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You may be looking for ways to pinch pennies -- what about taking the bus? The price of gas, food, everything is on the rise. But can you really get by in Lynchburg without a car? It's a question our Manuel Quinones put to the test, by leaving his car parked at home for one whole week.
Manuel - "I don't know if I am taking the right bus. I looked online."
I decided to look at this as an adventure.
Manuel - "Wrong bus. If we get there late, it's part of the fun."
I discovered leaving the car at home was something I could really get used to doing.
Manuel - "How much is it? A dollar fifty? That's not bad."
I used to ride the bus when I lived in Washington DC and didn't even have a car. Of course, the Hill City is no DC.
Manuel - "The only issue is that it does not come very often, so if I don't look at the exact bus schedule, then I wait a lot."
Once I missed the bus and had to wait a whole hour for the next one.
Manuel - "Every time it has actually come right on time."
I was the one who wasn't on time. I refused to take an earlier bus and that always made me a few minutes late to work. The ride there was about twenty minutes long, the ride back about half an hour.
Day three was a brand new adventure. I had the day off, was hosting a dinner party and had to get groceries.
Manuel - "I didn't look at my map before coming down."
Trying to figure out bus routes can be confusing, but it's essential. The last thing you want to do is get stranded. So I called the GLTC office to see how to get to the nearest Kroger.
Manuel - “I take the 3c or the 3d? 3D it is!"
Leaving the car at home meant a lifestyle change for me, in many ways for the better.
Manuel - "Do I put this one in here?"
I had more chances to read, listen to music and be active.
Manuel - "Maybe it's the thing we should do, walk more."
Taking the bus is a social experience. Instead of being in a car by yourself, you get to see folks from around the community.
Manuel - "We are doing something where we have to ride the bus."
The bus doesn't go everywhere and I stayed away from certain far-away places all week to avoid the hassle. Riding the bus has its perks but also limitations. I discovered patience and advance planning is a must.
Manuel - "Thank you very much!"
You can click here to read Manuel's blog about his week without a car.
Not everyone is happy with Lynchburg's bus service and leaders say there is plenty of room for improvements. We will have more on that, plus how much money you can save Friday at 6:00.
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