Riding public transportation can be daunting for the first time rider. Crowded buses, an eternal number of stops, and subway stations so crowded with people it feels like you're gonna fall off the platform. So many subway lines, so many bus routes, how do you manage them all? Luckily for you, I take public transportation on a daily basis, and I have some tips for you.

Plan Ahead

If you're going somewhere new for the first time on public transportation, planning ahead is a very smart idea. Any planning information you need can probably be found with a quick Google search and it'll save a lot of commuter's headaches later on. Knowing how much the fare is and figuring out the best route to your destination are great things to know before you get on the bus or train.

Be mindful of others

Be aware of your surroundings. Let people with babies and the elderly on the bus before you and make sure that their seating area is free. They have extra issues compared to you or I, so showing the respect that you'd expect is just a nice gesture. Another way to stay mindful is to make sure you get as far into the bus or train car as possible, especially if you're getting off at or near the last stop. New people have to get on the vehicle, and if fifteen people are all crowding at the front of the bus when the rest of the bus is empty just makes things more difficult. Making sure you take up as little space as possible when standing or sitting is a great way to stay courteous on board too.

Respect the rules

Making sure you know your public transportation authority's rules can be as important as knowing the law in some cases. For example, on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), which services Boston and its suburbs, you cannot deny a person a free seat, even if there are dozens of other seats open. Making sure your stuff is not on a seat that's not your own can get you out of a bunch of arguments. Now I don't expect you to know every rule for the bus and train but the basic ones posted on the vehicle are usually the most important, so keep your eyes peeled for them.

Please & Thank you

Now I understand that it's unrealistic to expect everyone to speak the same language on the bus, especially if you're in a large city, but if you know the language, a good old fashion "please and thank you" goes far. In general, I can't tell you how much it aggravates me when someone doesn't say "please" or "thank you" when I do something out of my way for someone in public. It's not that I think that giving up my seat for you was a waste of time, but I would say thank you to someone who gave up their seat for me. Not saying please or thank you can be disrespectful and rude, so you should probably say it incase you're fellow passengers finds it rude too.

In high school, I remember hearing some of my fellow classmates saying that they were afraid to ride public transportation. Now I’m not sure why they were afraid, but if they were afraid about messing up or getting lost, they shouldn’t have been afraid. More likely than not, people will be willing to help you through your troubles as long as you’re kind and courteous. You will be surprised how much farther you can get in situations just be remembering your manners.

Now, I don’t want you to have too extreme of an opinion on public transportation. It’s not heaven, and it’s not hell, it’s something a little bit more in between. There are kind people on board, and there are mean ones, and you’ll have to deal with both kinds of people many times in many places in life. But overall, when you think that more people are kind than mean, and you carry on your life with a respectful attitude, you can get what you want and you can conquer the bus. Being a smarter rider is a lot simpler than you may have first thought.