I grew up taking the bus, to school, to town and even now when I go to a city with good public transport I like to hop on the bus and feel the bumpy lull of affordable transportation. These old double decker's were the best, complete with a conductor, spiral staircase,, a long cord for the bell and the ability to hop on and off just for one or two stop without paying. Of course it was another story after the pubs let out.....not quite so pleasant, barrrrrf!
I’ve lived on Maui for almost 19 years now & July 1st 2008 will be our public transportation's first birthday. Hooray! Granted, it’s not the most high tech of systems, case in point the ‘bus stop’ signs only showed up a few months ago.What’s got me chuckling recently in the clearly budget challenged Department of Transportation's ‘no expense spared’ solution for passenger seating. The county (in its infinite wisdom and clearly not thinking of rider comfort) went wild and crazy with the new luxury seating. Crikey, I can hear it now “Brah-you like take your truck fo Home Depot & get doe’s buggers some saw horses, so dey like sit & no complain when da bus be late eh”.
Personally here on Maui I think they should have single decker open top buses and provide umbrella hats for protection rain or shine, I might just sit on that uncomfortable bench for that ride.
10 comments:
Do people use the bus at all Sharon? I though everyone just 'thumbed a ride' on Maui?
I know the bus system on Maui has a long way to go.... where the fuck are the bench's ??....c'mon...
How often do they run - once an hour or once a day? I'm interested in Lano's question, who uses them?
Bet Nancy's enjoying the water buses more than the Maui buses.
Nearly time for home Nancy.
Mater x
Lano: I only know one regular rider and he said the bus is packed, especially at night with the usual clan of oddballs. We should all do a ‘downwinder’ on the bus when you get here and see where we end up!
Mrs.B: That’s the new bench near Maui Hill. This stop is especially picturesque....on the dirt with no shade!
Mater: It depends in the location, but I could walk into Makawao and a bus shows up there every 50 minutes to 10 minutes depending on the time of day.
My fave rules are “Golf clubs or detachable fishing poles properly covered or in a container with no sharp edges are limited to three per person.” And this one,
“Soft body boards without skegs and beach mats free of sand and debris are allowed.” Of course no surf boards are allowed!
Well the rules are far better than I remember seeing in the "olden" days on the buses. "No spitting on this bus"!!!!!!! Totally true.
Have you actually used the bus yet?
Mater x
Girl you do know you are living many peoples' dream life/ha
Been to Maui 3 times and would go annually if I had someone to go with. Husband says he has had enough beaches/ awful how can anyone make that kind of remark!!!! Will have to rely on you for current pics, you really have some awesome one, so take a deep breath of that wonderful air and soak up some rays for me!!! Keep us posted on the insider scoop of what to see off the beaten path/ha
Because I WILL RETURN TO PARADISE!
Poor Nanny, she brings a tear to my eye. However, I have to say, I'm with her - I too would return every year to Paradise if I was able but I have several reasons to do so, not just one. The first is YOU, the second are your chums and finally the scenery and weather.
Just wish it wasn't an 18 hour flight and so expensive to get there. Mind you, with the advent of buses I wouldn't need to hire a car :-) Mater x
The bus system is pretty good. I've been riding the North Shore/Haiku route almost from the very start. I've observed a steady increase in ridership. Lots of different people ride the bus. Locals. Haoles. Kids who work at the mall. Backpackers commuting between hostels. Eco-minded nuts like me. Genuine nuts on release from wherever. It's pretty diverse. Many times it's been standing room only from Paia. On the way back it's usually full. The bus has a bike carrier so you do have a way to get around Kahului when you get there. Despite the negative propaganda of this blog, most of the stops have perfectly decent benches and seating for waiting. Delays are rare. Best of all the fare is just $1 - less than it would cost to drive, with almost any car. The drawbacks: It only runs once every three hours. And, inexplicably, no surfboards allowed. Get your route and schedule info here. It's almost a sure bet that the frequency and coverage on the routes will be expanded - the system seems to be a success.
Uxpay: Don’t get me wrong- I’m a bus friendly girl and have a couple of friends who rely on our system and love it. “negative propaganda” was not my intention, I was simply pointing out that when you’re in shade= less 84 degree heat, a tiny, naff uncomfortable bench built for one is a bit sad and lacking in creature comforts. Long live the eco minded nuts ……
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