Megabus travels: A review in story form

Before this past weekend, I had never been to Washington, DC. I've wanted to go so badly, especially since a good friend of mine now lives there, but I kept putting off buying a plane ticket.

Then last fall I read that Megabus was coming to Knoxville and would provide low-price commutes to DC. It seemed too good to be true. Even if it was cheap, it had to be super sketchy, right?

Over time, however, I did hear good things about it, and even saw a friend's photos on Facebook of a trip they took from NYC to DC on the Megabus. One of their statuses read: Megabus, I think I love you, but I want to know for sure.

That was it. I had to know for sure, too.

On January 31, I reserved two tickets on Megabus.com for a trip to DC from February 12 to the 14th. Each reservation cost $16.25, round trip.

This price floored me, but even more uncanny is the fact that if I had booked it sooner in advance, I may have only paid $1 for each reservation.

As my trip neared, I was feeling a little nervous. It calmed me to know that everyone has to book their tickets in advance online, which weeds out the Greyhound types who can walk up to a bus and pay on the spot. (Nothing against the Greyhound types, but you know what I mean.)

So my friend Micah dropped Liz and me off on Church in front of the swanky Transit Center. We had to be there at 10:30pm for our 10:45pm departure, only carrying one bag under 50 lbs. and a small carry on. We got there right at 10:30 and were the last people to board. The bus was already half full, and to my delight, there were lots of college-aged kids, parental types, and the only child was at least ten.


photo by Liz Totten

I pulled out my laptop. The Wi-Fi worked, so I sent my farewell to Robert, who, leading up to our trip, kept telling us a story about someone getting decapitated on a bus and no one noticing. Thanks again for that, Robert.

As you can probably tell, we made it through the night. No one ever tried to decapitate us. We each had two seats and, after watching August Rush that came on the little TV's, we slept in the fetal position. We made a stop for an hour around 1am (why an hour, I'm not sure) and then at the bus stop in Christianburg, VA where we dropped off some people and picked up more. I still had my two seats though.

Our only complaint on the way there was that it was freezing. We put on every item of clothing that we had. Someone on the bus said they were going to ask the driver to turn on the heat, but I never felt any. And in the fetal position on my two seats, part of my body was against the wall of the bus, which was like ice. I did manage to sleep from about 3am to 7am.

At 7am, I woke up to the sun rising past the Washington Monument as we drove over the Potomac River, a scene I won't forget for as long as I live. It was a surreal experience as we drove into the grand, clean, and quiet city that Saturday morning.

Our bus stopped at 10th and H, a block from the China Town Metro Station. Most everyone from the bus bee-lined into the Starbucks that sat directly in front of our parked bus.

So we made it, and we felt good, despite freezing our asses off all night. Liz, in her unceasing optimism, said, "Think of how many calories we burned shivering all night!" That's a good way to look at it, I guess.



So DC was pretty OK. Just kidding. Let's just say, my heart is still there... That doesn't sound overly melodramatic, does it?

But this post isn't about DC.

On Monday it was time to board the bus again. We were a little early this time, but our bus was late, only by about 15 minutes. We did witness a lady who arrived at the departure time (not 15 minutes early) to get on the Megabus to NYC. The bus left her, even though it hadn't pulled away yet. So let her tardiness be a lesson to you. Be there 15 minutes early!

The bus ride back was pretty uneventful. It was during the day, so the need to sleep wasn't necessary. We talked with the man in front of us who works at ORNL who was in DC visiting his son who brews beer. He gave us peanuts.

Our stop on the way home was only 30 minutes, but enough time to eat. The bus was only about 1/4 of the way full this time. I could never get the Wi-Fi to work, which honestly didn't bother me because I get motion sickness easily. Our bus arrived about an hour ahead of schedule, safe and sound. This is typical for most trips. They make good time.

So in conclusion, I highly recommend using the Megabus, unless you are really high maintenance. I'm thinking the more people who use it, the more it will expand. I would love to see it go to Memphis with a stop in Nashville, or to Atlanta. Oh man! The possibilities are endless! And you can be sure if that happens, I will feel comfortable traveling alone.

