An enlightening conversation about the seemingly simple but intimidating topic of public transportation here in The City of Ames.
By: Matthew Grande
New incoming freshmen at Iowa State University have access to a vital tool that will greatly help them with their productivity and versatility in getting around The City of Ames. The convenience of public transportation is something that college towns across the United States have to aid the movement of thousands of students and staff to get around their cities. Here is Ames we call that system the CyRide! If you are a new student of Iowa State University, “All you need to do is get your student ID and that will automatically give you access to the services that CyRide offers” because you are a student at the University.
“Taking your first ride on a CyRide bus can be intimidating because of the many routes that they can run throughout the city, but having a friend with you greatly helps ease the stress,” Said Sarda. Akshay Sarda has ridden CyRide for the past year or so for community events and to get to and from Iowa State for his classes, thus making him the perfect person to interview to help explain the CyRide system. One priority before ever getting on your first bus is “to get the CyRide app on your phone,” this is because it tells the user when the next bus is going to be coming to the closest stop and you can add a payment method to use when getting on the bus.
Now starts the daunting task of getting on the bus for the first time by yourself because “having a good sense of where you want to go and where you currently are is key to having a successful journey.” Understanding your surroundings at all times both in and out of the bus makes sure you do not miss your stop. “When your stop is the next one all you need to do is pull the red line that tells the driver to stop.” Akshay is a heavy believer in the ability to meet new and interesting people on a CyRide bus as he has many experiences where “I met some people I still talk to today, and bumped into old friends as well!” Take a chance and introduce yourself to someone new because that may spark a relationship that you never thought could happen. The sense of community that can be built on a Cyride bus is what makes it special.