We talk about going green, but what if you could go green while saving some green? Have you ever thought about taking the bus to work? Watch a first-hand account of how convenient and easy it is.
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Multiple days during the workweek, you can find Carla Snyder, program coordinator, Office of Health Professions Education, and Bobbi Shook, parking attendant, UNMC, on the 92 Express bus that travels from West Omaha to downtown. It’s a convenient option, as both live in towns west of Omaha.
Snyder and Shook park at Village Pointe, where the bus picks up them and other passengers and heads east. A few blocks east, LaTisha Rankin, occupational therapist, joins Snyder and Shook by getting on at another bus stop along Dodge Street.
The three have become better acquainted with each other over the months of starting to take the bus to work. In between conversation on the bus, they’ll read a book, catch up on emails, play a game on their phones or just enjoy some quiet time before their workday begins.
If you have ever been curious about riding the bus, there’s nothing to lose and more to gain. Learn more about the benefits of TravelSmart busing, including how to get a free bus pass to utilize the service.
Since MAT changed their routes a few years ago, Instead of the two blocks I used to walk to catch the bus on Western, I would now have to walk three-quarters of a mile to Dodge Street! Not happening in Nebraska winters and summers. And yet there is a push for streetcars of quite limited range costing millions so that people can barhop more easily between midtown and downtown.
Ditto of what Dr. Walburn said.
I would LOVE to ride the bus! Perhaps canvassing the UNMC & NEMED community to determine level of interest & mapping their locales would be helpful? Seems easy to accomplish.
The #15 is nearly a straight shot to and from work for me. I can catch a bus a block from my house and about two blocks from the College of Public Health. It and would be super convenient if our transit system was more reliable. In fact, I've given up on using it. I've experienced cranky drivers, drivers who don't stop at posted stops because they don't like where the stop is (resulting in me having to cross traffic to catch it), incorrect information on MAT's website, buses that arrive early and/or late, and drivers who disembark without a word or explanation. My excursions could be on Candid Camera! I do believe Melanie Stewart does a great job of listening to issues and contacting MAT to mitigate, but I didn't really experience better results. Hopefully the bus can be a great option for others.
The bus stop nearest my house would be close to a 4 block walk for me. Then, over 45 mintues to ride to a bus stop at work where I'd have to walk a couple blocks again. I can drive and be here in just over 10 minutes, depending on if I catch lights or not. It saves nothing for me!
Thanks for the information, unfortunately the bus would cost me an additional 1.5 hr travel time instead of 15 to 20 mins one way. But I was glad I could check and see if was an option.
Despite my own trials and errors with riding the bus, I am back to commuting to work with Metro about three time a week. I take line 15. Though the stop is more than a few blocks from my house, I park my car up the road, near a middle school where I get on the bus most morning. Taking the bus has helped me arrive to work less stressed, and has allowed me to listen to audio books, catch up on e-mail, or just relax while I am chauffeured to work. Yes, there have been numerous occasions in the past where the bus would not show up at all on my return trip home, or when it was nearly 20 minutes late and almost time for the next one to arrive. These experiences , though frustrating, were opportunities for making a call to Metro's customer support line while I was waiting. By calling and making our voices heard we can bring about improvements and hold drivers accountable. Things have gotten much better over the last couple years, and I don't intend on giving up on helping improve and advocate Omaha's public transit system.