Megabus, I do love you. I know for sure.

First Friday: August

It's a Friday of the First variety. Maybe, just maybe, we'll get some respite from this awful heat tonight for the First Friday goings on downtown. If you're limiting your FF activity because of the heat, though, might I suggest these four things tonight?

1. The new Knoxville Transit Center is complete, and it's really turned out to be a beautiful building. It's the first LEED-certified (ie green) public building built by the city of Knoxville, and the architect will be on hand tonight to offer tours and discuss the unique features of the building. There's also an art exhibition going on there with works by a variety of artists. The center is on the Church Street bridge that crosses over James White Parkway (ie between downtown and Hall of Fame Dr.) and will be First Fridaying from 5 to 8 p.m.

2. Our very own B is showing again at La Costa this month! I haven't had a chance to see any of her work, but word on the street is it's a bit different than her usual work, so even if you've seen her before at La Costa or Tomato Head, you should make a plan to see her stuff. La Costa's drink specials run from 4 to 7 p.m., and the restaurant is open until 11 p.m.

artwork by b.

3. The Arts & Cultural Alliance is having an art consignment sale in the balcony at the Emporium. Artists and members of the alliance will offer new or gently used artwork, antiques, bric-a-brac, crafts and jewelry for sale. A third of the sales benefit the alliance. Sale will be going on from 5 to 9 p.m. and again on Sunday from 11 to 3 p.m.

4. Ferd Moyse, the fiddler for the Hackensaw Boys and now Knoxville resident, is hosting his own little party at the Visitors' Center/Morelock Music (where he's now working!). Moyse will be jamming with banjoist and songwriter Morgan O'Kane. The party will start at 6 p.m. at the Visitors' Center, where there will be food from The Parlor, and then will migrate down Gay Street to Morelock Music at 8 p.m.

Happy First Fridaying!

beware the buses

So yours truly is typing this sentence in a wheelchair. Never fear, dear readers, I'll be back on two feet in six weeks or so. Pelvises take a while to mend. What happened? I've done got a case of "KAT scratch fever" on Friday.

I was riding my usual bicycle commute to downtown on Western Ave. The traffic was light and I was going fast down a hill. I hear rush of wind and look over my shoulder and a teal KAT bus was RIGHT THERE. Moving fast (over the speed limit) and filling the whole lane we were supposed to be sharing. To avoid getting hit I tried to move as far to the right as I could. With the roar of the engine right beside me I hit the curb, hit an awkward drainage vent, and jackknifed my front wheel. I went flying and hit the street hard, and broke my f'ing pelvis.

I feel fortunate that I didn't get hit. I'm an experienced cyclist and have ridden that route hundreds of times in all weather and traffic. All kind of cars have passed me, some cussing at me, but most doing the right thing. This bus driver, who ought to be one of the best drivers around, dangerously disregarded the rules of the road. Is this a trend?

Let's get this straight: bicycles are allowed on the road. They are legally considered vehicles. Cars (and busses) have to slow down to pass bicycles and give them a three foot buffer zone when they do. If a car can't pass safely, they have to remain behind the bicycle until they can. This is similar to how tractors on the road are treated in rural areas. If you have a problem with the current rules, contact your state representative have them try to change it. Until then, this is the law.


Those of you who drive out there, be careful around cyclists- especially Downtown. One feature of our recent urbanization is that there are are more people using bicycles to get around our town than ever before. So please watch out for us.

And for those of you who are bicycling out there to get to work, go to a show, or do your errands- don't let your guard down. Even places you bike everyday can suddenly become dangerous if one yahoo driver is added in the mix. Assume they're going to not see you. Get blinky lights for nighttime. Get a good helmet. And watch out for huge streaks of orange, teal, and silver.

A Trolley... HERE?!?!

This is a serious proposition. Knoxville needs a trolley system and I think I know where it should go.

First let's Discuss some back story.

It's no secret that Knoxville used to be a trolley town. Anyone who has walked down by the 100 Block on Gay st. can see the old tracks lying piled up. The legacy of a bygone era when mass transportation meant something other than a bus.

