LJWorld.com weblogs Eco-challenge

Posted by Christine Metz August 3, 2008 at 6 a.m.

To KC and back

It took three buses, a $9 taxi ride, one train and a bit of cheating. But, I did it. I managed to get to Kansas City ([Westport's Ernie Biggs Dueling Piano Bar to be exact][1]) on a Friday night and return the same day -- without driving. Well, not exactly on the same day, but close enough.The Amtrak train pulled into the Lawrence station a little past 12:30 a.m. This was the part of my no-car week that had given me the most pause.The event was a must-attend. One of my friends had won an office party at Ernie Biggs. That meant free food, free drinks and no cover charge. The only problem was it started at 6 p.m., which even on a good newsroom day would be difficult to make. During the week when I had traded my four wheels for my two legs, it seemed impossible.But these are the challenges one must face in life (or in my case the blogosphere). For the past two weeks, I had been planning for the night. First I would take the K-10 Connector from Lawrence to Johnson County Community College. Then, I would catch a bus downtown and from there to Westport. With a quick call to [The JO (short for Johnson County Transit)][2], I had all the routes and stops mapped out.Because the K-10 Connector doesn't run late Friday evenings or at all during the weekend, I had to find another way home.The idea of a 50-mile bike ride back to Lawrence the next day was one that appealed to me. However, my bike-shop friends informed me that the city of De Soto was less than friendly to bicyclists.For a day, I thought I was either going to have to break my vow of carlessness or miss out on the fun. Then genius struck (or a co-worker gave me a good suggestion. I can't remember.)What about the train?As luck would have it, once every day Amtrak leaves Kansas City traveling West and passing through Lawrence. And, it just so happens to be at 10:55 p.m. And, I could buy a ticket for $17. My plan was foolproof. Until 3:03 p.m. Friday.That's when I realized if I wanted to catch the bus from downtown Lawrence to Haskell Indian Nations University to meet the K-10 Connector, I had to be at the bus stop in exactly one minute. I was nowhere close.I was defeated before my first step. I roamed the News Center asking anyone I saw -- reporters, photographers, editors -- if they were by chance heading toward Haskell in the next 20 minutes or so. I had a taker. Well, technically, he was going to the downtown courthouse. And, that technically was cheating. But, I had a larger plan to consider. When we pulled up to Haskell, there were no signs as to where the bus might stop. No signs, except for a college-age man talking on his cell phone and milling about in the north parking lot. I took a chance and decided to wait nearby. The bus pulled up on time. Because it was declared a high-ozone-level day in Kansas City, the fare was reduced to 50 cents. The ride over was one of pure pleasure. I leaned back, pulled out a book and didn't once worry about those jerk-of-a-drivers in front of me. We made it to Johnson County before I finished the first ten pages of my book. I was now ready to take on The JO.A bit unfamiliar with Kansas City and completely new to it's bus system, I was the bus driver's worst nightmare -- shuffling through my purse for the exact change, asking if this was the bus that would take me downtown and then checking every couple stops to see if I needed to get off. Though annoying, it's a tactic that works. And, I successfully exited that bus to wait for the next one. And that was where error number two was made. It wasn't until after I boarded the next bus and was headed toward sky scrappers that I realized something wasn't right. When everyone else got off -- including the driver -- I knew something had gone terribly wrong. It turned out, I should have crossed the street when I transferred buses. Fortunately, the driver informed me that after he took a short bathroom break he would be headed in the direction I needed to go. The mistake resulted in a 20 minute detour. But, soon enough [I found myself in Westport][3]. Start to finish, it was a three hour journey that cost $1. The way back was a little more expensive. Around 9:40 p.m., I ventured out of Ernie Biggs and to the side of Broadway. According to the nice man I called at The JO, the bus I needed to be on would arrive at 9:54 p.m.It did arrive -- on the other side of the street. My failing sense of direction was getting embarrassing. Not sure when the next bus would come and knowing I had just one chance back to Lawrence that night, I panicked and hailed a cab. It was a $9 ride to Union Station. As it turned out the train was delayed and I had a good 30 minutes to burn. So, I called my sister, chatted to the nice gentlemen next to me and did some highly-entertaining people watching.This was my first Amtrak experience and even at 11 p.m. I wanted to soak it all in. When we boarded, I was surprised by how big and comfy the seats were. The leg room was well beyond the first-class standards of airplanes. If it wasn't for the constant wailing of the train horn, I might have fallen asleep. Just before the train reached Lawrence, an attendant made sure I was awake and ready to depart. When the doors opened it was to an empty sidewalk and a dark night. This was a part of Lawrence, I had never seen before. It took me a few seconds and several circles before I spotted the lights from downtown just four blocks away. My eyes burned and my feet hurt, as I walked the last part of my journey. When I reached home, the light by my front door had never looked so welcoming. The trip back to Lawrence took 3 hours 20 minutes and $26. [1]: http://kansascity.erniebiggs.com/ [2]: http://www.thejo.com/ [3]: http://www.westportkc.com/

