I spent most of my life in Western Massachusetts, in the lovely Pioneer Valley. But even though I never learned to drive, I never set foot on the PVTA buses - thanks to the kindness of mom and dad, carpooling, my own two feet, and in hindsight, a terrible lack of curiosity. There was a certain nervousness, too: I didn't know how to find out where they went or when they'd arrive, what kind of people I'd find on them, whether I'd end up stranded at the other end of my trip. I wasn't sure whether one had to buy tickets ahead of time or pay as you board - I even had a suspicion that the service was just for the elderly or disabled.

When I moved to Portland, learning to use the transit system was a more normal thing to do. Everyone I met did it, and it turned out to be easy. If I want to figure out how to get somewhere and how long it'll take, trimet.org is there for me. Real-time schedule information is available by cell phone. My process of gradually becoming comfortable in this mobile public space was similar, I imagine, to that of the Southern Californians interviewed in a recent LA Times article. But that process does take time, and systems need to be learned.

Last week, as I returned from vacationing with my family and we passed through Estacada, we spotted a Tri-Met bus. We seemed worlds away from the city I know - Estacada is about 35 miles from my home - but suddenly, this new destination was within my range. I also thought what better way to spend vacations than exploring?

Turns out it would take me about two hours to get to Estacada by bus. Which is two hours of checking out the view, talking to a friend, or reading a good book. And then I can check out the Clackamas river and McIvor State Park, or stop in at Viking Brewery ("the brewery that made Estacada famous!"). Who knows what else I might discover? The sense of the unknown and unexpected that may make people wary of shifting to transit systems for things like commuting have the potential to turn a relatively nearby destination into a fun adventure.

What does this have to do with the PVTA? Compared with Tri-met, the PVTA is a fairly sparse system: that's reasonable, considering the difference in density¹. But it's still pretty loaded with options, which today I can explore using the PVTA's site and Google maps' transit option. When I was living in Northampton, Mass., it could have taken me to Springfield's museum-loaded quadrangle (which I remember fondly from my childhood) in just 23 minutes. The friendly CSA farm in Hadley, which my parents still belong to, was under 20 minutes away, just over the Connecticut river. Further along the same route (the B43) is Amherst, home to several colleges and their attendant cultural amenities - I could have reached it in under an hour. Getting to my parents' house in Williamsburg would be more challenging, because it's in a small town, farther from the core of the route. These kinds of trips take planning and can't really be impulsive journeys².

This isn't a new idea, and it won't work everywhere. But some transit agencies are making it easier, like (forgive the Portland-centricity, here) Tri-met, with their guide to local destinations, or even better, the New York MTA's "Destinations, Deals, and Getaways" page, that shows almost impossibly alluring (non-urban) vacation-y images.

Perhaps through these experiments people can get to know what's available and learn how valuable improved service in their area could be. They'll learn that their transit system is not just for marginalized populations or "common people". Nor is transit a boring utility, but can be part of getting to know the place in which they live.

Next time I'm back in Massachusetts, I'll have to set aside some time for an adventure I should have had years ago.

1. ^ The three counties that make up the Pioneer Valley have a combined population of about 685,000, while the Portland metropolitan area is home to about 2 million. The respective transit agencies, of course, serve primarily the densest, most urban parts of those areas.

2. ^ For example, I recently learned that I can get to Oregon's coast by bus for $15 round-trip - but because of the schedule, I'd better plan to stay overnight. With a little more research and planning, that could be a nice trip!

Photo credit: Maria V
Brian McCaffrey