I went to Lynden for the first time the other day. You know, the town wayyyy out in the county with farms, quaint shops and such… and lots of windmills. I was going there for a job interview (which didn’t turn out, sadly), and I was pretty excited about trying some out-in-the-county bus lines. Yes, I realize I’m kind of a nerd — moving on. I was actually able to get to the middle of Lynden within about an hour of leaving the Haggen on Bill McDonald and Samish! I had to catch three buses in pretty rapid succession (the 107, 232 and 26), but all that took was good timing and a little bit of assertiveness. Just sit close to the front of the bus and talk to the driver if you’re concerned about arriving in time to catch the next bus. I didn’t catch his name, but the driver for Bus 232 was awesome and totally helpful. I love that about Bellingham — we have the coolest bus drivers, and they don’t try to make you feel like an idiot when you need help.

Anyway, I had never been on the 26 to Lynden, but it’s quite a pretty drive. The best part is going over Wiser Lake; it’s gorgeous, and the bridge over it is nearly at water-level. When we got into town, I noticed two main things. First of all, as I mentioned before, there are windmill motifs everywhere. It’s like a town theme, and some of the large-scale windmills are rather impressive, really. I also noticed something odd about the street signs — some of the street names repeat on separate streets. I think we passed at least four Pine streets, and there were even a couple Pine and Pine intersections. I imagine that being a mail carrier in Lynden is a challenging career…

Proposition 1 was narrowly rejected by voters, and my head has been nearly spinning off my shoulders trying to figure out why so many people would vote it down. I think most of us who care about public transportation and/or work in the field thought the anti-Prop 1 side didn’t stand a chance. Apparently they ran to their stuffy friends crying bloody murder and bank-breaking tax hike, and mobilized under the deceptive name of People for Progressive Transit. Obviously, this was anything BUT progressive.

I know you’re probably getting tired of hearing me rant, but I find this incredibly disheartening… and I definitely take it personally. The people who voted No on Prop 1 may have voted me out of a job — I can’t afford a car, so having “reliable transportation” to any location beyond reasonable walking distance isn’t an option. Many other low-income, disadvantaged, and/or disabled people who rely on the bus will have the same problem, thanks to the surprisingly high number of greedy people who voted us down with disgusting enthusiasm. Did they even read the part of the fact sheet that mentions an additional 15-20% of service will need to be cut in 2012 if Prop 1 fails to pass? You’d think that those willing to take away something important for their own personal gain would do a little bit of research on its long-term effects first.

If I sound a little bitter, I am. Can you really blame me, or anyone else who feels personally attacked by this?

Anyway, I plan on going to the WTA’s meeting tomorrow to discuss alternatives for the impending 14% service cut. If you want to attend and make your voice heard, you can find more information here. Hopefully a less dire solution can be found.

Today is the last day to vote on Whatcom County’s Proposition No. 1, which will keep the current WTA routes rolling at the small price of a 0.2% sales tax increase — just two cents for every $10 purchase. WTA’s ridership has vastly increased over the past year, which is great news, but it’s been soaking up a lot of their funding. If this proposition doesn’t pass, WTA is going to have to downsize in some serious ways, and not only by letting go of a significant number of staff members.

As I’ve mentioned before on this blog, Prop 1 failing to pass would mean a 14% service cut — 14%!! In Fall 2010, ALL Sunday routes would be cut. This means the people who rely on the bus wouldn’t be able to get to work or school… and all of you who have attended college for at least two weeks know how important it is to get to and from campus on Sundays. Some other valuable routes that would be changed, reduced or cut are Routes 3 and 4 to the hospital, 25X and 26 to Lynden, and 80x (NOOOOO) to Mount Vernon. You can find WTA’s full fact sheet on Proposition 1 here.

It’s difficult for me to believe that anyone would vote against something so necessary to save two cents for every ten dollars. With these service cuts, we would be compromising someone’s visit to the doctor, someone’s big research paper, someone’s day of paid work. I rely on the WTA to get from place to place, so don’t make me one of those people, lurkers.

I know it’s been quite awhile since I last posted; after I graduated, I needed a break from pretty much everything. Now I feel rejuvenated and ready to get back to being my transit-talking, review-writing, map-reading, bus-riding, semi-sarcastic self… yes indeed. Hopefully, this will mean less sporadic blog entries.

“So what has she been doing all this time?” you may or may not be asking yourself.

Mostly, I’ve been job hunting… but I won’t bore you with the details of that. I’ve been traveling around the Northwest, too! Some recent trips have taken me to Portland, Olympia, Seattle and the Olympia Peninsula. No, not to Forks — sorry Twilight fans. I’ve also developed a passion for photography, so I might have to engage in a little shameless self-promotion. After all, I did take a few pictures from the Portland trip…

The other items in my photostream are mainly fashion-ish photography of some of my closest friends. I definitely need to start taking my camera with me whenever I go on a trip!

Anyway lurkers, I’ve got things to do and places to bus to, so I’ll save my travel stories for later. Happy Spring!

Trip Planning Party!

Monday, Dec. 7, 4pm-8pm

BT Transportation Resource Desk

Drop by the desk to refuel with coffee and a snack and figure out how to get home for the holidays. There’s no denying you’ll need a study break and some caffeine by then.

