Problems with Public Transportation

The public transportation system in Illinois is a complete mess. I can say that because I take it every day to work & am almost always late by 30 minutes to an hour. Or, I’m sitting on a bus for 3 hours on the way home. I can’t be the only person who can’t drive that gets upset by this. It’s absolutely absurd. I mean, 3 weeks ago I called to set up my rides to & from work. They offered to pick me up 3 hours early, meaning 6 in the morning to get me to work at 9:30. I start at 9. I have told them umpteenth times that I start at 9, & that I really can’t be late. Still, I arrive late.

 Being late doesn’t matter to them. But, the kicker is they say right on the phone what time I need to be there by. These times only get earlier & earlier each time I was setting up a ride. I usually set up my rides 3 days early, expecting that to be more than enough time to set up those rides & to make sure there are cabs available. It drives me crazy. I end up taking home an Uber or a Lyft. Which is WAY more than the usual $3 I pay. Over the last 2 weeks I’ve spent about $50 on Lyft/Uber when I really shouldn’t have to. It’s extremely frustrating. I don’t understand why this is so difficult. 

Since the pandemic started, people haven’t been working. As of the last 6 months to a year & a half slowly people have been coming back to the workforce. Apparently, not for the public transportation companies. Sometimes the bus will get me, & then tells me that I’ll be late because they have 4-6 add ons. That isn’t fair, people who have gotten on the bus later than me get dropped off first. Tell me how that logic works? Exactly, it doesn’t. Unfortunately enough, complaining to the help line does nothing, because it still happens. I’m fed up, but being unable to drive, I’m stuck in a rock & a hard place. The only way out of this nightmare would be for me to go get my license. Driving scares me way too much to do that, so I’m stuck. But, I’m trying my best to stay positive about it. It’s really hard but I think I’m managing quite well, considering the circumstances. 

-Marina