The idea of the BU bus is phenomenal. Free transportation for college students around their college campus, to the medical campus, and even almost to Newbury Street sounds amazing. There is even an app for the iPhone with the bus schedule readily available. All of these things would be very helpful, especially when we are rapidly approaching a classic Boston winter.

If only it worked.

Yes, the bus schedule is on an app for you, and there is a live map of where the buses are. So you would think that the system would work. However, you are sadly mistaken.

The bus RARELY follows the schedule on the app. And the tracking is somewhat accurate, but when the bus gets to the stop you are waiting at, it is most likely about to go out of service or be jam-packed. Then you are left to walk, probably late for whatever class or meeting you needed to be at 10 minutes ago.

There have been innumerable times when I planned my schedule around the bus. It took me a few times to learn not to trust it, but now that I have learned not to, I strongly advise you to NEVER plan your schedule around the BU bus.

I'll repeat. NEVER plan your schedule around the BU bus.

The bus will only become harder to use as we get closer and closer to winter. The Green Lne is more reliable than the BU Bus. The Green Line! And anyone who knows anything about Boston must know how horrible the BU Bus must have to be for that to be the case. The only time you can ever catch the bus is if you are standing outside waiting for 30 minutes, or you just get lucky and are able to randomly catch a bus.

But don’t count on it.