So I talked to a long-time commuter and she recommended the following tips - especially for bus commuters:
- Get to know the staff/drivers: Once they know you, and that you are a commuter, they are more likely to give you handy information about how to save money, and to do you favours like drive you right to your house at the end of their bus run (this probably only works in smaller cities like Guelph)!
- Attend commuter meetings: Greyhound has commuter meetings and they really want to hear your suggestions for how to improve their services. They also often give away free bus tickets.
- Complain: If you had bad service, tell them (be firm but fair) - sometimes they give you free bus tickets.
- The driver's seat: If you get to know the driver, s/he will sometimes let you sit in the seat behind the driver (where they put their own bags). This seat is never filled by 2 people so you'll have lots of room.
- Alternate stops: Often there are pick up stops besides the main bus station. The bus comes to these stops a couple of minutes later that at the main bus station, so these spots are especially handy to know when you're running a little late. For example, on my bus run from Toronto to Guelph there is a Greyhound pick up stop at King and Wellington. In Guelph there is a stop at Wellington and Gordon (near Kortright).
- Avoid holiday weekends: a 2 hour commute can take 8 hours!
- Watch out for busy times: Buses are usually more packed after lunch/dinner (because no other buses have been running during that time) and before the weekend (the 2pm bus to Guelph gets hit with some weekend traffic so the ride takes longer than it would otherwise).
- Buy tickets ahead of time: I try to buy two tickets at a time so I'm never dashing to both buy a ticket and get the bus. Plus it helps when you need a ticket before/after office hours.
- Buy in bulk: If you can't get the student rate, then try buying in bulk - at Greyhound you get a discount for buying 20 tickets at a time. Plus Greyhound has a monthly pass. (Both of these discounts are about the same as the student discount.)
- Carry $20 emergency money: Have some spare cash handy for times when you forgot to get to the bank, or when you have less $ in your account than you thought.
- Get a phone card: Get a phone card so you can call home when you've missed a bus.
- Carry 50 cents: If you are running late and need to call home, but don't have a phone card, you can ask someone local to make the call for you.
And last, but most important:
- Crash spots: Have a place or two lined up with family, friends, and FIS folks that you can crash at for when you missed your bus, are too tired to go home, want to stay for an event, and when the weather gets nasty.
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2 comments:
re the post terminal drop off- it should be noted that this only applies if you happen to live on the way to the garage and it is the last run for the driver and the driver is in a good mood and you have established a good rapport.And is totally against any official rules- they can get in trouble for doing it.
re the seat behind the driver - always ask before you sit down, ask quietly and never presume that they will say yes and don't expect to have a light to read by the 1st 2 rows are almost always disabled so the driver can see.
re buying tickets...if you find yourself at the downtown terminal with no time to spare and without a ticket- don't try to buy it from the greyhound driver, they can't sell you one at the greyhound terminal in TO.. (it is complicated, something about TTC ownership of the property I don't know and they get fined if caught)
if I think of anything else i will pass along!
Regarding the "alternate stops", I think that this is one of the most handy things to know about the transit system! I myself make use of this one all the time, since I live between Bathurst and Yonge -- when I need to catch the bus to Yonge St, I will always use one of the in-between stops rather than the Bathurst stop to get the bus!
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