heading to an evening meeting (short walk + 14) alone, sans baby pack or bag o’ tricks, wearing: shoes with a little flavor (nothing “earthy” about ’em), that gorgeous coat handed down from your fashion-plate mother, and your now rarely used shmipod, turned up to a volume that is surely damaging your ears (but it’s been so long since you’ve listened to Goapele!) and is preventing you from making progress on that novel you’re so enjoying–which is OK, really, because the author is such an amazing writer you’d gladly read one of her sentences 100 times, and you’re not in any hurry to finish.
Monthly Archives: December 2008
Cheap gas, schmeap gas
From an APTA press release:
…Americans continue to ride public transportation at record levels even though gas prices declined. More than 2.8 billion trips were taken on public transportation in the third quarter of 2008 — an increase of 6.5 percent over the third quarter of 2007. This is the largest quarterly increase in public transportation ridership in 25 years. Meanwhile, vehicle miles of travel (VMT) on the nation’s highways declined in the same period by 4.6 percent according to the Federal Highway Administration.
“The record increase in public transportation trips demonstrates the exceptional value of public transportation in today’s economy,” said APTA President William W. Millar. “The fact that public transit ridership surged while gas prices and highway travel declined, shows a growing demand for more bus and rail services.”
Say that. Now all we need is some money to fund that “exceptional value.”
Southbound 16, 7:50 PM
As I exit the bus at 3rd & Union, the driver calls to me.
“Excuse me, miss. Excuse me!”
I hurry back up the steps, flustered, certain I have either dropped something or somehow managed to forget I’m on a “pay as you leave” route. But the driver is smiling.
“I was just wondering: What is that delicious fragrance you’re wearing?”