When I first came to Memphis one and a half years ago, I was determined to continue biking to work or, since this was the big city, take the bus to work. I was told by people at work, and I quote, “You ain’t ridin’ your bike around here,” and, “You don’t want to ride the bus.” After last year’s experience riding the bus in the winter, I found they were right. You don’t want to ride the bus.

I think it’s funny that people said I couldn’t do either. I along with a long-time Memphian friend of mine have long ago proven them wrong. It’s not because they said it, it’s more because who said it. The quotes I gave above didn’t actually come from only two people, they’re an amalgam of quotes from numerous people. What I find funny about both quotes is that none of the people who said them have actually tried to do either, ride the bus or ride their bike to work. I guess people just like to give an opinion whether they know anything or not.

I have expressed my views on the biking environment of Memphis previously on my website. I don’t paint the doom and gloom picture that most cycling advocates around Memphis do. Memphis is a pretty good place to ride. My kids (ages 2 and 4) and I bike all over Memphis and we’ve never had a problem. My view on the Memphis buses is not so flattering.

I started taking the bus last winter when it became too dark in the morning and night to ride my bike to work. I was excited. I’m just a small-town kid and although I had taken buses in places around the country and in several other countries, I had never taken a city bus on my own. After much internet research I was able to find my route. The morning route started a half block from my house and dropped me off in front of my work. The evening route started 10 minutes walk from work and dropped me off a half block from my home. A one-way trip took an hour and ten minutes to cover the 8 miles. Yes, it only takes 35 minutes by bike and 15 by car but hey, I’m doing it for the environment and the future of my kids.

My long-time-Memphian friend joined me on the bus rides. We soon found out how difficult it is to ride the bus in Memphis. Often the buses didn’t come on time or came early which was worse. Since the next bus didn’t come for another 35 or 40 minutes, good luck getting to work on time. The MATA help line wasn’t much help either. The twenty or so times I tried to call, only once did someone answer. My friend complained profusely both to MATA and the Commercial Appeal (see his letter to the editor entitled “Don’t Count on MATA”) to no avail. The bus arrivals continued to be erratic. The day daylight savings came, I was back on the bike.

My buddy and I are professionals and being late to work now and then probably wouldn’t do either or our careers much damage. I really feel for the people who have hourly jobs and no other way to get to work. They can’t show up 30 minutes late, even if infrequently. And I can’t imagine relying on the bus entirely without a car or bicycle. I often sat on the bus and wondered how these people got along using the bus. Maybe they had been riding it so long they didn’t know any better. I lived in Haiti for over two years and the public transportation in most of the major cities was abundant and efficient, although not always comfortable. MATA is neither abundant, efficient nor comfortable.

I don’t know how to fix MATA but as long as gas, cars and insurance are cheap and MATA’s service stinks, they aren’t going to see an increase in ridership. I still have a MATA punch card in my wallet…forget it, I’m going by bike.