The Boston: Bus-Town Project

In October 2002, I started the Boston: Bus-Town Project. The idea was to ride every MBTA bus, from end-point to end-point, in the order that they are listed on the T's website. After completing each route, I wrote about:

1. what neighborhoods it went through, and what types of people I saw on board; and
2. what I thought about, and anything interesting that I saw or noticed.

The idea was that both of these are equally important. Cities and neighborhoods are just people, so I wrote about the area (which is the solidified history of its residents, nonresidents, and business-people, as well as the effects of government policy), and myself and the residents and passers-through that I encounter. (If you're curious how I got the idea, take a look at route 92.)

As you may notice, I stopped doing this project in late 2004. There were a few reasons for this. First, the MBTA no longer allows people to take photos, because of fears of terrorism. (Incidentally, this is an unwritten rule that, as of 2006, is being challenged by the ACLU.) Second, several bus drivers yelled at me for taking notes while on their buses; one even cornered me in a parking lot, and tried to intimidate me. Apparently, they thought I worked for the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), which was butting heads with the T at the time. When the driver on the route I took to work everyday started yelling at me for being on her bus, I decided to take a break for a little while.

Please note: things change fast on this planet of ours--bus routes included. The information here is only accurate as of the date I rode the buses.