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www.mybaycity.com September 2, 2005
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THREE BUCKS A GALLON!

With gas prices out of sight, there's always the bus!

September 2, 2005       Leave a Comment
By: Stephen Kent

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$3.00 a gallon got you down?How will $3.50 feel? $4.00? FIVE DOLLARS A GALLON? Nobody knows if things will go that far, but people now whisper it with a real fear that it could happen.

Prices like that can certainly put a damper on thethought of a late summer drive to the lake, not to speak of a long vacation trip. But when you think about it, the real impact of those prices is not on the highway miles. Lots of cars get 15 miles per gallon on the highway. Many get over 20 on the highway. What kills you is the city driving where 8 MPG is not uncommon.

So how does 35 mpg in the city sound? What about 70 mpg? How aboutgetting that and keeping your present car?

The trick to getting that mileage is to share the cost. If two peoplecarpool to work the gas mileage per person doubles. Four people, fourtimes the mileage.

While carpools work well for regularly scheduled trips to work andschool, they break down for those unscheduled trips to the store or the mall or the doctor. The only way to "carpool" those trips is to use good old mass transit.

Because personal cars are so common, people tend to forget mass transit these days. Almost every family has more than one car and many families have one for Mom, one for Dad and one for each teenager.Nobody thinks about leaving the car at home and taking the bus.


Now may the the time to think again. With gas prices at or above $3.00 per gallon, and with the hurricane disaster threatening gas supplies, youmay be forced to think again.

What you may not have thought about is that Bay City has a truly greatmass transit system. Stop to think about it and you realize that yousee Bay Metro busses all over town. One may come down your own street, and do it regularly and frequently.

So, do you know how to ride the bus?

That may sound like a silly question, but in fact many people don't know how to ride the bus. They don't know the schedules, don't know the routes, don't even know that any trip cost just 80 cents, and they don't know if you need correct change.

To get us up to speed we visited with Mike Stoner, General Manager of Bay Metro Transit, and asked a few questions.

(We should note that Mike has a great sense of humor. Some of his answers probably deserve a smile or a wink.)

MBC.com First things first, Mike. A ride is 80 cents. Do you have to have correct change.

MS Our drivers don't carry change so, yes, you need correct change. On the other hand we're happy to take a dollar bill and the contribution of 20 cents.

MBC.com Where do the Bay Metro buses actually run?

MS Just about everywhere! No resident of Bay City is more than 3 blocks from a bus route. Even outside the city, in places like Essexville, Hampton Twp, and Bangor Twp, about 60% of the people live within 3 blocks of a bus route.

MBC.com Is it possible to travel beyond the Bay City area

MS Yes, but why would you want to!     Actually, Bay Metro provides regular bus service toplaces like Delta College, SVSU, Linwood, Pinconning, Auburn and Standish. Connections can also be made with the Midland and Saginaw transit systems.

MBC.com When do the buses start running in the morning?

MS Not early enough for some folks. They begin just before 7:00 a.m. and run until about 6:00 p.m.

MBC.com How do I actually catch a bus?

MS The easiest way is to stand at a bus stop sign. Eventually, a bus will pass by. Most routes run every 45 minutes soa bus should be at that location no less than every 45 minutes. You can wave a bus down at any safe location as well even if there is no sign. Try to remember to make eye contact with the bus driver. Sticking out your thumb like a hitch-hiker also works. Better yet, look at a bus schedule.

MBC.com Is there somewhere I can go to see what the bus schedules are?

MS Yes. Bay Metro has a website www.baymetro.comwhich lists all route schedules.

MBC.com If I'm not good at reading a bus schedule [and who is?] is there someoneI can call for help?

MS Yes. The Bay Metro dispatch office is open from 6:00am until 6:00 pm. If you call 894-2900, ext 201, someone will be able to help you.

MBC.com What if I get lost or get on the wrong bus?

MS Getting lost in Bay City is not like getting lost in Brooklyn. The bus drivers, and the other passengers on the bus, will be glad to assist you with your trip. Every Bay Metro bus is equipped with a two-way radio so the driver is in continuous contact with the dispatcher. You will be in safe hands.

MBC.com We've seen big city busses. Is it scary to ride a Bay Metro bus?

MS Only if senior citizens, disabled individuals and small children frighten you. Those folks make up 90% of the riders of the local bus system and they are always happy to meet new people. By the third day of riding, you will be fast friends with your fellowpassengers and you'll probably have been invited to someone's upcomingbirthday party the following week.

MBC.com If it's so good, why don't more people use the local public transitsystem?

MS Some questions have no good answer.


Want to see your city in a new way?
Take a ride!
Park the car, flag down a bus and ride the route. It'll take about an hourand the bus will bring you back to where you started. It'll be 80 cents well spent!




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Stephen Kent

Steve Kent and his family have lived in Bay City for 40 years. He is VP of Technical Services at MMCC which produces MyBayCity.Com. Kent is active in many Bay City civic organizations.

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