Mass transport is often less enjoyable than using your own vehicle to get where you have to go. Whether it be a car, a bike, or using your feet, not having to deal with other travelers is always nicer. If you read my last article about “Riding the NYC Subway” then you already know how I feel about the train service that runs underneath New York City. Riding the bus is much more enjoyable than riding the subway, but it still has its negatives.
The bus would appeal to most people because of its convenience and its cost. Compared to taking the train into the city, its a few dollars less, which adds up over time if you are a daily commuter like I am. It also runs to and from the city every 20 minutes and picks up only a few miles away from my house. For me, it is a no brainer to take the bus.
For me, the ride to the city always takes about an hour. This depends on how fast the bus driver drives. Faster drivers can bring me to my destination almost an entire 10 minutes earlier than the time posted on the bus service’s website. The regular driver usually gets me to the stop late by a minute or two.
The advantage of taking the bus from my location is that there is a lane leading up to the Lincoln Tunnel specifically for buses. The result is that no matter how much traffic there is leading up to the tunnel in the morning and afternoon, we always get right in without any hassle. The only detriment to progress is the traffic that occasionally occurs on the way home.
My main issue with taking the bus is having to sit next to people. The bus in the morning and the bus in the afternoon are both usually packed with people. Usually, there are only a few seats with only one person by the time the bus departs.
To combat this, I have developed a strategy to ensure I sit alone nearly every trip on the way there and on the way back.
When I sit down in my seat, I position myself in the seat on the inside of the bus. The row seat of whichever side I decide to sit on. I put my bag into other seat in the double. To look as uninviting as possible I will pretend to sleep, and spread my body into the other seat of the double.
This helps because people feel bad asking me to move over or to come into my double because they don’t want to wake me up and they don’t want me to have to sit with my bag on my lap. This plan is not always foolproof, but a majority of the trips I am able to sit alone.
The bus has its positives and negatives, but overall, I would choose the bus over the train or driving any day of the week.