Comments

LJWorld.com doesn’t necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post. Read our full policy. Also, read about banned accounts and harassing comments.

  1. grimpeur (anonymous) says…

    This is why Lawrence's transit needs will never be satisfied by the T in its current incarnation. As a commuter city, we must consider the needs of those who travel to and from Lawrence, KC, Leavenworth, Topeka, Blue Springs, and Johnson County, and not just those who insist on driving alone every day because they want to.

  2. vavs0929 (anonymous) says…

    Congratulations! I have been car-free for almost a month now and take the T to and from work; thus far I have hit very few snags. The one thing that does bother me about my commute around the city is just that...I have to go completely around the city toget to my job, which takes an hour (my drive would normally be under 10 minutes). i have to get up super early, catch the bus, transfer, transfer, then arrive at work an hour later--I really do not understand why the T doesnt have a bus that goes the entire length of wakarusa from 23rd to 6th, no... I have to go from my apt, which is right by the K-10 light on 27th/wakarusa, to 31st st, to 9th and mass, then to 6th street. But, It has helped my road rage and driving stress levels as I dont have to deal with the crazies, and i do feel better about utilizing the transit system a lot of people take for granted here in lawrence, sure, its not perfect, but at least we have the option while our vehicles are out of commission or we are trying to go green.My next challenge will be to go to the grocery store using the T... I have yet to try this as my brother has been gracious enough to take me. I *think* I can swing it, I just wont plan on buying any ice cream :)

  3. tangential_reasoners_anonymous (anonymous) says…

    "To KC and back"... via Boise... been there... DONE.

  4. dklamet (Dave Klamet) says…

    Great idea. Great article.For those of us who have dealt with the drive to KC each day and dream of:--losing our car payments or at least putting fewer miles on our vehicles--detouring around constant road construction--seeing the city/county/state spend all the money that's being spent on that construction on something better. (education, health care,... take your pick)--putting fewer dollars in the gas tank and more in savings (or whatever)...you give us hope.

  5. nobody1793 (anonymous) says…

    We need somma dat Funkhauser-express light rail. Whoo Whoooooo!

  6. notajayhawk (anonymous) says…

    If I'm reading these posts correctly, you folks are actually *congratulating* Ms. Metz for demonstrating exactly why non-car travel is so impractical?I drive from southern Douglas County to eastern Jackson County every day. The round trip takes a little over two hours and less than $11 in gas. "putting fewer dollars in the gas tank and more in savings (or whatever)?" How do you figure? The train ride alone on the way home cost three times as much as the one-way gas costs - and that's with taxpayers paying half the train fare. And while the trip *to* KC cost somewhat less, that's only if the traveler's time is worthless - three hours for a trip that could have been made in a little over 45 minutes by car? (I wonder if Ms. Metz's normal work schedule involves leaving work at 3:00 pm, or if adjusting her schedule to the K-10 connector's cost more in lost work than the savings on gas.)The *only* thing I can find in this story to congratulate Ms. Metz for is using alternate transportation after a night of drinking. But then, calling such an occasion "a must-attend" is, I sincerely hope, more than a bit of a joke. If the point was to demonstrate that a person can travel to another city 40 miles away for free drinks without driving, I'll add my own congrats. If it was to demonstrate the existence of practical alternatives to automobile travel, it was a miserably failed experiment.