Okay, and now for a more sentimental topic. Lurkers, it’s almost the end… of my time at the desk, I mean. Today I finished my last class at Western, and I’ll graduate in just a little over a week. I hate to get all mushy on you guys, but working here has seriously meant a lot to me. Maybe I’m just kind of a nerd, but I’ve had a lot of fun answering those challenging questions, some of which were like solving riddles, and sending people off on their own transit adventures. I also really enjoyed the regulars that would stop by the desk just to chat — you guys are awesome!

I’ll probably keep updating this blog after I graduate, even if my readers go elsewhere! I have some epic plans to travel the world (at some point, that is), so stay tuned. Lurkers, thanks for reading, and hopefully I’ll see you again soon.

If you’ve picked up a copy of the latest Western Front, you probably know exactly what I’m going to say. Remember that WTA meeting that happened this past Thursday? Here’s the idea that they arrived at for Whatcom County residents to vote on in April: increase taxes two-tenths of one percent to avoid WTA service cuts. According to this article, this small tax increase would prevent a 14% service cut that the WTA has been forced to consider because of financial woes.

I don’t know about you, lurkers, but I feel strongly that if it takes an itty bitty tax increase to save 14% of WTA’s amazing services from disappearing, then so be it! If you read this blog, you probably use this service on a regular basis and appreciate how hard the WTA’s staff members work to keep our bus system running smoothly. According to an article in the Bellingham Herald, it is estimated that “80 percent of travel in the city now relies on single-occupancy vehicles.” That means that four fifths of people on the road are driving alone in their car. I’m pretty shocked at this percentage, lurkers, and I don’t think it’s the best idea to make bus service cuts if the City of Bellingham is concerned that too many people are flying solo, so to speak.

I’d love to say that I’m not trying to press my bias on you, but that would be a whopping lie. I think this is a pretty important issue, so I’m going to keep an eye out for any more news. One thing is for sure: I’ll be voting on this in April. I hope you do too, lurkers, whatever stance you choose to take.

OH and don’t forget to contact me if you need help getting home for the Thanksgiving holiday! That’s what I’m here for, so ask away.

First of all, AJ and I are in the AS Review! The article is concerning ways that students can get home over the holidays. You probably know a lot about that already if you’ve been reading this blog, but you still might want to check it out.

Okay, enough self-promotion! Time to get serious. There is another article in the AS Review that discusses the ways in which the WTA is changing — pretty important stuff! Like all of us, the WTA is feeling the strain of these tough financial times and the board of directors is currently grappling with budget cut options. One option is to cut service by 10%, with the affected routes determined by ridership. Since they’d still be “in the red”, as the AS Review puts it, the other option is to make those service cuts as well as discontinue Sunday service.

If you think like I do, you’re probably saying: “NOOOOO! I need to be able to go places on Sundays!” It’s a little more complicated than that, though — WTA needs to be able to afford to fill essential positions, pay their employees fair wages, and provide them with reasonable benefits. Since their staff is stretched thin, canceling Sunday service would be fairer to the workers who make the bus system we know and love possible. Though the service changes (if they’re approved) won’t take place until June 2010, you can make your voice heard at the public hearing this week, with whatever you feel should be done. As stated on the WTA’s Rider Alert page, the hearing will take place at 8:00am on Thursday, November 19th at Whatcom County Council Chambers (311 Grand Ave, 98226).

Oh yeah, and there was a power outtage this morning. Heh.

And another thing — Amtrak trains going out of Bellingham the day before Thanksgiving are selling out fast! Get on it if you want to get out of town that day.

I went on a little adventure there today with a friend, and it was probably the most gorgeous park I’ve been to in the county. I’m almost afraid to blog about it because it’s so peaceful and pristine. You know the epic forests in films like Lord of the Rings — the kind that metal bands like to take black and white photographs of to use for album covers? Imagine a little slice of a forest like that tenderly woven into the landscape of a lovely corner of Birch Bay, complete with a conveniently paved trail and absolutely stunning lookout points.  At the end of the (quite short) trail, hikers can take a brief trek down to the tidal flats below, which I cannot recommend enough!

This was the perfect adventure for a sunny autumn afternoon, and an ideal trail for those who want to be enveloped by nature’s enchantments without having to commit to a session of hardcore hiking (I include myself in that category, though I enjoy a good hike sometimes). The water below was clear and magnificent, perfectly reflecting a fiery sunset… this is the stuff dreams are made of, lurkers.

So you may be wondering, “How do I get there if it’s all the way out in Blaine?” The easiest way to is carpool to the convenient parking area and go from there. If you want to get there using alternative transit, WTA’s Bus 55 can drop you off a few miles from the park. It’s probably best to bike out from there, but it could be a really lovely walk if you’re up for it! If you’re 55-ing it, you’ll want to go early in the day to have enough time to explore before the bus stops running. More specific directions can be found at the park’s homepage.

All I have to say is, thank you Whatcom County Parks Department for my new favorite adventure destination!

I was taking the 190 to campus this morning when I caught a whiff of something truly atrocious. The scent was like a mixture of baby powder, paint thinner, Sharpies, and bug spray. Come on people now, smile on your brother/sister/other relative of importance and cease the public assault on the nostrils of your fellow bus-riding citizens!

Am I just overly sensitive to intense smells, or are you also somewhat bothered by this?

Now, as the title of this entry implies, this slightly effects those of you who take WTA’s bus 15. If you’re riding the 15 and the bus ventures into unfamiliar territory for a few minutes, don’t fret — it’s a detour because of the work being done on the school.  You can check out the WTA’s Rider Alert page to get the details. The route should return to normal when school’s back in session.