headquarters at 1234 Market Street. For a detailed history, and a list of who will be who at the reception, see here.

I have a few rail commuter gripes to throw about. First, to the people who wait just inside the platform doors at 30th Street Station. Yes, it is cold out. Wait downstairs where it’s warm or wait outside in the cold. Standing right behind the inward-opening doors blocks the way for passengers making their way to and from their trains. Furthermore, don’t you dare give out nasty looks to those who actually open the doors and go outside. That’s how we get to the train. If you’re standing right behind it, yes, the door will bump you.

Secondly, to parents with uncontrolled small children on the train. No, it is not cute when they stand up despite repeated warnings from the conductor to sit down. It is also very much not cute when they kick or pound on the seats in front of them, nor when they turn around to take tickets and passes to play with and chew on.
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Yes! It’s finally happened! After working out in the far-off lands of Bucks County for over two years, my dream to once again work in the city has been realized.

Living in the city and working in the suburbs can be very hectic indeed, especially when one must drive to work (see also my SEPTA Biking posts, part 1 and part 2) and no other options at the time seem feasible. Now it will be a matter of: walk or bus?

This also leads to more checkmarks in the “pro” column of my de-car dilemma spreadsheet, so the adventures of getting rid of my car will once again continue!

Tonight, Matt and I went down to Old City to see Headlong for First Friday, using the subway to cover the main distance between home and the show.

We meant to take SEPTA home, too, but as we were pulling out of the 5th St. station, the driver’s voice came over the intercom:

“I’m having some trouble with the train, but I’ll do my best to get us to 69th St.”

The train lurched and sputtered and I have never had a three lock ride feel quite as epically long as the distance traversed tonight between 5th and 8th Streets. Where we got off to catch a cab, because I lean towards claustrophobia and no way in HELL am I getting myself stuck underground on a busted subway train.

Yesterday afternoon I was walking east on Walnut Street when I spotted a #12 bus heading west. The screen on the front of the bus said all the normal things, identifying which bus line it was and where it was going. But then it flashed to another message. It said, “Don’t Forget to Vote.” With less than two weeks until election day, that driver was providing an excellent public service. I would have given anything to have had a camera handy in that moment to capture that reminder. If anyone spots that bus, let us know!