What are the RTA Transit Diaries?
This public forum is meant to showcase the heartwarming, fun and sometimes quirky stories of our invaluable transit riders. Read below to see the latest submitted stories.
Dear Diary,
This September I was rear ended on my way to work by a driver who fell asleep on Mound Road. My trunk was smashed & my rear window shattered. Other than a sore neck I was okay but my 2009 Chevy Cobalt was totaled. Since car insurance is expensive, we only had full coverage on our lease and not this car. The driver had no insurance and I'm still in the process of small claims court. We, like many people in Metro Detroit, live on one income because full time daycare is expensive. We have a small savings but we didn't want to wipe it out for another used car or get a high interest loan from a local used car lot. Fortunately we live near a bus route. I started driving the lease, because transit doesn't reach my job, while my wife began riding the SMART bus. She was able to take it to Ferndale for a hair appointment, to Detroit to the DIA and to the grocery store. Having access to public transit means you don't have to go into debt for a car and you aren't stuck without a car. Public transit is an important safety net for those of us who are one car accident away from immobility. Sure there's Uber but who can afford $45 a day to get to work, especially when you're trying to save up for another vehicle?
Sincerely,
David Gifford
Dear Diary,
I'm a retired DPS former educator and I had to ride the bus, D-Dot, for about a week when my car was in the shop. I would board the eastbound McNichols bus at Hubbell at 7 am and ride all the way to Van Dyke and the Van Dyke bus to the school. I never waited more than 10 mins. as the bus was always on time the driver was friendly and the ride was always pleasant.
Thomas A. Wilson Jr.
Dear Diary,
Living and working near the heart of Detroit today, I have an embarrassment of transit options to get to many of my frequent destinations. Even with my previous job way out in Mt Clemens, though I drove most days, having the Fast Gratiot bus as an option saved me more than once when my car was in the shop. And taking the Fast Michigan bus to Metro Airport for a recent trip was such an amazing, convenient breeze! I can’t say enough good things about those services.
Michael Boettcher
Dear Diary,
Living and working near the heart of Detroit today, I have an embarrassment of transit options to get to many of my frequent destinations. Even with my previous job way out in Mt Clemens, though I drove most days, having the Fast Gratiot bus as an option saved me more than once when my car was in the shop. And taking the Fast Michigan bus to Metro Airport for a recent trip was such an amazing, convenient breeze! I can’t say enough good things about those services.
On top of all that, mass transit in Detroit has pretty much defined my love life. True stories: I met a former partner of 17 years on a SMART Park and Ride line when we were both going to Wayne State University, and my current partner of 7 years and I met while doing nonprofit transit advocacy work for Southeast Michigan.
Thank you,
Michael Boettcher