CONSIDER: Transit bae essentials
All you need for cultivating your pedestrian & transit-oriented lifestyle!
A few years ago I started dabbling in taking the bus— mostly to events where driving would be inconvenient (due to parking/drinking). I wanted to ride the bus more to reduce my own car dependence, to cultivate community, and to support CDTA, our local transit system— an essential service for those without a car, that I can support by using (like the library!).
Soon after I started, my then-employer joined CDTA’s “Universal Access” program, which gave me the new benefit of a free-to-me unlimited bus pass. I started taking the bus more, but still sporadically. I would document some of my rides on social media, proclaiming myself Transit bae!1 I’m proud to say the term quickly entered the vernacular of my friendships. I love the texts they send when riding the bus with the enthusiastic caption “transit bae-ing!”.
This fall I changed jobs, but I still have an unlimited “Navigator” (now at a discount instead of free) thanks to an agreement between CDTA and New York State. Since the bitter cold & ice of this winter has subsided, I’ve gotten fully into my Transit bae groove. Being a transit bae isn’t terribly difficult, but a little bit of planning ensures success! If you want to use your local public transportation more, consider the essentials below to help you get started.2
To lay the right foundation:
Set realistic transit goals. Saying “I’m going to take the bus to work everyday from now on!” sounds nice, but if you’re used to driving, or keep a really full schedule, you may quickly feel like you’ve failed. Instead, suss out what can realistically work for you. Maybe you take the bus every Tuesday (#transitTuesday!) because your only commitment on Tuesdays is going to work? Or do you aim for one day a week, but change which one based on each week’s schedule? Do you opt to use the bus when running errands on the weekend when you might have more free time and can bring the kids? The bus will usually take longer than driving (and that is OK!), so it is important to employ right effort from the start to build in that extra time to make it work!
Know how to ride the bus. Every transit system is a bit different. You may need exact change if using cash, to sign up for a physical bus card, download an app & load it with funds, or (if you’re very fortunate) use tap to pay. If you are in the Capital Region, you can find fare info for CDTA here (or message me to get started). And like I said, I had a free bus card from one employer, and a steeply discounted one with the next— so seek out if there are similar options available to you!
Plan your route. Check out the routes and schedules nearest to you. Be prepared to walk a little! And also plan back up routes. “Ghost buses,” a bus that is scheduled, but never comes, are real— so anticipate it happening from time to time, and be less annoyed by it.
Transit bae must-haves:
Shoes. You want shoes that feel good to walk in (and at times for sprinting-for-the-bus!), inclement weather-friendly options, and depending on what shoes you wear at work, you may start to carry a second pair/keep a work-appropriate pair at the office.
A transit bae-worthy bag. Ease arrived when I started using a backpack instead of a tote bag for my transit days. But, you may only need a cross-body bag, or fanny pack, or maybe no bag at all! The best option seems to be one that you can hang on the body hands-free, but have good little zipped pockets for accessing your bus pass, phone, keys, etc while on the move.
A smartphone. Sigh. Here is the thing— I lived in New York City when smartphones were brand new. Before I got one I had my flip phone… my Moleskine Journey City Notebook of NYC… my iPod… my corded headphones... and my Metrocard (nearly obsolete now in NYC). It was a lot to manage! A smartphone provides your favorite map app (Google Maps is good about showing bus stops, routes, and schedules; add the Public Transit layer), you may use it to pay your bus fare, you can listen to your favorite music/podcasts/meditations, have a camera for taking #transitbae selfies to show your friends, Lyft/Uber as back up, and a smartphone gives you the ability to connect with:
Bluetooth headphones. Ok. I am a bit of a Luddite. I only started using Bluetooth headphones last year when my sister gave me a pair. If you can believe it I was all cords up until then— I do not miss the tangle! You may find you like an earbud, or prefer a bigger Beats by Dre type. But, a best practice no matter what? Keep one ear open. With the earbuds only put in one, with a headset be sure one side is knocked far enough off your ear that you can hear. Shit sometimes goes DOWN on the bus. It is important to stay aware of your surroundings, just in case.
Hand sanitizer. It is wonderful to mingle with humanity, truly, but it is not wonderful to have a constant cold! I always use sani’ after I hop off the bus. This one is my favorite.
Small umbrella, raincoat, sunnies, cool pins for your jacket/bag, sticker/button promoting your favorite political candidate, bus pass holder… There will be things that help you to successfully Transit bae more & more. I swap the above in & out depending on the weather or time of year (yay election season!). The pins/buttons/stickers can all be ways to make a statement. When taking public transit you are a little walking billboard— lean into it! I love wearing my VOTE, Capital Streets, and Jane Jacobs Walk Albany pins, and happy to share information about them when fellow riders ask!
Last but not least:
Bus friends! Inevitably you will either start to run into existing friends, or make new friends/acquaintances while taking the bus regularly. Embrace it! And don’t be afraid to set/respect a boundary if you don’t always want to engage with your pals. Need a quiet ride? Just say so.
Trying to wean off driving can be a little uncomfortable at first, but I have found that the more I choose transit momentum to keep choosing it builds. I find new ways to choose walking or taking the bus over getting into my car. The other thing I personally love about riding the bus is the New York vibe I get from it. Besides my time studying abroad in Paris, I first started relying entirely on public transit when I moved to New York City. Riding the bus always stimulates my NYC nostalgia— I love seeing all the people getting on and off, the fun outfits, seeing what books people are reading, watching them smile or laugh at their phones, and I love standing up (because my stop is next), holding on to the rails & bouncing with the rhythm of the bus the way I used to do on the subway.
Hope to see you on the bus soon!
xoxo Transit bae
RESOURCES
Capital District Transportation Authority
Capital Region Transportation Council
“bae” is an acronym meaning “before anyone else,” a term of endearment for our most important love; it can also be used as a way to cutely describe someone.
NOTE: I live in a small, vibrant city with a great (and ever improving) transit system; transit bae-ing may be more difficult where you live, but I encourage you to find out: where is your nearest bus stop? Where does the bus go? Would it ever make sense to ride it? Can you walk more places? Or carpool? The overall goal is to rely less on a car.
You're always my transit bae inspo!
I too have felt NYC vibes after ripin' the cord and waiting for my stop. CDTA is a good, and forgiving, city system to practice on for more challenging transit systems in major metro areas.