On a snowy morning in Syracuse, WAER reporters Jalen Wade and Matt Fairfax took their first ever bus ride through downtown Syracuse. They produced an audio diary of their trip:
Thankfully, the bus was right on time.
We hopped on the Connective Corridor bus route at the College Place stop on Syracuse University's Campus.
During our journey on board, we asked Syracuse residents why they take the bus, what the bus does well, and how the bus system could improve.
Kyle Miller, an architecture professor at Syracuse University, was one of the first individuals we talked to. Miller said he is satisfied with taking the bus to work.
"I think it's been rather punctual lately, and the app helps to keep things accessible in terms of when it's arriving and when it's leaving, so on and so forth," Miller said. "I think the fact that there's WiFi available is nice; that anyone with a device can connect and use it, also for free."
On the final leg of our bus trip, we spoke with Syracuse University graduate student Jeremey Crimm. Crimm said the bus system has helped him a lot.
"I mean it's usually very on time, so I think it's pretty reliable in that way," Crimm said. "If it ran more frequently, I wouldn't be opposed to that. It runs every like half an hour, so you kind of have to plan around that. But overall, I think it does a pretty good job."
Crimm also said he has a suggestion for the bus system to accommodate those with rigid academic schedules.
"The bus only starts at 8 a.m., so if you have 8 a.m. class like I do, it's not super helpful," Crimm said. "So if it ran earlier, that would also be tight."
Taking the bus was a nice experience to get around the city in a different way than we usually do. From talking with those on the bus that day, it's apparent frequency and punctuality are concerns. But overall, people say the Centro bus system helps those who do not own cars, especially on snowy days.
For more on how people get around Syracuse and what's the future of mobility in the area, listen to the full episode of Syracuse Speaks-Transportation and Mobility.
