RTD Experience

My car began a bit of stuttering when I pushed on the brake so I took my 2000 Subaru Outback to the "doctor" for a "physical." Not having a ride, I decided to ride the Regional Transportation District bus service after leaving my car at the "hospital."

I walked a block and a half and thought about how strange it is being on foot and not in a car.  The cars look so much bigger, they make more noise and I had to depend on a small button on a metal post to change the light so I could walk across a street. At the bus stop I saw an overflowing trashcan, six grocery store carts, and some wooden benches.  As I sat and waited, the cars seemed to all be speeding as they almost seemed to want to blow my baseball cap off my head with the breeze they caused.  The noise of tires on the pavement was extremely loud and constant. I had to push my Shuffle to the highest level to hear the music. I kept thinking that if one car veered from the road and headed for the bus stop, that would be the end of any waiting bus rider.

Finding a good bus driver can be as

important as finding a good musician.

Reba McEntire

The bus arrived and I found out that the fare for Seniors was $1.10. Digging in my purse, I found enough change to drop into the glass box by the driver.  Before I could find a seat, the bus lurched and was off to the next stop.  Luckily I was holding on to the silver pole and managed to sit down. From the back of the bus I heard a woman's voice yell:  "You are going too fast."

Bus driver:  We are running late.

Woman:  That is no reason to drive like a maniac. You almost knocked the lady down. (I guess I was the lady she was referring to.)

Bus driver:  We are already supposed to be at our next stop!"

Woman:  We may never get there because the way you are driving we could all be killed.

The bus driver slowed down to what felt like ten miles an hour.  As we creeped along the woman yelled again, "Now you are acting like a child."

Bus driver: It doesn't matter what I do, there are always complaints. If I go fast you complain and now I slowed down and you are still complaining.

Woman: Grow up!

The bus driver resumed what I would guess was a normal speed and we arrived at our stop where he proceeded to wash the windshield,  inside and out.  We must have had some time to spare if he had time to clean his windshield.

Riding RTD is an experience because one never knows what will be seen or heard on a bus but it does get one from point A to point B.

A bus is a vehicle that runs

twice as fast when you are

after it as when you are in it.
Author Unknown