The bus pass passes the test
If something isn’t free, at least let it work properly. Today, as I paid my monthly public transit fees, I took a moment to appreciate the advances my local bus system has introduced over the last few years.
The city isn’t big enough for a “real” Metro (subways in the rest of the world), but we have dedicated bus routes that serve as trunks. They’ve added some extended buses, able to carry more passengers and reduce the congestion at every level. The gaudy green and grey paint scheme leaves something to be improved, but on the whole it’s a win.
We now have an electronic fare card system, known as OPUS, and this week marked the first time that I’ve used it with anything less than a whole month/unlimited plan. With no reason to pony up for a full thirty days, I purchased a dozen “tickets” for $30.00 and then wondered: How will this work for the hated correspondence? Actually, very well. The card reader recognizes that my ticket (sic) has been used within a two hour period, and allows me to move from one bus to another without any confrontation with diligent drivers.
This morning, I paid for next month’s pass ($73.10) which cohabits with the rest of my tickets. Until next Wednesday, my ticket count will continue to drop. Then, September will kick in, and any remaining tickets will simply “stay” on the bus pass until needed. I think. (Now I’m starting to doubt the efficiency of things). No sense nickel and diming myself over something I can’t control. At least I didn’t need to stock my pockets with silver change to get to work. Just wave my OPUS wand and waltz on down the way.
