4/30/12 PM

I find that "The William Tell Overture" narrates a bus ride home on the 854 quite well. Especially when I include my own mock bow movements, playing the first violin part in the not-so-privacy of my seat. Heh.

4/24/12 PM

Where'd all these 854's come from? Sitting in the far back seat of an articulated bus is like sitting in the last row of a DC-9...your ears will ring for a couple hours after getting off.

4/12/12 AM

The typical morning lolly gag by the always-running-late-family. Given a day that they are actually early to the mini park-and-ride, they don't emerge from their vehicle until the bus approaches their bus stop. Heaven forbid they actually would wait at the stop and keep the bus running on schedule. Nah. Too easy. World revolves around them.

4/11/12 PM

Holy crap. After like a year and a half hiatus, kinda-annoying Tony got on the 854. I am trying not to make eye contact. Looks like he found another victim. I guess he's a chubby chaser. Granted, it's a sample of 2 - me and her.

4/6/12 AM

Oddest driver I've seen in a long time.

1) Definitely new to the route because she has map in left hand.
2) Ran a stop sign.
3) Twice, at a stoplight, put the bus in park, got out of her chair and adjusted something completely unnecessary.
4) At Northtown, parked at the end of the transit area for a couple minutes, rather than going to the stop itself to let waiting passengers on.

The ride continues...

3/28/12 PM

An entire aisle of "outside sitters." My favorite. *rolls eyes*

3/27/12 PM

The same guy has gotten up 4 times (in the 10 minutes we've been en route) and moved to another seat. He has gone back to the same seat twice. Dude, what's your deal?

3/19/12 AM

New rider with a bike gets on at our first turn onto Jefferson. After struggling about a full minute to put his bike on the front rack, the sub driver honks at him. After another minute of struggle, the driver honks again impatiently. After a third minute, sub driver whips her seatbelt off hastily, gets off the bus and assists the gentleman. An embarrassed newbie gets on and sits at the back of the bus, forgetting to pay. After a minute or so of transit, he walks up to the front to pay his fare.

Happy Monday, folks...

3/16/12 PM

The guy driving the 850A in front of us not only needs to be trained on bus driving protocol, but also the entire MN driver's education manual in general.

3/8/12 AM

4 days, 4 different morning drivers. It's going to be one of *those* driver picks. Fantabulous.

3/7/2012 AM

It's a very bad sign when your driver has one hand on the wheel and a map in the other. Welcome to the world of not having a regular 6:32 driver.

3/6/12 PM

Bus. Not bedroom.

3/6/12 AM

854 rider profile: 24 Year-Old Target Corporate Douchebag. Gets on the bus every day at the Northtown hub and sits in the front handicapped section of the bus. Never offers his seat for people on crutches, those that are elderly and moving much slower or parents with kids/strollers - just watches as they stroll by, slowly, to seats on the back of the bus. Sits and listens to his iPod in his nicely-tailored executive suit, oblivious to the world, without a manner in his bones.

3/2/2012 AM

A sad day on the 6:32 854. Driver picks end, and we have a new set of drivers next week. Miss Diva Driver that has been driving us for the last quarter or so is moving on. Sad really...she was a great driver, and the new routes will be happy to have her.

2/13/12 AM

For the first time in the years I've been riding with her, regular 854 rider Bonnie Raitt sat next to me on the bus this morning. She is the most violent eye shadow applier that I've ever witnessed in my life. If I didn't have so much padding in my midsection, I would have walked off the bus with full on bruises on my right side.

1/26/12 PM

Backdoor bandit action actually worked to Bonnie Raitt's advantage today. She missed the bus at her regular stop. Bus proceeded to the stoplight, in the left lane. Bonnie Raitt crossed in front of a bus (illegally) and got (well, snuck, really) onto the bus via the open back door at a non-stop. Ballsy.

1/17/11 PM

81 million? That's a lot of adventures. Happy 2012! Let's keep those adventures going... :)

1/12/12 PM

Here we go again...the "non-stop". Door open while waiting at the stoplight at I-694 and University. Feels like -2 outside. Thanks, dood. Thanks.