City Bus by: Casey Kaplan Editorial Have you ever been forced to do something that you didn't want to do? I moved to Minneapolis roughly three weeks ago and with my luck, or bad luck, got in a car accident almost immediately-wait, make that two accidents in the first week. Being a full-time college student, $350 per month for liability insurance on an '85 Toyota forced me to ride the bus. I have come to find now, that buses are very reliable and affordable forms of transportation in the metro area. This is how dependable the buses are ­ I go to the nearest bus stop and wait for about five minutes for the next bus. They are always running right on time. Each bus has it's own schedule; in order to find that out, you can check the internet as www.metrotransit.org or pick up a brochure on any bus at a Metro Transit store or at any of hundreds of locations in the Twin Cities. In order for the buses to run on time like they do, it is crucial that you know the drill. You must have proper change or a bus pass; the driver's do not have a lot of patience (which I had to find out the hard way). As far as getting off the bus, make sure you pull the cord by the window or the driver could go right by your stop, which means you could be walking a few extra blocks. The best way to find out what to do is talk to people that have ridden the bus before. You'll catch on after riding a couple times yourself. If you're one or those people who are afraid of getting on the wrong bus and getting lost alone in the city, you have no need to worry. If you have a question on which bus to take, pick up a Twin Cities Metropolitan Area Transit System Map from the downtown library or many other Twin City locations. Again, asking others who have traveled the same route helps eliminate any questions you may have. Inexpensive? Very. Bus fares depend on the route you decide to take. There are express routes which are quicker, don't stop as often, and cost $1.50 during non-rush hours, $2.00 during rush hours. Express routes run to surrounding suburbs and popular points of interest such as the Mall of America. Local routes on the other hand, run through and around Minneapolis and St. Paul. Fares cost $1.00 during non-rush hours and $1.50 during rush hours. Bus passes are good for up to 2 _ hours so you can transfer buses or go downtown and ride back without paying twice. There are also 31-day passes or stored value cards called Super Savers if you don't like the idea of paying cash every time you ride. If you really want to be wild and crazy on Halloween, wear a costume and ride the bus for free. Those of you who drive into town and pay at least $8 to park for the day may want to consider the option of parking on the edge of town for free and taking the bus. Not only are the buses trusty and cheap, they can be very entertaining. You see things that you couldn't see anywhere else. For instance, I have a friend who stated he and his roommate pay a dollar to go for a ride on the bus and see interesting people. Also, it's a good way to meet people. Almost every time I ride, I sit down next to somebody I've never met before in my life and have a conversation. It's very interesting and it makes the time go by fast too. Are you new to the big city and at a loss for transportation? Perhaps you can't afford being a full-time college student and owning a vehicle at the same time. Maybe you just don't like the long walks or you want to get out of downtown for a while. As you can see, buses are convenient and reliable. They can be entertaining and most importantly, they can save you money, which seems to be a big issue for college students. For those who think the bus still doesn't sound like a good idea, you can keep doing what you're doing. As for the rest of you, I'll see you on the bus!

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