  7. jkealing (Jonathan Kealing) says…

    Hi all,I'd invite you to look at some of Christine's earlier entries (click on Eco-Challenge at the top of the entry). The idea behind this series is to explore how life would work without driving a car. It's part of our "green series" at LJWorld.com/green. I don't think Christine is praising the system as it exists, she's just noting how it can be done. I can't say for certain, but I think most people would relish a convenient, efficient alternative to driving - but it's not here yet.Jonathan KealingOnline editor

  8. vavs0929 (anonymous) says…

    notajayhawk just likes to rain on other peoples parades. He doesnt understand the point behind it.

  9. notajayhawk (anonymous) says…

    Speaking of not understanding, vapid0929, you might notice that my comments were not directed so much at the blog's author, but at those who made posts implying Christine's experience demonstrated some kind of useful alternative to driving - like you, for instance. And being as how you've said yourself that the only reason you use public transportation is because your own car broke down and you can't afford to fix it (and will abandon the T as soon as you can), your comments are not only inane, but somewhat duplicitous.

  10. gccs14r (anonymous) says…

    Getting to KC wasn't the problem, it was getting home. That's the same problem the T has--no overnight service. Had Ms. Metz been able to take the JO back to JCCC, the K-10 Connector back to Lawrence, and the T home, the round trip would have been about $3 on that day. We're way behind the rest of the world in public transportation (among other things).

  11. notajayhawk (anonymous) says…

    gccs14r (Anonymous) says: "Had Ms. Metz been able to take the JO back to JCCC, the K-10 Connector back to Lawrence, and the T home, the round trip would have been about $3 on that day."It still would have taken closer to six hours than the hour and a half round trip by car. I don't know about you - or Ms. Metz - but my time is worth more to me than the $5 and change I would have saved by wasting four and a half hours. And again, the only reason her trip would be so cheap is because the rest of us are paying for it.

  12. dirkleisure (anonymous) says…

    The K-10 Connector service costs $364,000 a year and during the most recent 3-month period available (February - April), there were almost 28,000 riders. The fare is $2.50. The program is actually on its way to being self sufficient.It would be interesting to see how such a program between Lawrence and Topeka would work. For most Lawrence residents, that commute is between 50-60 miles a day. Even with abnormally great gas mileage of 40 mpg, a low cost per mile (AAA defines a standard 42.1 cents for a small sedan in 2008 rate as fuel, maintenance, repairs, depreciation, insurance, etc.) of 20 cents, and a moderate estimate of gasoline at $3.50/gallon, that's a cost to an individual of at least $14/day.A note on the AAA - you may find their 2008 spreadsheet here http://www.aaanewsroom.net/Assets/Fil... For a small sedan, they estimated fuel at 9.39 cents/mile using late 2007 fuel costs of about $2.94/gallon.That's certainly not good for the economy, for so much income to be dedicated to a commute. It is a very rare individual who can make it from southern DG to eastern Jackson County, MO for only $11 in gas (3.1 gallons at the moderate price of $3.50/gallon). Christine's series, in particular her adventures traveling to the KC area and back, demonstrate both that there are options available and that the system grossly favors individuals and their vehicles. Of course, this story is focused in on a social occasion, and with the exception of the Amtrak ride the routes used are mainly in place to provide alternatives for commuters.A balanced transportation program in the future will include more options like the K-10 Connector along high-traffic routes and likely increased reliance on rail or light rail service. The days of public transportation funding being spent overwhelmingly on roads and bridges are likely over.