But why a trolley you might ask. Why not just improve our bus system? It' much more flexible, right? Yes it is and that is part of it's problem. A trolley creates an inflexible and continuous bond between points A and B which is what is needed in this circumstance.

Knoxville has a wasted opportunity that it stares at everyday. The most high-density urban residential neighborhood is half a mile from the center of the city and yet there is a distinct disconnect. Not only is there a large group of people who live so close to downtown, but another large group that work in that area. Two large hospitals employ a great many people who could feed back and forth between the two areas.

Perhaps you're starting to see the picture. I think we need to install a fixed track trolley line between downtown running through Ft. Sanders.

It's not my opinion that Knoxville needs to develop an extensive trolley system to feed places like Bearden, Old North, Turkey Creek, or Cairns.

The Plan.

What we need is a track that runs east-west between Gay St. and Tyson Park along Clinch Ave. (I'm up for a detour along Summit Hill to the old city but that would be more expensive.)

Clinch provides a direct link cutting through both the financial and retail parts of downtown linking it up with the heart of Ft. Sanders residential and hospital districts. This gives us a way to bring together two communities separated by a horrible gulch, Henley st.

There's alot to discuss about this idea so I'll trow out some bullet points:

• Two trolleys running continually
• The distance from A to B is 1.5 miles
  
• Low or no fare, like the current "trolley" system
• Purchase refurbished historic trolley cars (cheaper than new)
• Pet friendly service (here's hoping)

Other cities are looking into fixed track trolley systems right now as well which is where I have gotten a lot of good information. Look into the Birmingham, AL proposed system. Here and Here. Cities like Charlotte, Portland, Little Rock, all have trolley systems, knoxville can too.


It's hard to get exact costs, but it looks quite "affordable". (Meaning in the millions apprx $4 Million a mile, but the fixed costs are a capital improvement and have a century long lifespan.)


I believe this would give Knoxville another character point unique to Tennessee and is a small enough scale project that it can be more easily justified than a drastic overhaul of our entire system.


It could be done in two years. Who's with me?

If you build it, will they come?

Some comments on B's busy spots post got me to thinking the other day. Let me preface this by saying I'm not disagreeing with any of the comments that were made, I just like to be difficult sometimes.

Pianoman mentioned that Knoxville didn't do the best job with its urban planning a few decades back, leading to a number of wonderful buildings being torn down (I quite agree and am not here to argue that point) and an influx of ugly parking garages and poor transportation options.

We obviously can't go back in time to fix that, but I wonder what could be done in Knoxville now that isn't already being done or considered?

I can't tell you how many times while sitting in traffic on Kingston Pike I've cursed the city of Knoxville and prayed for a subway system to magically tunnel its way through the city. Obviously that's out of the picture.

What would it take to get Knoxvillians (I mean the greater community, not just the smaller group of progressive-minded individuals) to rely less on their cars and more on public transit or their own two feet? A better KAT system? A downtown streetcar? A commuter train? More sidewalks? Overhead moving walkways? Hovercrafts?

How many of those options are actually feasible for this city?

In my humble opinion and to its credit, I think Knoxville tries to promote better transit options. Consider this KnoxSmartTrips website and the greenway system. I appreciate the free nights and weekends parking downtown because it allows me to park and leave my car without fear of towing while I hoof it around Market Square and Gay Street.

But even if the city found money to spend on a fabulously improved transit system, would enough people take advantage of it to make it worth it?

Just some thoughts I've had. Discuss amongst yourselves.


/// ck update:

an interesting video from Pianoman's blog, analyzing what makes a good downtown (using Ann Arbor):

The Pols KAT Bus Experience

I live downtown. I work out west. I wish it wasn't so.

I drive my little green Jetta from home to Cedar Bluff five days a week. That is until recently.

I decided to give the bus system a try for a few days recently to see if it would be something that would be beneficial to me (mostly financially). At $3.50 plus a gallon it was hard to see how I could lose. So i laid out a track and hopped on board the west town bus at 8:15. Strike one.


















