When it comes to riding the bus, or any public transportation system for that matter, there are a few key items you should always carry with you. There’s nothing worse than being on a long bus ride or subway commute without any form of entertainment or the necessities to get you where you’re going and keep you in a good mood while you’re getting there.
Whether it’s a 15 minute bus ride or an hour commute, these items will come in handy.
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Head Phones
If you are listening to music, watching a show or just listening to your own thoughts, having headphones to wear while riding the bus will always come in handy. While some enjoy reading the paper, reading a book or doing a crossword puzzle instead, wearing headphones can help drown out extra noise so that you have a more enjoyable ride. Headphones can serve as a deterrent to unwanted interruptions but also provide entertainment.
Hand Sanitizer
While not all buses or transportation systems you ride are germy hotbeds, mini hand sanitizer bottles or sanitizing wipes come in handy when you are getting off the bus, touching rails, going up stairs or pressing “stop” buttons. Having hand sanitizer also comes in handy if you are getting off and running to a meeting or to a lunch. You can arrive ready to do what you need to do feeling fresh with clean hands.
Bus Pass/ Mobile Pass
Make sure that you have your bus pass and mobile pass for the entire duration of your trip. If you don’t, you could either receive a citation for getting on without a pass or run into delays when you are trying to get back out. If the pass is on your phone, make sure you have it ready and clearly visible to be scanned/ checked by public transportation officials. This saves you and all the other passengers from wasting time.
A Charged Phone
Even if you are not using a mobile bus pass, you need to make sure that you either have a charged phone or an external battery to keep your phone charged. You never know if you will have to call someone to pick you up because of a transportation delay or a stop altogether.
Your Route
Whether it is a printed bus schedule or an online mobile map, you always want to make sure you know your route, have it planned out, and that you are paying attention to it throughout your bus ride. You never know if you accidentally got on the wrong bus or if the bus route happened to change that day for a special event.
Something to Do
Whether it’s a book, an ebook, a video game, a cell phone, an MP3 player, the newspaper, a crossword puzzle, a tablet, a word search, a magazine or work from the office, having something to do helps you stay relaxed and entertained as well as avoid unwanted conversations or interruptions. While some people enjoy not having anything to do while on the bus, others will find that keeping busy passes the time and allows you to control your environment.
Water
While some buses do not allow food and drink, water will always be permitted. You never know if you will get thirsty or if the air conditioner on the bus is not working and you need to cool down. Having some water with you will help you quench your thirst as well as regulate your temperature so you can stay as comfortable as possible.