  13. paavopetie (anonymous) says…

    A commuter train between the Lawrence Amtrak station and KC's Union Station might be effective both directions in the morning and the evening.The train is especially nice to take back from Chicago. It does get into Lawrence at 12:30 am, but you don't have to drive home 50 miles from the airport. Megabus from KC (the downtown bus station) is super cheap to Chicago, too, if you buy your ticket far enough in advanced.The JO or the T might also consider running a shuttle bus from Oak Park Mall to downtown Lawrence (or Allen Fieldhouse/Memorial Stadium) on Saturdays and game days.And the K-10 Connector totally rocks. But, dirkleisure, the fare for most people is $1.50 each way cause they buy the 10-ride pass.

  14. notajayhawk (anonymous) says…

    dirkleisure (Anonymous) says:"That's certainly not good for the economy, for so much income to be dedicated to a commute."Whereas it would be better for the economy for me to be making less than a third of what I'm currently making - which is what I was getting paid in the last job I worked locally? If it wasn't cost effective, I wouldn't be making the trip - and the thousands of cars I share the highway with every day are there for pretty much the same reason."The days of public transportation funding being spent overwhelmingly on roads and bridges are likely over."Not hardly. Maybe you haven't been keeping up with current events - while the increased price of gas had a temporary inpact on public transit usage, it still represented a minimal percentage of Americans' daily travel. And in case you didn't notice, the $5/gal we were supposed to be paying by summer's end didn't happen, and likely won't - it's been dropping pretty steadily lately.Incidentally, it's pretty amusing to see the same folks who complain about dealing with road construction allege that spending on road improvements is easing up."It is a very rare individual who can make it from southern DG to eastern Jackson County, MO for only $11 in gas (3.1 gallons at the moderate price of $3.50/gallon)."Depending on whether or not I feel like using my air conditioning, my car gets between 33 and 36 mpg. Splitting the difference, that's 34.5, or just under 3.2 gallons, which at today's price of $3.67 comes out to $11.70. And I could really care less what AAA figures as the 'average' cost per mile. The car I use for commuting was bought used - and cheap - for exactly that purpose. If I use it for a year and throw it away, it would still add just $6 per commuting day. That $17/day round-trip total is less than half what it would cost me for a train ride one way. Plus I'd have the costs of driving to Lawrence for the train, parking, and some kind of transportation from the train to work. I say 'some kind' because the buses don't run at the hours I'd need them or where I need them to go. And thank you very much, but my time is worth a little too - maybe you think it would be cost effective to leave my home almost three hours earlier and get home five hours later, effectively doubling my workday (for no increase in pay) - that would be good for the economy?Thanks, but I save a fortune taking my own car, and I can do it when it's convenient for me. Next time you ride the K-10 connector, take a glance out the window of the bus and you might just notice how many more people just don't share your attraction to public transit.

  15. gccs14r (anonymous) says…

    "It still would have taken closer to six hours than the hour and a half round trip by car."90 minutes from downtown Lawrence to Westport and back, eh? Not at the speed limit during rush hour, that's for sure. It's at least two hours, and you have to find a place to park while you're there. Remember that she got lost at least twice, and the train was delayed by 30 minutes. Had she not missed a couple of connections and been able to get home the way she got there, it wouldn't have taken 6 hours. As for the cost of an 80 mile round trip, it's not just fuel (which would be about $16 for the average vehicle in this country). There are taxes, depreciation, maintenance, and insurance, not to mention that time spent driving yourself is time you can't spend doing other things. The Federal tax deduction is about 50 cents a mile for business travel by private car. If the true cost of auto travel isn't 50 cents a mile, it sounds like a subsidy. Maybe we should put that toward public transportation, instead.

Reply 15 comments from Spiderman Gccs14r Notajayhawk Paavopetie Dirkleisure and 6 others

Top ads RSS

Top jobs · Top rentals · Top transportation

Marketplace

Pine Family Landscape Center 785-843-6949

Find more businesses on Marketplace

Arts & Entertainment · Bars · Theatres · Restaurants · Coffeehouses · Libraries · Antiques · Services