Living In USA

By Bus
Trams or trolley cars are now rarely found in U.S. cities; generally the public travels by bus or subway. More and more cities are requiring passengers to have the exact change in hand as they board the bus — or else "tokens" (small coin-like pieces similar to the French jeton) that can be bought in advance. Drivers used to have the double job of making change at the same time that they were driving their huge buses through traffic. The exact-change rule eases the driver's work and speeds service for everyone. It also reduces the number of robberies that were taking place when drivers had a great deal of extra money for making change.

In many cities bus and subway tokens can be used interchangeably and are bought at subway booths. It is a great time saver to buy tokens in considerable quantity and keep them in a special purse or envelope so that you can get at them easily. Otherwise, you may have to wait in long lines during rush hour or get caught without change just when you need to catch a bus. If you are using two buses (or a subway and a bus) to reach your destination, you can request a "transfer," a small slip of paper that allows you to pay one fare for the entire trip but use two (or sometimes more) vehicles to complete your trip.

Bus stops are usually located at busy corners and are clearly marked. Normally, the bus schedule is displayed at the stop, and in most cities you can request printed bus schedules from the bus driver or company. In some cities you can telephone to ask for the best route to go from one point to another, and most have Websites with printable maps and schedules. If time allows, the bus driver will often give quick directions or at least tell you when to get off the bus.

Schoolchildren and people over sixty-five years of age can get special passes in most cities so that they can ride at reduced rates during certain hours of the day.