I Don't Understand It (NJ Transit Version)

I have to go to an office several days a week. That means that I have to leave PA and go back to NJ. Because parking is so expensive and traffic is so horrific. I take public transportation. (I could lie and say that I'm being environmentally conscious, but the truth is it's just cheaper to take a bus and the city light rail down to Penn station then it is to drive and park.) 

 In general, I am pleased with New Jersey Transit. There is a lot of traffic to deal with, especially when I'm coming home at the end of the day. It is because the traffic that I get up early and take an early bus to Newark. There is a bus that reaches my corner before 7:00 a.m. Most days I can grab it and get to my desk before 8:00. As a matter of fact one morning I was at my desk before 7:40! So early buses mean less traffic and less stress.

  Coming home is a different story. Even though I leave the office relatively early. (Get it early, get out early, right?)  There is always a lot more traffic in the afternoons. There is even MORE traffic in the afternoon during the school year. (More kids on the bus and light rail as well means things are a bit slower)  

 As much as I don’t like it, coming home from work just takes longer. There are more riders and traffic so the bus that is set to arrive at my stop in Newark at 3:51 can turn out to actually arrive at 4:00. I don't like it, but I understand why. There are a lot more people and a lot more stops. So no matter how I try to get home in under an hour, most days it doesn't happen. I don't like it but I understand it. 

 What I don't understand is why the bus that is scheduled to hit the city light rail bus stop at 3:51 p.m. (before it was at 3:45 p.m., but hey traffic) needs to stop and change drivers halfway through the trip. Traffic is heavy, the bus is always pretty full, yet this is the bus where they make a stop approximately halfway through and change drivers. It doesn't make sense to me.  Why not just go all the way to the end of the line and then have a new driver pick it up? (Especially since the last stop is in a huge mall parking area.)Why stop halfway through? 

 However, the worst thing is that nine times out of 10, when the bus arrives at the stop and the swap is to be made, there is no driver to take over. I can understand waiting a couple of minutes, but again majority of the time we are sitting there waiting for nearly 10 to 15 minutes for a new driver and/ or a new bus. The latter requires getting off the old bus and getting on a new one, which is really a pain in the you know what especially when it is raining. (Trust me on this…I had a drenching experience over the summer…it wasn’t fun.)

 If you have to make a swap midstream, shouldn't you at least have someone be there a few minutes ahead? I realize that circumstances can prevent this from happening, but it isn't an odd occurrence. It happens all too frequently.  WAY too frequently.

 I probably should have not tried to have gotten this earlier bus one day this week, but I thought it can't happen again. We won't be waiting around for a driver AGAIN. (You know I was wrong.)

 There was no driver. We waited 10 or so minutes and then the bus that was 10 minutes behind us, came along and picked up the rest of us. So I would have been better off not rushing to get the 3:51, but hanging out in the office a little longer and getting the 4:06. (Neither of which departed at those scheduled times.) 

 I know this is the first world problem. I know it's not the end of the world. But it's just darn frustrating. Especially after you've had a long day at the office and you just want to get home. 

 NJ Transit why can't you get your act together? Why does this swap of drivers or end of shift have to be right in the middle of a bus run? It makes absolutely no sense. And honestly I think it's a little dangerous because a bus is just sitting there blocking part of a lane. Maybe it's time you did something about it. 

Or maybe I just should not take the earlier bus. Because you know no one's going to listen to me. So surprise me and listen to me. Okay NJ Transit?