Post-Secondary Ramblings

I was one of those lucky ones who rarely had to bus to school. My school was on the way to my dad’s workplace so I would carpool along with my dad. After school, my friends would watch in jealousy as I stepped into my mom’s car for a ride home. Next year will be different. As UBC is located in the most westernly part of Vancouver, it is no longer en route and I will have to bus to school.

Bussing isn’t totally new to me. Aside from rides to and from school, I use public transit as my main mode of transportation. Imagine my excitement when I finally received my U-Pass last week! I have to admit though, public transportation has frustrated me many times as the busses aren’t exactly always on time.

I’m sure that one of the busses that a lot of us are going to take is the 99 B-Line. I mean, why not? It’s fast, it’s frequent, it’s reliable…most of the time. However, during the rush hours in Vancouver, Broadway can be a pain to bus through. I would also think that taking the same bus route daily would make life less exciting. Have you ever considered the other bus routes that may bring you to UBC?

Students who take the Millenium Line to Commercial-Broadway can consider taking one more stop over to VCC-Clark. After getting off the SkyTrain, take the 84 at Bay 1 and it should take you to UBC in about the same time as the B-Line. In addition, it runs along 4th Avenue, giving you a nice tour of Kitsilano before heading into UBC.

Another option for students taking the Expo Line to Commercial-Broadway would be to stop at Joyce and take the 43. Running only during the peak hours, this bus takes the same route as the 41, except it only stops at major intersections. I haven’t bussed rush hour along 41st in a while, but from past experiences the traffic can get quite conjested around Victoria. I’m not sure if it’s still the case. One last thing, the 43 stops at Bay 5 at Joyce which is not located with all the other bays. Rather, it is located at the south-west corner of Joyce and Vanness. Right in front of Sunflower Bubble Tea.

If you’re waiting for the 99 late at night, taking the 9 instead may not be that bad of a choice. The 99 doesn’t come as frequent at night, and there is less traffic along Broadway. The 9 may get you to your destination just as fast, if not faster, than the 99.

Those are just a few alternatives that came to mind. Feel free to comment with your own!