Waiting for public transportation
27 Oct. 2014 – Over the past three days, I have spent hours waiting for the bus. There have been at least three buses that I waited for an hour each time for the bus to arrive at the bus stop. While I think that taking the bus is essential in Malta – both for pollution and for health reasons – and I enjoy watching people and talking to those I meet at the bus stop (which might make me the crazy guy at the bus stop…), waiting for hours is not everyone’s cup of tea.
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Of course, no amount of complaining will help fix the bus situation. Drivers cannot help the traffic they encounter or the number of passengers that they have to make change for. Nor can they help the actually scheduling of the bus system. Until the Maltese institute a GPS, real time bus tracking system, riders are going to be left to the vagaries of buses being early or late and not stopping for whatever reason.
That means that a rider’s satisfaction has to come from within, and in the current climate, the solution has to come from the rider. Here are some suggestions: Know your options – It is hard to know which buses go where unless you have done your homework or you ask the bus driver. If you are at a bus stop, asking the driver means flagging down every bus that comes by. It is kind of frowned upon to flag down the wrong bus unless it is done entirely by accident. Make the transfer – sometimes waiting for the next direct bus is not the best move. If you know you can get on a bus that will get to a transfer point, you may be able to cut precious minutes out of your trip. That means coordinating different buses, but larger transfer points will offer more options. Get on the right road – If you are intent on taking a bus that goes direct, it might help to get on a road that goes directly to your destination. Roundabouts are everywhere in Malta. There is a good likelihood that the bus will make an unexpected turn and take its riders on a tour of Birkirkara or elsewhere before arriving at the destination. However, getting on the right road could cut down on missed opportunities. Learn to walk – Whether you are used to having a car or transportation that runs on time every five to 15 minutes, it might be time to learn to walk. That may mean walking to a bus stop that is farther away but offers more bus options, or it may mean walking to your destination – two kilometers (a little over a mile) should be a doable distance, even if the roads make it a little scary. Learn to wait – This may be the hardest thing for anyone to do. You are going to have to wait. Make use of the time. Read a book. Think about how good life is. Enjoy the beauty of a Mediterranean winter or summer or whatever season. Be in the moment and choose to make the most of it. Know your neighbor – Part of learning to wait may be having the opportunity to talk to someone else at the bus stop. If you are lucky, you are traveling with a friend and you can pass the time talking about anything (eve the lateness of the bus). If you aren’t lucky, you can still strike up a conversation with another bus rider, especially if you are a foreigner. “Do you know which bus goes to the…?” is a great opening question. Clearly, the bus system can be improved (the People Mover would work awesome here). However, those who are at the mercy of the current bus system need to develop some coping mechanisms to make the travel more enjoyable. After all, it isn’t about the destination but the journey. And part of every journey is the wait. |
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