Friday, February 24, 2017

LANTA and Life

Over the past 10 years I have relied on LANTA for my transportation needs. I haven't wanted to spend all my meager earnings on owning a car, so I have taken the bus to save money. Bus travel takes up a sizeable chunk of my time. I am used to waiting for the bus on the side of the road, walking to the Bethlehem Transfer Center at Broad & Guetter and walking home from the bus stop.


I have had interesting experiences over the years while taking the bus. I've met people from all walks of life, including great friends, as well as some sinister characters. The new friends from the bus have been critical, as I've had many meaningful conversations on my bus rides to Bethlehem and Easton. These two cities are interwoven socially so there are plenty of LANTA customers to interact with.

Unfortunately, the sinister characters do make LANTA buses scary or depressing at time. These unsavory individuals include convicts on work release, homeless individuals, drunks and local toughs who look for a fight at every opportunity. I don't blame all of these individuals for all of their problems, but I am sometimes annoyed or put off by their antics. Convicts on work release, for example, often curse profusely and brag about all their legal problems. They also talk loudly on their cell phones about their messed up lives.

Needless to say, I've taken in some interesting sights over the years. I've seen people do strange things and have seen crazy driving. I've seen people drink on the bus, just get done having sex in that public space, etc. Some people have no shame and no concern for their fellow riders.

With some of the odd characters that take the bus, I've encountered some interesting smells. I've smelled numerous bodily fluids, as well as various types of foods. Many people eat and drink on the bus, while some have hygiene or body-control issues. The homeless are especially bad when it comes to smelling up the bus.


Despite a few complaints, I have to admit that LANTA does serve my needs and is cost-effective; I wouldn't want to be driving these days. With all the crazy drivers I am glad to leave the driving to the professionals. The bus gets me where I want to go and in a timely manner. It's also fun listening to the radio on my smart phone (with ear buds, of course) and looking out the window at the world. It gives me perspective on life.

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