GRTC THIS!!

Okay, everyone is using the bus these day. According to the commercial. So, I went to the GRTC website to see how I would get to work from my house. Not an easy thing to do - since I live way out here in the burbs - south of the Rivah.. But GRTC does in fact come out here. So here is my schedule from getting to Work from my House.

Drive (a short distance 2-3 miles)to Commonwealth 20 (Hull Street) to the GRTC Park and Ride lot.

6:43a.m. Board #32 bus ($2.50)
7:19a.m. Arrive @ 14th and Bank St.
Wait until next bus (25 minutes)
~Transfer~ (.15)
7:44a.m. Board #24 bus ($1.25)
8:03a.m. Arrive @ Robison and Broad St.
Wait until next bus (15 minutes)
~Transfer~ (.15)
8:18a.m. Board #20 Bus ($1.25)
8:30a.m. Arrive / short walk to work from Broad.

TOTAL TRAVEL TIME (1 hour and 45 minutes)*
TOTAL WAIT TIME (40 minutes)*
TOTAL COST ($5.30)*

VERSUS (Driving)

TOTAL TRAVEL TIME (20 MINUTES)*
TOTAL WAIT TIME (5-10 FOR TRAFFIC)*
TOTAL COST ($3.28) gas/tolls*

* TOTALS are 1-way only.

Am I ready to give up the convenience of my usual way of travel. The 20 minute travel time in my own car. The $3.28 per trip travel cost of gas and tolls. Yeah - I don't think so. Not yet.

But this is not the fault of GRTC. I choose to live way out here, and my work is near Broad Street - but not really near any large businesses. GRTC does seem to have a lot of routes and most of Richmond covered. The site is relatively user friendly. The Customer Service was great - I had to call 3 times concerning my route.

So what would get me to ride the bus -- if GRTC added another route that would only have me using 1 transfer. I think with 1 transfer my travel time would be cut in half.