Tips for new riders

Julie Minich, associate executive director of All Aboard Erie, knows that waiting for buses can be annoying, so she passes the time by listening to audio books. "Some of my fondest memories were about driving down Interstate 80 and listening to Simon and Garfunkel. Now some of my fondest memories are riding the bus and listening to the book Freakonomics," she says.

When planning your bus trip, also keep in mind where the stops are. Is there a sidewalk where you can wait? Is there a crosswalk if you have to cross the street?

Minich is happy to do tours to teach people how to ride the bus. You can email her at bus@allaboarderie.com. She will respond in a few days.

Learn more

To become familiar with Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority bus routes, visit ride-the-e.com. The site is easy to navigate by route name and number.

Regular cash fare is $1.55; transfers are 40 cents. You can purchase a day pass on the bus for $3.10 but other passes are available at the EMTA office or at various vendors, listed on the website.

I downloaded three apps for EMTA service: Transit; MyStop Mobile; and Trackr. Each one tracks buses in real time, and MyStop Mobile helped me to figure out transfer points, but I still like old-fashioned schedules. You can find them, as well as system maps, in the vestibule at the EMTA offices, 127 E. 14th St.

For information on fixed-route service, call 814-452-3515. For paratransit services, call 814-455-3330.

Take your bike, too

Waiting for the bus to Presque Isle at the West Erie Plaza, I met a native of Kazakhstan who was on her way to work. Before she boarded the bus, she expertly hoisted her bike onto the rack at the front of the bus.

It looked difficult until I watched this video, produced by Bike Erie, with instructions on how to use the bike rack: How to load your bike on The "e" at youtu.be/hFuOmINUvv8