Standing at a Metro Transit bus stop, waiting for a late bus for what felt like the eighty billionth time in my life, I had an epiphany. Hey, I thought to myself, why don’t I just walk?
Life in Halifax has been better ever since.
Buses often seem to run off their schedule in this city, so the complaint that transit is lacking isn’t unfounded. It has, however, been made into a much bigger problem than it actually is. For those living in peninsular Halifax, this city is completely walkable. It takes me 40 minutes to walk from the Commons to the Seaport Market—a manageable distance, and one that could certainly be conquered more quickly if, unlike me, you’re more than five feet tall.
Walking is a healthy habit, especially for students. We spend most of our school-term lives sitting in lecture halls, libraries or bars. Walking gives students a reason to get outside and exercise without actually having to don sweatpants. It also directly boosts the brain’s capacity to function, according to a study at the University of Pittsburgh. Findings of this study, the BBC reports, demonstrate that “people who walk at least [5 miles] a week have bigger brains, better memories and improved mental ability compared to those who are more sedentary.” So the student who took the bus to the library because he thought it would give him more time to study actually should have walked.
But wait, you say, taking a bus is much more convenient than walking! To that, I reply: it depends. When I need to get to campus from my house in the North End, the time it takes to leave a few minutes early to make sure I get the bus, coupled with the multiple stops, works out to almost the same commute time as walking. If I’m headed out to Sackville, then yes, I’ll take the bus. For daily commutes within central Halifax, though, walking is almost always more satisfactory.
Issues in transit obviously remain a problem for some demographics. Employees without a car who rely on the bus to get to work on time struggle when the system fails. Catching an earlier bus to ensure a timely arrival can easily add an hour on to a daily commute—a huge problem for those with children or other commitments. Those who live in outlying areas, the elderly, and people with a disability also have more to lose when dealing with shoddy public transit. For these people, it’s important that Halifax has a decent bus system. For the young, fit, and centrally located, not so much.
So, vast majority of Dal students, the next time you find yourself crying with frustration at a bus stop, take it as an opportunity. Save your breath for walking, instead of wasting it by whining. Your brain and your body will thank you for it.
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