Exploring Public Transit and Making it Work for You

Muni light rail that connects to Golden Gate Transit busses to Marin County (Photo Credit: Matt Biggar)

A transit-oriented reflection on this year’s winter solstice!

This fall, I had a few appointments in San Rafael, a city in Marin County that is located about 20 miles north of where I live in San Francisco. Although I prefer not to drive, I was unsure of the available options to get there by public transportation. I was aware that Golden Gate Transit runs buses there, but I had never taken one.

Using Google Maps, I discovered that by taking the Muni light rail a few stops, I could reach a stop for the Golden Gate Transit's 101 bus near City Hall. This bus would take me to the San Rafael Transit Center, and from there, I could reach my appointment in the downtown area of San Rafael within a 10-minute walk.

The 101 bus arrived on time and was comfortable, clean, and in excellent condition. The ride was smooth, and the bus arrived at my destination 10-15 minutes early! During the journey, I was able to get work done and relax.

I repeated this same transit route for my other trips, except on one occasion when I missed the 101 bus (which comes hourly) that I had planned to take that day. I tend to cut things close! Google Maps did not show any other options that would get me to my appointment on time. However, I remembered seeing that the 130 and 150 buses also traveled to San Rafael and spotted a 130 coming towards me. I jumped on it. It was a less direct route, but I managed to reach my destination on time and enjoyed views of the Bay from the Sausalito shoreline as an added bonus to that route.

Through my experience and research on transportation, I have discovered how important it is for people to learn firsthand through experience in order to adopt and regularly use public transit. While Google Maps and other apps are helpful, they are not enough, as my example of a missed connection illustrated. We must get out there, try it, and learn from trial and error. Then it sticks and may even become a source of joy.

The holiday season is a time to slow down. Perhaps explore a new transit route to a new destination or one that you have traveled to by car in the past. If you do, please let me know how it goes. Happy holidays and happy public transit riding!