jilleduffy1d ago

I'd like to take this opportunity to remind everyone, especially Americans, that you can travel by train, bus, or ferry. And there are a couple of good apps that help you find routes, times, and prices

https://www.wired.com/story/skip-the-tsa-line-where-to-find-travel-by-bus-train-and-boat/

Skip the TSA Line: Where to Find Travel by Bus, Train, and Boat

These apps and websites find bus, train, and ferry tickets when you want more options than flying to your destination.

WIRED
Show threadjilleduffy
Americans' distaste for bus travel is truly classist, and I hate it and will do everything in my power to turn it around
Mar 31 at 3:53amWeb
Show threadjilleduffy1d ago
The last time I was in the U.S., I took a train from Buffalo to Syracuse and a bus from Ithaca to New York. Both journeys were smooth, inexpensive, quiet, and I only had to show up about 20 minutes before departing.
Show threadTransitBiker1d ago
@jilleduffy empire corridor service is amazing. I just wish they could expand a bit. There are proposals, however!
Show threadDavid H. McCoy1d ago

@jilleduffy

Agree with you regarding the train. Absolutely fantastic!

Bus was no fun.☹️

Show threadjilleduffy1d ago
@davidhmccoy Maybe you just need to sit near me. I usually bring donuts!
Show threadPrincess Serena Star ✨1d ago
@jilleduffy I don't think it's distaste... I think it's stigma.
The idea of "only broke people who can't afford a car", "high crime / dangerous", and then the true idea of "outside of major cities, bus and other transit service usually sucks in America"
Show threadjilleduffy1d ago
@Starcross Agree. You put it much better than I did
Show threadARGVMI~1.PIF1d ago

@Starcross

My objection to public transit is that, in the suburb where I live, it takes forever to get to your destination that way. Like, 3× as long.

Otherwise I suppose I'd use it more often.

I also wonder how exactly one would carry a week's groceries on a bus. That's enough to fill a car's entire trunk, and it's heavy too. Even if I had a big cart to carry it with, wouldn't the size of it offend other bus riders?

@jilleduffy

Show threadARGVMI~1.PIF1d ago

@Starcross

I've heard some people say that they visit the grocery store every day instead of every week, and that's how they get around the problem of carrying a lot of groceries on a bus. I guess they use a baby-stroller-sized cart then, which would fit comfortably on a bus.

But that would take even more time, because now you incur the extra travel time 7× as often.

Maybe that'd be okay if people only worked 4 hours a day and had plenty of free time, but they sadly don't.

@jilleduffy

Show threadjilleduffy10h ago
@argv_minus_one @Starcross My article was about long-haul buses, like journeys from one city to another. The day-to-day bus, yeah, I know. I grew up in a US suburban city, and the bus only went through town like three times a day! I lived probably a mile from a bus stop. So not at all convenient or easy or accessible
Show threadjilleduffy10h ago
@argv_minus_one I think the biggest difference between city living and suburban/rural is how often you shop and how much you keep at home. In big cities, I never have more than maybe 4 rolls of toilet paper and 2 rolls of paper towels in the house. I'm in an apartment! There isn't space! Also, I can buy fruit, vegetables, bread on my way home at any time. Stores are all close. In the suburbs and rural areas, it makes more sense to buy a lot at once and store it at home.
Show threadARGVMI~1.PIF10h ago

@jilleduffy

That reminds me of another problem: buying only a little toilet paper or paper towels is more expensive. The price per square foot/meter is higher for smaller packages.

But you need a car to carry the big packages. They're barely even possible to carry, let alone carry on a bus.

Show threadjilleduffy4h ago

@argv_minus_one The few cents more per paper towel is made up for 1,000 times by not having to pay for a car payment, gas, insurance, oil changes…

When I first became an adult, I had a car for a little while because I needed to get to a job that was too far away. So I looked for a job more central in the city, and when I got one, I moved to the city. Then I got rid of the car. An easy $500 more per month in my pocket.

Show threadARGVMI~1.PIF1h ago

@jilleduffy

Yeah, that's true. Cars are expensive.