Before I start my rant, let me announce that as of last Tuesday, I am working two hours a night at the school cleaning. This is a good thing. It gives us a little more money and since I finish at about the same time as Darrin, it means we get to ride home together.
Adelaide Metro, by the way, is our public transportation system.
So first things first. A few weeks ago they rerouted and adjusted some of the bus timetables. One of the really nice things about this was that we now have a five-minute walk to a bus to Paradise Interchange rather than a 15-minute walk. Still takes about the same time (half an hour) to get to Paradise, but in summer & winter when the weather is nasty it's a huge improvement. However a lot of people weren't thrilled with this new arrangement (not our bus specifically, but other buses being changed). They've written letters to the editor complaining about their bus service not being there anymore when they use it, or being rerouted so they have to walk further to the bus stop, etc.
Today I am one of those people who are unhappy with the new routes. Due to the car being dead, Darrin is another. Here's an example of their lameness.
To get to work at 8:28, Darrin has to leave here at 7:10, catch the 104 bus to Paradise at 7:15, and arrive at Paradise at 7:43, just as the T500 going to the school pulls out of the interchange. The next T500 doesn't run again for another half hour. So Darrin's stuck sitting at Paradise for half an hour, today in 7C weather (which he seems to tolerate much better than I do), and then get on the T500 at 8:13. If not for that half hour wait, he'd be at work in 50 minutes, which is only 20 minutes longer than it takes him to drive there. Instead, it takes him an hour and 20 minutes.
Oh, and did I mention that this annoying timing is only in the mornings? When I leave for work, I only have a ten-minute wait at Paradise. It should be 5 minutes, but for reasons unknown, the buses run on time in rush hour and late during non-rush hours.
Now let's look at the return trip. The last T500 back to Paradise goes past school just before 5 pm. Not a problem for Darrin - if he was the only one working there. I, however, don't finish till 5:10 or 5:15. And did you notice I said this was the LAST T500? Now we have to catch a different bus. Previously the other option would have been to catch the 560 and switch at Tea Tree Plaza, but oh look! They've cut down the 560 service as well, so they're THREE HOURS APART. That's right. 4 pm and 7 pm. Nothing in between.
Our third, and least favourable option, is to catch the 205F into the city. The 205F goes past school just as we're finishing up. We might be lucky enough to catch that one today, if we're quick. Otherwise we'll be sitting around for another FORTY MINUTES for the next one. And then we'll be on that bus for another FORTY MINUTES into the city. And once we get into the city, we get off the 205F just as the 102 back to home is crossing our path. Which means another 15 minute wait for the 104/105, a 20 minute bus ride, and another 5 minute walk. In total, last night this took us AN HOUR AND A HALF to get home at 7:20, not counting waiting for the second 205F.
And they wonder why people don't use public transportation!
Adelaide Metro, by the way, is our public transportation system.
So first things first. A few weeks ago they rerouted and adjusted some of the bus timetables. One of the really nice things about this was that we now have a five-minute walk to a bus to Paradise Interchange rather than a 15-minute walk. Still takes about the same time (half an hour) to get to Paradise, but in summer & winter when the weather is nasty it's a huge improvement. However a lot of people weren't thrilled with this new arrangement (not our bus specifically, but other buses being changed). They've written letters to the editor complaining about their bus service not being there anymore when they use it, or being rerouted so they have to walk further to the bus stop, etc.
Today I am one of those people who are unhappy with the new routes. Due to the car being dead, Darrin is another. Here's an example of their lameness.
To get to work at 8:28, Darrin has to leave here at 7:10, catch the 104 bus to Paradise at 7:15, and arrive at Paradise at 7:43, just as the T500 going to the school pulls out of the interchange. The next T500 doesn't run again for another half hour. So Darrin's stuck sitting at Paradise for half an hour, today in 7C weather (which he seems to tolerate much better than I do), and then get on the T500 at 8:13. If not for that half hour wait, he'd be at work in 50 minutes, which is only 20 minutes longer than it takes him to drive there. Instead, it takes him an hour and 20 minutes.
Oh, and did I mention that this annoying timing is only in the mornings? When I leave for work, I only have a ten-minute wait at Paradise. It should be 5 minutes, but for reasons unknown, the buses run on time in rush hour and late during non-rush hours.
Now let's look at the return trip. The last T500 back to Paradise goes past school just before 5 pm. Not a problem for Darrin - if he was the only one working there. I, however, don't finish till 5:10 or 5:15. And did you notice I said this was the LAST T500? Now we have to catch a different bus. Previously the other option would have been to catch the 560 and switch at Tea Tree Plaza, but oh look! They've cut down the 560 service as well, so they're THREE HOURS APART. That's right. 4 pm and 7 pm. Nothing in between.
Our third, and least favourable option, is to catch the 205F into the city. The 205F goes past school just as we're finishing up. We might be lucky enough to catch that one today, if we're quick. Otherwise we'll be sitting around for another FORTY MINUTES for the next one. And then we'll be on that bus for another FORTY MINUTES into the city. And once we get into the city, we get off the 205F just as the 102 back to home is crossing our path. Which means another 15 minute wait for the 104/105, a 20 minute bus ride, and another 5 minute walk. In total, last night this took us AN HOUR AND A HALF to get home at 7:20, not counting waiting for the second 205F.
And they wonder why people don't use public transportation!
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