You see I don't have to be at work until 9:15, but the last express bus leaves downtown even earlier and would put me out west at 7:50, waaay to early to sit around and wait to sit around most of the day. So with my bike on the front I get dropped off about a five minute bike ride from my office about ten minutes before I'm supposed to be there. hmmm

The cost was a little better. It cost me $2.50 for a round trip, which saves me a buck and I enjoy riding on the bus. I read the paper, do homework (yep I'm taking classes at pellissippi), watch the world go by, listen to the radio, etc. It's relaxing, except for the worry about getting to where I need to get on time.

The ride home is better I cath the 5:10 express in the park and ride lot on executive park dr. Though the bus never actually shows up on time, it is usually anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes late.

The ride home is a great way to unwind, very relaxing. The buses are always clean and there is lots of seating on the ride home, not so much on the way out as my bus drops at walmart.

Final analysis, going out west the options are not great. I take what I can get and so that means sometimes I'm still driving. We can go over and over the shortcomings of our bus system, and we will I'm sure, but I'm going to try and make the best of what we have. I'd love to know if any of you have similar experiences headed out west on the buses.

Here is the pick up for the express bus. They even provide bike lockers if you want to stash your bike at the drop off.

our splendid transit system?

Is it just me, or are KAT buses breaking down all over the place? I passed one on Hall of Fame Drive this morning, with another bus backing up to it to pick up the stranded passengers. It seems like every other day I see one of those huge tow trucks towing a teal bus around. It's been reported that KAT has been cutting back its budget, but have they been cutting back on maintenance? Has anyone else noticed this?

On a related note, I saw this morning that construction has begun on the new transit center on Church Street. It looks like it will be pretty cool, if a bit removed from the busy part of downtown.

farragut needs to pony up

See? Riding the bus is fun!

But that's not what we're here to talk about. KAT (Knoxville Area Transit) is on the ropes. Ironically, as ridership increases, the budget crunch is forcing them to consider scaling back their operations. One popular route, the Farragut Express, may be on the chopping block.

Why? Because it goes out of the city (Knoxville proper) and therefore isn't subsidized by the city government. Let's face it- fares only cover a fraction of the cost of mass transit. The government (meaning our taxes) ponies up the rest. Or at least most governments do. Some just get a free ride. Other long distance express routes are helped by the receiving end. ORNL helps subsidize the Oak Ridge Express. Why can't moneybags Farragut help with their route?

It's bad enough that the whole idea of Farragut is based on an unsustainable suburban model (which will go the way of the dodo in the next few decades, I think) and that they don't offer any mass transit. The bit of transit they do have is the Express. Many Farraguttans are trying to do the right thing and ride the bus to work. Granted, not living in far-flung suburbs would be better, but we'll take what we can get. The Farragut Express is a service for Farragut. Our little rich neighbor to the west should help pay for it.

The Wheels on the Bus Won't go West Anymore

OK Time for a good 'ol fashion smack down on a bad idea that is being discussed.

READ HERE

Long and short, the city and KAT are looking at killing off a few bus routed to save money. Why is this a problem you ask? They want to kill off the West Town Express and the Farragut Express. Hmm, on the outset one might say oh well the burbs don't really use the bus that much, so why worry, let it go, won't effect me.

Wrong. By removing these lines all Kat is doing is further dividing this city along socioeconomic lines. Much like what happened when 40 plowed though town, making it nearly impossible to get from gay street to Mechanicsville without a map and compass, killing off of the bus lines does nothing but encourage those in town to stay there and those out west to continue cutting themselves off from the rest of us.














(Make the buses like this)

Instead of reducing the number of trips available to people, the bus routes need to be increased, the equipment updated, and a serious effort to make public transit a viable alternative to everyone. The Farragut express already services 17,000 plus riders already this year, proving that there is a demand.

My wife has ridden the bus out to Cedar Bluff several times and has enjoyed it. I would ride it except the infrequency of trips mean I would be out at work 1 hour early (which doesn't seem like a good idea to me). Soon, though, I may not even have the option.

Let's increase the number of park and rides, lets paint the buses red, update the system, and make the timing more reliable (as that has been my wife's complaint). It's time for an increase in service to open up the city to everyone instead or sectioning us all off further. And believe me I know buses (yep that's my old man)

Write-In Spellings