It's Getting Real

My resolve has been sorely tested this week. And my daughter has been the rock.

As her extracurricular schedule ramped up, our ability to easily access destinations hit a few obstacles. On Monday, she had volleyball practice, and we desperately needed a trip to the grocery store, but the Zipcars were booked, and she wasn't quite ready for the bicycle ride to volleyball practice. We opted for the transit/bicycle combo, only to find that my 30-day transit pass malfunctioned two weeks in, and we were informed that the only solutions were to buy another ticket, and then, trek back to the Williamsburg Outlet Mall -- which is on the way to absolutely nowhere -- to figure out what was wrong. This really wasn't the answer I wanted to hear.

Simultaneously, my workload for my actual job was ever increasing. Fall is always busy for us, and this season looks to be even more so.

I felt myself begin to buckle, but my daughter held fast, convinced that we can make this work. (I just need to state for the record that I think my kid is pretty amazing.)

Tuesday arrived, and I had a morning free of calls, so after school dropoff, I lingered downtown, working on a bench, fully capitalizing on Williamsburg's wifi access.  At the appointed time, I caught the bus that travels to the upper part of James City County. My resolve was buoyed by my fellow

A full bus.

transit riders -- standing room only, representing a wide variety of colors, ages and languages.  I found myself thinking that even in our small community, transit breaks down barriers like few things can. I firmly believe that is a good thing.

I am fortunate to be able to work virtually anywhere, and so far this week, I have found myself working on benches outside, benches inside, buses and even curbs. I've actually been quite productive.

To make a long story short, even after spending a total of three hours roundtrip, I was unable to resolve my transit pass issue at the transit office. However, I learned that the transit board of directors was meeting on Wednesday, and I decided it was time to introduce myself to the board and share with them our experiences--both positive and well ... constructive--thus far.

I've testified before many boards of electeds and decisionmakers, but never has it been so personal. The reception by the board and attending staff was encouraging.  I spoke about our direct experiences, but in the end, I hope that any resulting change enhances the experience for all transit users, and that the changes will be a catalyst to encourage more Williamsburg residents to experience transit. It is a pretty unique way to experience this place that is our collective home. Between this and the strength and enthusiasm of my kid, I'll continue to hang on when this experiment seems much harder than it should be.