I meant to post this last month, but didn't get around to it.... I had a biking event to attend in New York City in mid-November. When I bought my ticket, I noticed that Megabus stated they had changed their bus location for the return trip to DC. It's now located a few blocks from the other spot. I thought that was a GREAT idea, since the other location was SOOO crowded and crazy! So I was curious to see how the new place would be.
Well, I was very pleasantly surprised. :) Gone were the crowds and craziness! Instead, there was quietness and organization. It was HEAVENLY! :) The Megabus guys walked around and answered people's questions and directed them to the right line to get in. The buses pulled up ON TIME (imagine!!! ha!) and we left on time. It was 100% better than my previous experiences with the other location.
I'm Megahappy with the Megabus!! :)
By the way, this month marks my 3rd year being car-free! :) In reviewing my recorded expenses, I spent a good amount of money on transportation this year (vs. previous years). I got together a number of times with family and friends out of town, and also have rented cars from Enterprise for some weekends away. Still, I think my overall costs doing it this way (bus, train, and rental cars) is less expensive than owning/maintaining/repairing a car. My friends and family have also been helpful in meeting me at various Metro stations and bus stations near them, as I put my folding bike in their car trunk, and we enjoy visiting together. So, my thanks to my friends and family in working with me to get together. :)
On the other hand, I also had a chance to help a friend one time this summer with my Zipcar membership. :) We met up via our bikes to someone's house in D.C. so she could look at a dining table & chairs she was thinking of buying. After checking it out, she decided to get it, but then was thinking about how to get it all home. She had a small car at home -- she would have to make numerous trips, if so. I thought about Zipcar, and since they have pick-up trucks, I suggested we could ride to the nearest available pick-up truck and come back for the furniture. :) I called up Zipcar and they located one, and we set a time for the reservation to begin, and my friend and I biked on over. (That was an adventure in itself, in getting there via bikes and without a map, but we stopped to ask a few people along the way). We found the pick-up truck, put our bikes in, and went back for the furniture. We managed to fit everything in and went to drop off the furniture at her place & then returned the pick-up truck. So I was glad to help her out. :) (She insisted on reimbursing me the cost of the 2 1/2 hour use of the pick-up truck, which she didn't need to do, but was nice of her).
So, let's see what adventures 2011 will bring in being car-free! :)
