So, Duncan G came in today, bringing his Rans V-Rex in for some long-overdue attention. Of course, I had to chat with him based on the appearance of his trusty ‘bent that is his main mode of transportation. Turns out that he decided to go car-less in 1996. Why? Well, he got ready for his first day of work at Cap Metro, went downstairs to get in his car, and his car wouldn’t start. That’s where it all began. After all, he now worked for Cap Metro, he told himself, time to take the bus.
I asked him, after all this time, what he considered to be the advantages and the challenges of living car-less in Austin. Not surprisingly, saving lots of money and getting lots of exercise were the top two reasons to appreciate going car-less. The biggest initial challenge he remembered was realizing he just could not get up and go, anytime and anywhere. And, for a gent who likes to get out and enjoy all that a town like Austin has to offer, that was difficult.
Fortunately, a few years later, Cap Metro put bike racks on their buses and that was a big help. And, gradually, he has developed more options as he utilizes Car2Go and the get-a-ride apps like RideAustin; makes getting around our fair city just that much easier and more doable.
Biggest and newest event in his transportation life? Moving to an address near the Crestview Station, hub of CapMetro trains and bus routes going every which way. “Transport Heaven” he calls it.
As usual, I find myself inspired by our customers. YAY!
-Rebecca