I have never ridden a bus, but I was under the impression that if you paid, you ride. It’s your responsibility to make sure you are on the right bus.

Is it possible that the driver knows that you are staying on from the end of one route to the beginning of another (when it loops around) and that they don't necessarily always loop around? Like say their shift ends or they have a break and another bus take over the route. I don't ride that much but it doesn't seem totally unreasonable that they would consider each direction a separate route, and have a reason or policy against letting people just stay on.

...it is the correct bus, otherwise I would not be home. And it's free.

Edit: I see what you're saying now, I thought you meant it was my fault I got on the wrong bus or something.

I was agreeing with you. Paid or not, I don’t think the driver dictates whether you can ride or not.

This bus always loops around, which is why it was so weird to me! They only relieve the bus driver/change out busses at the start of the route near willow lawn.

Some bus systems have bullshit anti-homeless policies against people riding to the end of the line and then staying on when the bus returns in the other direction. I wasn't aware that GRTC had that policy, but maybe they do? Either way, it's annoying and the driver should just let you get on the bus rather than endangering your life crossing a road without a crosswalk.

Also, it's awful that there's no crosswalk near your stop :(.

Ahhh that might explain it. And it's a difficult spot with random sections of no sidewalks, which might be why there's no crosswalk, it is what it is sadly 🤷‍♀️

Is this the 19 by any chance?

It's 78

Ah, ok. I can’t find it now, but I remember a policy a while back where you can’t ride GRTC routes past the “end.” The made an exception for the 19 because W Broad in short pump is so dangerous to cross, but that was the only one at the time. Things might’ve changed by now though

Okay that makes sense. No other drivers had said anything to me about it, including her (and tbh the specific driver I'm talking about is perpetually angry and highstrung) so I wasn't sure if she was having a bad day or what.

[deleted]

Okay

I was going to guess this because that route sometimes switches to route 87 downtown because I'll take the 87 and stay on when it switches to the 78 without getting off the bus.

>Like say their shift ends or they have a break and another bus take over the route.

I've been on the bus at the end of a driver's shift and she just stopped at a bus stop, got off and the new driver got on. Probably not end of shift, otherwise they'd probably put the "not in service" message on.

Since you are a regular on the bus maybe try getting the driver a cup of coffee or a soda maybe a snack. People are more likely to let you break silly rules if you are a person to them and not just another random stranger.

Riding GRTC has been free for a while, so the OP wouldn't have paid.

I think the other responses are right about this being the end of the route. But unless the bus is going out of service or perhaps the driver's meal break is coming up at the end of the route, I don't know of a reason the driver would have said anything.

I didn’t know it was free. I think that is awesome! Thanks for educating me.

No problem. Since the bus runs right in front of my house and is free, you'd think I would use it -- but it's been a long time since I was on GRTC!

Good to know. I haven’t ridden the bus since before COVID. I was thinking about riding again and didn’t know if it was still free or not.

I think I read something about GRTC getting an additional grant or something to be able to continue it for free.

That’s it right here.

Yep. Through 2024.

No worries! I didn’t articulate my thoughts very well. Happy New Year!