SC: Respect the Transpass (Transit Roulette part 2)

[elSicomoro]

I've been an everyday public transit commuter again for almost 4 months, and a frequent public transit commuter for all 27 years of my life. Yet, since moving to Philadelphia 2 years ago tomorrow, I have made some incredibly stupid decisions in riding SEPTA. This week, I was full up on stupid pills. And I blame it completely on not buying a Weekly Transpass.

Usually, every Sunday, I go to SuperFresh to buy a SEPTA Weekly Transpass. For $18.75 per week, I get unlimited bus and subway rides within the city and the first suburban zone. It also gives you credit for one zone on the regional (commuter) rail lines. And it's simple to use...you just keep the transpass in your wallet or purse...no need to lug around a pocket full of tokens and change. However, this past week, I had scheduled Tuesday off for job interviews. Because I would only be commuting 4 days this week, it would be cheaper to buy tokens and use change for transfers instead of buying a pass ($15.60 vs. $18.75).

So, Monday morning, I headed to the bus stop to begin my day. Then it dawned on me...I forgot my tokens and change. So, I wound up spending $4 ($2 base fare on both the bus and the El) to get to work. Of course, now that I think about it, I could have only spent $3 and told the SEPTA driver to keep the extra 40 cents ($2 base plus 60¢ for a transfer). See what I mean?! Oh, did I mention that I did the same damned thing yesterday morning?

Now, it's Friday afternoon. Every Friday afternoon, Sycamore treats himself to a ride home on the R7 commuter line. It costs a little extra, but the regional rail is heaven compared to the El.

So, I stroll over to the ticket machine at Market East Station...shit! No transpass...I'll have to pay for a 3 zone ride instead of 2. (Fares on regional rail trips are determined by which zone you start at and which zone you're traveling to. Center City is the starting point of the train, and Torresdale station is in zone 3, which translates to a $4.50 ride. With the transpass, it would only be $2.50.

I go downstairs to the train platform and wait for the train to arrive. The R7 is running a few minutes late, but is now scheduled to come in before the R5 going to Thorndale. A train pulls up...no announcement is made as to which train it is, and there is no marking on the outside of it. I see the R7 pulled off the incoming train board, so I naturally assume it's the R7. As I sit down on the train and it starts to roll, the announcer comes on:

"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen...this is the R5 express to Bryn Mawr, local to Thorndale..."

Oh, shit! Thank goodness the train makes stops at Suburban Station and 30th Street Station (both in Center City) before heading out to the suburbs. I quickly hop off at Suburban Station and wait for the R7, which is just behind the R5.

The train ride was wonderful and uneventful. We pull into Torresdale station, and lo and behold! There's the 84 bus, waiting to pick people up from the train. (To get home from Torresdale requires a 5-minute ride on the 84, which will take me up and down the hills that compose Morrell Avenue.)

As I walk over to the bus, I fumble around for $2, b/c again, no transpass to use. To my dismay, I only have $1.

Fuck. And to add to this, I don't have the cell phone with me today. So, I figure I'm just gonna walk home from Torresdale...about 2 miles or so. No big deal...I like to walk.

Two problems though: One, I have a mild heel injury that is making walking a pain. Two, Morrell Ave. has a medium decline followed by a curved mammoth incline that runs about 3 or so blocks.

I made it as far as Frankford and Morrell...about halfway home. I saw a pay phone at the Sunoco station, saw that it only required 35¢, found 35¢ in my pocket, called Rho, and asked her to pick me up.

The moral of today's story: Don't be a fucking cheapskate...just buy the damned Transpass.