To ask how long it been since you've used public transport?

[BoysofMelody]

After a thread on here over change from bus fares got very heated, a couple of people said they'd not used buses (and possibly other forms of public transport) for over 10 years.

I find it fairly incredible that you can go so long without going on a bus or use other forms - okay I get that it may be months if you commute by car/bike or walk, but surely most people will make an occasional trip by bus or train across the course of a year for a night out or on a day trip or whatever?

Every day but I live in London.

I don't think that's that unusual. The other kids I knew didn't really use it either.

I'm in my late 30s and it would be very unusual where I grew up to have more than one car, as paying for the upkeep of one car was beyond a lot of people. Of there was a car it would inevitably be taken by the husband to work. A lot of women mum's age (mid-60s) I know can't drive for this reason.

I had never been on a bus as a paying passenger (as opposed to private hire for school trips etc) until I went to university.

If you and your friends wanted a trip out to a nearby town, how did you get there? We were off all over the place from about the age of 12/13.

7 hours ;)

I get two buses to work and two buses home from work every day. I often use buses at the weekend too. I don't drive. Even if I did drive, insurance and other running costs, petrol and parking and so on would work out much more expensive than my weekly bus pass. However, I live in a city. I used to live in a smallish shit rural town and really, unless you lived within walking distance of work and shops and so on, being a non driver made life challenging. People round here who complain that the buses and trams and trains are shite get the side eye from me, because, really, they are NOT.

Shuttle boat into town the other day.

Shuttle boat into town the other day.

Now that's a form of public transport I'd like to try!

This morning, tube & bus to work. I'll be doing it again in reverse in about 20 minutes.

I haven't used a bus since the petrol shortages which wiki says was in 2000 (was it really that long ago?).

I do however occasionally get a train to the nearest city when meeting friends so I can have a drink, the last time being in July and the one before about six months before that.

Took the bus to London about 3 years ago, and the train to Cardiff about 2 years ago. We needed to be in London by 9am and I couldn't face commuter traffic so the bus won. Cardiff we were going to the theatre on a Friday early evening. I work with a lot of people who live in Wales and they all told me we wouldn't get there in time. We managed to miss a connecting train on the way home, and on the way there got stuck near a charming hen party. Another time I will brave the commute.

Every time we plan to go anywhere I always check trains/coaches etc first. It is always so much dearer to go by public transport that it isn't even worth considering. Especially when the general costs of owning a car carry on however much or as little as you use it.

Train yesterday, will use buses tonight. I live in inner London, over 60 so all local travel is free. We have a car which we only use for shopping in the city. So lucky to live somewhere with excellent public transport, I've never been anywhere with a better system than London.

Get the bus roughly once a month ish.
Havent got on a train in 8 years

About 2 1/2 hours ago

Last Saturday into nearby City. We have a good service but it is pricy but parking in the Centre is quite expensive or not in a safe area.

Bus about an hour ago (get 4-8 buses a day)

Train, last week I think...I have a monthly pass and am too tight to pay for trains on top 😏

Bus about 2 months ago. Train about 4 years ago, we don't have trains running near where I live.

Last train was in Feb, a work meeting in London. Generally only use a train a couple of times a year.

The last bus...about a year ago. We only took it into town because the dc wanted to and tbh I horrified by the price. In my mind, buses are a couple of quid...in reality it was about 9 quid to get me and two dc to town and back, drivable in 5 minutes. Won't be doing that again.

Last time was just under two weeks ago when I took the bus into town to go for a job interview. Last time I went on the train was when we went to London in August.

I used to use the bus a lot when DH had the car for work, but since we got a second car about 2.5 years ago I haven't used it so much.
Most people I know are car owners, and never take the bus (apart from my mum who has a bus pass).

Passed my driving test in 2008 and haven't been on a bus since. Why would I? It's massively more convenient to drive where I need to go, rather than wait for a bus and go on a long winded bus journey then walk from the bus stop.

Commute by train, bus if I'm visiting my parents and want to get to the station/into the city centre. I spent a lot of my teenage years on the bus as I lived rurally, people who can't read a timetable and don't ever consider public transport bug me

Couple of days ago. But where I live most people drive everywhere .
I'm at the idea of never ever going on a bus as a child. I know some people live rurally etc but did you never go into a city or town as a kid? Bloody love going to London and hopping on buses and not having to pay for dc! Those new Route master buses are so pretty (is that weird?!) Public transport in the UK is apalling outside of London but I think we should use it or lose it.

Train - right now. Bus - about half an hour ago!! Commute into London everyday.

DH commutes by train.
I drive to work, but caught a train at the weekend to meet up with family.

I am a big advocate of public transport, and I think if you don't use it, you might lose it. We have a fairly good service where we live, regular buses and trains to a few different locations.

I go out of my way to take the train or the bus whenever it is feasible - but often it would have been a lot easier to go by car . And cheaper. Still, I think it's important for a community to have public transport, and so I support it. I have spent many hours of my life sitting at cold bus stops, waiting for a non-existent bus to finally show up. I figure if I put the time in now, maybe when I am old and reliant on them, buses might still exist.

Passed my driving test in 2008 and haven't been on a bus since. Why would I?
Because it's better for the environment, you get out of your bubble, you get more excercise and if people don't use it they will cancel services, and that can be very damaging for a lot of people.
Hth

As I work from home I haven't used it since...Sunday evening. Train, tube, train. I live in London. My kids usually walk to school and sometimes DP cycles but we all use public transport continually. Can't imagine not.

On it right now.

I taught some of dc's friends to use a bus recently. Showed them how to use the timetable and how to ask for their fare. Life skills.