I've got problems and more gloves

Sometimes I like to ride the transit bus. It gives me some down time, time to evaluate myself and my problems. I've got problems and riding the bus gives me time to try to find, and ask for, solutions. I rarely talk to the other bus people but sometimes someone wants to …

"I just like to have FUN" guy

So the other day I was riding the 11. It was rush hour, probably around 5 p.m., so as you can imagine, the bus was fairly full. We were nearing the MIA when a man got on the bus. At first I thought he was vision impaired because he had on sunglasses and I could see he …

If you're that unwell

If you've ever been pregnant, you know how in the last few weeks you start to move slower and slower and slower. The six blocks between my house and the University and Snelling bus stop increase from a five minute walk to a 15 minute walk in the weeks before my son was …

Casualty of a Hit and "Propped Up"

I saw the poor thing on the side of the road near a bus stop, casualty of an over night hit by a car I assumed. About 2 hours later, on another pass down this street on my route, it was "propped up" on the bench. I saw it, and did a double take. I had to pull over and …

Now show me yours

I was heading South on Chicago Ave on the number 5E. It was a pretty full bus, but it looked like the typical crowd from the neighborhood. I was sitting near the front of bus. I needed to unwind after a long day at the office, so I began work on my Sudoku puzzle …

I Had too pee too!

Sometimes, when you have to go....you have to go. And sometimes, it matters little where you are and whom you are around. Such was the case late Tuesday night between the City College and 47th Avenue Stations. (more...)

Enjoying the bar on the bus

On the bus in the middle seat, on the rotating part, there's two seats separated by a metal bar. As it just so happens, a very large man sat down in BOTH seats, with the middle bar wedged in his crotch. He seemed to be enjoying himself very much!

For Madmen Only

The 74 bus pulled up to the curb and opened its doors in welcome. A few steps took me inside to the warmth and familiarity of the same short trip, made many days at the same hour to pick up my kids at school. I paid my fare with a plastic card and took my seat in the …

Campaign or conference call?

This morning, a nice lady got on the (standing room only) bus and was on her cellphone. She said what I assume was her first name "Ginger" and then proceeded to say "Hope" about 50 times, getting louder with each repetition. I imagined two possible scenarios: (more...)

Increased fares and frowns on the faces

Bus fares went up today, putting frowns on the faces of the ridership. There is something that might save money for some and I don't think its widely known. It is possible to buy an Event Pass for $3.50, which is good for six hours and can be used on express buses …

Freeze pops and cell phones

Well last night I was on my way home from work. I was riding the 4 from downtown to the lyn lake area. The bus was going along smoothly until we were near MCTC. A woman was running trying to catch the bus. Lucky for her someone stopped the bus driver, informing him that …

Bad-back woman

I'll just paste the entire email I sent to customer service @ SW Transit this morning as my bus tale. Maybe I'm the one out of line, you decide. (more...)

20 cigarettes before the bus

With ipod in tow, I sat next to the window, shut my eyes and put trust in the driver to get me to work. A little Tripping Billies from DMB Crash album got me to humming a bit. While I did not realize I was a humming, a sharp bump from the bus, opened my eyes to find …

Help, I need somebody

I looked up from my magazine at the noises of consternation erupting throughout the bus . We'd taken a wrong turn. As we looped through a grocery store parking lot, the driver apologized and joked with the people in the front of the bus. Momentarily united, they …

Blazing blue sparkles and an intricate braided hairstyle

If it were not for her saying "Hey Driver!" like the cutest kid could, I would not be writing about how much she made me smile....and how her mother led me to question my faith in humanity. (more...)

Drivers think you're a jerk

This happened at Snelling Garage about fifteen years ago. Each garage has several dispatchers who assign the buses to the drivers and make sure that the work gets covered when a driver gets sick, oversleeps or doesn't make it to work for whatever reason. (more...)

Cell phone sin

My question is less a tale to tell and more a question to pose for busriders. What, if any, are the "bus cell phone rules?"

I'm guessing most of us have encountered a loud bus cellphone talker at some point. The person who blabs on and on in what seems to be an …

Words of wisdom

This morning I got on the 6 going downtown. The bus was slightly more crowded than usual, and I was standing for a little while. When we hit Loring Park, the bus was (obviously) more full, with more glum-looking commuters in the aisle. (more...)

Kittens in a Backpack - a Bus Haiku

Tough boy with shaved head

Holds a backpack on his lap.

The pack is not still.

Two kittens peek out.

He kisses one's head softly,

Then closes the pack.

(more...)

Other people's crazy

I was on the 74 the other day, on my way to downtown STP. A woman got on the bus at W 7th and sat in the first seat, opposite the driver. She began to loudly yell at the bus driver to stop jerking the bus around. (more...)