From Rofflehaus

Contents 1 The short version 2 The long version 2.1 Get on the Bus 2.1.1 Plan 2.1.2 Boarding 2.1.3 Paying 2.1.4 Transferring 2.1.5 Hang On! 2.2 Get Off of the Bus 2.2.1 The Back Door 2.2.1.1 The Standy-type 2.2.1.2 The Automatic Pushy-type 2.2.1.3 The Manual Pushy-type 2.3 Winter (or any time the bus is full) 2.4 Lost? Confused?

[edit] The short version

All right, you punks. It's obvious you know nothing about riding a crowded bus so here are some simple rules on how not to be a douchebag.

1. Sit if you can. That guy doesn't have cooties and if you force the fat chick take only a single seat maybe she'll be motivated to either lose some of that ass or kill herself, either way leaving a seat for me. That goes for recently vacated seats, too. If somebody gets off the bus take their seat.
2. Move all the way to the back if you can't sit. See those 20 people outside? They want to get on the bus too. The driver will keep asking you to move your stupid ass back until you finally do it, so don't make him repeat himself at every fucking stop.
3. Take off your damn backpack. What do you have shoved in there anyway, a body pillow? It's taking up space that I could be standing in instead of listening to the bus driver ask you to move all the way to the back for the thirtieth time.
4. Don't bitch. Yeah, I'm talking to you, short girl in the pants that make her legs look even shorter. "I'm going to move my foot all the way up your ass" is not an appropriate response to "move all the way to the back of the bus". Not only do you look stupid, since there's no way in hell you're actually going to confront the bus driver, but if you'd just moved back the first time he asked you wouldn't have to hear him repeat himself.
5. Be polite to your fellow riders. Now that we're all cozy, we're probably going to get some elbows poking our backs. A smile and a "sorry" get you alot farther than an attitude.

If the bus is this retarded on a nice day in August, I can't wait to see what the first snowstorm brings. Use common sense, listen to the bus driver, and make room for people to get on. If you want fresh air and wide open spaces, walk your ass back to the dorm. If you're on the bus, suck it up and pack in there like sardines.

(Courtesy of this Strangetalk thread.)

[edit] The long version

[edit] Get on the Bus

[edit] Plan

First figure out where you're going by visiting CyRide's website and clicking on "Routes". The little black dots and squares are bus stops. Find the one closest to your destination.

Then find the stop closest to where you are now. Find the line on the schedule which will get you to your destination with enough time to walk to wherever you need to be. On that same line you'll find the time the bus will leave your stop. Be at your stop 5-10 minutes before that.

[edit] Boarding

Now go wait for the bus. Try to get to the bus stop about 5-10 minutes early. The time listed on the schedule is the time the bus is supposed to be leaving that stop exactly, so be early. If the bus is running late and no one is standing at that bus stop, it might just sail on by, so be there. Stand on the side of the street that the bus needs to be on in order to go the direction you're traveling.

 Example: If you want to go west on Lincoln Way (an east-west street in central Ames)
          You'd stand at a bus stop on the north side of the street.

Stand at the bus stop where the driver can see you, and when the bus comes it will stop for you.

[edit] Paying

Have your payment or ISUCard ready before the bus stops. Get on the bus at the front doors. If you're paying put the fare in the box right in front of you, otherwise show your pass or ISUCard to the driver as you walk to the back of the bus.

Exception: Campus circulator routes numbered in the 20s are free at all stops. Also, Moonlight Express is free for all riders.

[edit] Transferring

If you need to make a transfer to another bus, be sure to let the driver know when you board the bus, so the driver can ask the connecting bus to wait. Always request your transfer, or you may not get it. If you paid a fare, make sure you receive a transfer slip. Also make sure to ask any questions you may have at this time, so the driver can help you before it is too late.

[edit] Hang On!

The bus will probably start driving away before you sit down, so be ready for it. Try to sit as far back as you can to make room for other people getting on the bus. There are hand-holds all along the bus so you can keep your balance walking or standing while the bus is in motion.

[edit] Get Off of the Bus

When your bus stop nears pull one of the ropes strung along the tops of the windows. This will make a Ding! to alert the driver. If someone's already done so, you don't need to again. The bus will come to a stop at the nearest bus stop for you.

Never assume that the bus will stop. Always make sure the bell has been rung if you need off at the next stop. If you're not sure, look toward the front of the bus. If the "Stop Requested" sign is lit, the bell has been rung for the next stop. It's far more annoying to the bus driver to have to make a sudden stop than it is to hear the bell once for every stop.

Now here's where it can get a little bit complicated:

[edit] The Back Door

Whenever possible exit via the back door. People will try to come in the front door, and it slows the whole thing down if you're up there trying to leave.

After you get off of the bus walk right onto the sidewalk and stay there. Do not try to cross the street in front of the bus. That is dumb.

There are 3 main types of back doors on the buses.

[edit] The Standy-type

If the back door has a sign that says STEP DOWN, then step down onto the first stair. This will cause the back doors to swing open. Do not push them.

[edit] The Automatic Pushy-type

If there are vertical metal bars on the door that say PUSH, then push on one of them with gentle pressure. They will open automatically as long as someone's touching the metal bars. Try not to hold onto the bars after the doors have been triggered.

[edit] The Manual Pushy-type

These are the ones you have to apply good old-fashioned manual force to. Make sure to hold them open as you exit the bus.

[edit] Winter (or any time the bus is full)

Let's face it. You are telling yourself "Screw that. I'm never going to use the bus!" Well, see you in December.

Some tips for riding the bus in the winter:

1. Realize that the buses can't go as fast as they can on dry ground. Budget extra time. Get to the stop earlier.
2. A ton of people will want on the bus. Routinely over 70-80 per bus. You will have to stand very close to strangers. Just deal with it. When the bus driver tells you to move back, do it.
3. Take your backpack off and put it by your feet. It takes up less space that way, so more people can fit on the bus. You wouldn't want to be the person left at the bus stop in the cold, would you?
4. Make friends. Being stuck 4 inches from someone for 5-10 minutes is a great time for idle chit-chat. Try to get a few numbers. They can't tell you're fat under your parka.
5. Do not be tempted to stand in the stairwell for the back door. On some buses (i.e., the Standy-type back doors) there is a sensor on the stair; if someone's standing there the back doors can't close and the bus's emergency-brake won't disengage. The entire busload of people can't move while you're standing there, so please move your ass.

[edit] Lost? Confused?

Ask the driver. They know how to read the bus schedules by heart. They also know where just about anything in the city of Ames is located. A great deal of them are fellow students, so ask away.

You can also call them at 292-1100. The helpful dispatcher can help you plan your trip, when and where to catch which bus, and inform you of any transfer if necessary, etc.