Rolando Morales
Staff Writer
From my home on the Southside of San Antonio, it takes about two hours and 10 minutes of walking, the bus and VIA Link to get to Texas A&M University-San Antonio.
That’s on a good day, though. On a bad day, it could be up to 2 hours and 30 minutes with delays from VIA Link.
On Oct. 14, my day starts at 4 a.m. I get up, turn off my alarm and stretch for a bit as I prepare a fresh set of clothes for the day.
Once I’m all dressed up, I make my way to the bathroom to brush my teeth and moisturize my face.
After that, I get my backpack ready with my laptop, fruit and all my notebooks. I also fill up my water bottle.
At 5:10 a.m., I start heading out the door and walking to the bus stop, which takes about 20 minutes. The cool autumn breeze softly hits my face; it feels nice. The weather is at 65 degrees. The walk is very relaxing, and it helps clear my mind. I can’t help but think, though, that I’m out here walking very early while students who drive or have a ride or carpool with other students are still tucked in at this time in the comfort of their homes.
At 5:30 a.m., I arrive at the bus stop and sit on the small bench. The bus will arrive at 5:50, so I use that time to review my notes and listen to music.
At 5:50 a.m., the bus arrives, and I scramble in my wallet to find my student ID. I eventually find it and show it to the driver. He lets me on, so I make my way inside and find a seat near the middle. Photo by Parker Foreman
The bus goes all the way to the Madla Transit Center, which takes roughly 18-20 minutes, so I read some more notes and check my email during that time. Riding the bus is my favorite part because it gives me the freedom to do certain tasks I wouldn’t have been able to do if I was driving. Tasks such as studying, checking/answering emails and reading. Photo by Parker Foreman
At 6:08 a.m., I get off the bus, walk in and sit on one of the many benches to eat my fruit with a granola bar. I also book my VIA Link ride to A&M-San Antonio for 6:40 a.m. Photo by Parker Foreman
As I’m eating, a young woman named Danielle Guerrero walks up to me with her mom and asks me to help her book a ride to Palo Alto College. “Can you help me book a ride? The screen keeps turning white,” says Guerrero. Photo by Parker Foreman
At 6:40 a.m., the VIA Link arrives just as I finish booking the ride for her. I get in and show the driver my student ID. Photo by Parker Foreman
At 7:20, I arrive at my destination: A&M-San Antonio. The sun is just starting to rise at that time, so it’s not as dark as it was earlier. It feels eerily quiet being at the university at this time. I’m the only student there; the only other people there are doing landscaping or setting up tables and chairs for events. Photo by Parker Forman.
I thank the driver and get out of the van. After that, I walk to the weight and fitness room to get my daily cardio in. It consists of 18 minutes of abs, 10 minutes on the roller, 30 minutes on the elliptical, shower and then go to the commuter lounge in the Central Academic Building to do my homework until my class starts at 9:30 a.m.
After my class ends at 10:45 a.m., I book my ride to Palo Alto College to have lunch with a friend. The VIA Link picks me up at 11 a.m., and I arrive at PAC at 11:10. After lunch, I book a ride at 1:10 p.m. to go to the 51 bus stop at Barlite Boulevard in front of the Circle K/Valero bus stop. At the bus stop, I study my flashcards for a test the following day.
At 1:40 p.m., the bus arrives, I get on, show the driver my student ID and look for my seat. Once I find my seat, I study my flashcards while also staying on the lookout for my drop-off spot.
At 1:50,I get close to my drop-off spot, and I pull down on the cord to let the driver know. When she stops, I get up, head to the door and thank the driver.
After I get off the bus, I watch for cars, then I cross the street and begin my journey home. The weather is at 80 degrees at that time, so I try to walk as fast as I can while listening to some music.
At 2:10, I arrive back at my house and walk inside. I greet my mom, and after that, I shower, eat, and do some homework.
My journey was one of 3,880 VIA Link rides used on campus in October. There were 1,910 rides to A&M-San Antonio and 1,970 rides from campus to another destination, according to Celine Dobbs, manager of strategic planning and communication for VIA.
VIA route expansion
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I prefer the bus more than the VIA Link because it’s spacious. I get to sit in any area I choose, and I get plenty of arm and leg room. However, it’s different on the VIA Link because the space in the van is limited. Some vans can fit three people, and others can fit five. I usually have to sit in the back when it’s full, and it’s a hassle getting in and out because of all the stuff I have.
I miss the old 524 and 672 VIA bus routes. The 524 bus would come to Palo Alto College, and the 672 bus would go to A&M-San Antonio. I started going to PAC in fall 2021, when the route still existed, and it was there for my first three semesters.
It was nice having that mode of transportation, and I was pretty upset when it got taken away in 2022. I liked that the bus was always on time, and it would come frequently, too. The VIA Link is rarely on time and always has delays. The drivers never wait for me when the time window is from 10:40 to 10:50 a.m., and I get out of class at 10:45. And then when I do want them to come early, they don’t come. The bus and the VIA Link are both free with a student ID.
The reason I endure this trek is that I don’t have a car, and I’ve failed to learn how to drive when my family tried teaching me. Monday through Thursday I have no other choice but to use this mode of transportation.
The expansion of Route 44 to our campus, as The Mesquite recently learned, would make it easier for me as a student. I won’t have to waste so much time with all the delays. Another thing that would be convenient is a bus stop right by my house or near it, so that I can sleep a little more.
Even though the ride isn’t always easy, it’s part of the story that’s taking me where I want to go. I know that my daily journey is worth the effort because I see how inspiring my journey has been to my family and how proud they are of what I’ve achieved.
