Now that I’ve broken through the barrier of trying out public transportation, I’m seeing the benefits more clearly. For instance, my experience yesterday:

I had a lunch meeting downtown. I hadn’t been downtown in a while so I headed down in plenty of time to make my appointment. Or at least that’s what I thought…

I drove around and around looking for parking. I couldn’t find any. The street parking was either filled, or it was reserved for valet parking. I finally found something …. For $15!  AND I had to walk a couple of blocks. I was fifteen minutes late by that time.

If I had instead walked the same distance to the bus stop as I had to walk from my parking space to the restaurant, I would have saved myself the hassle of driving around and around, I would have had a relaxing time reading or entertaining myself with my phone, and I would have saved a whole bunch of money. Even if I had to walk a few extra blocks, that would simply mean that I got more exercise.

Yes, Uber and Lyft are more convenient for these types of occasional trips, but public transportation still provides a great option.  I can see the benefit of planning my lunch meetings based on proximity to bus stops.

One thing’s for sure, Austin downtown area has changed dramatically.  It’s worth a visit on the weekend, and a great time to test out public transportation in a non-pressured way while exploring  new restaurants, shops and green areas.

If you’re really energetic and want to get a bit of exercise, bike riding is another great option. Explore our wonderful city!