Public Transportation to School

Mini-Commuters

The kids have been on many different types of public transportation during their lives.  Will first rode the Tokyo Subway system when he was just 10 days old.  They have both been on subways/metros, buses, boats, trains, trams, light rail and funiculars in more than a dozen countries.  They have been on the busiest and most complex systems in not only Tokyo, but also New York, Washington, London, Paris and Budapest.

Back when Will turned 10-years-old, he had a good grasp of the metro system in Toulouse.  It's got 2 lines, so it isn't terribly complex.  We told him that since he was getting older and more responsible, it would be ok with us if he wanted to go on the metro by himself.  You know, to the candy store or something.  He never really took us up on the offer except to head home after late dinners out at restaurants as we were finishing up our dessert or coffee or paying the bill.   Typically that would not really involve the metro since there are many restaurants within walking distance of our apartment.

Then, when Alex turned 10 this year, a new family moved to Toulouse and their kids started taking the metro the 17 km out to school.  They were 12 and 14 years old.  After we figured out the route, we started sending the 4 kids to commute to school on their own.  Because when you think about it, spending 3 hours a day driving and waiting for kids at school is a little crazy.  We would leave for school at 7:30am, drive for 30 minutes, then hang out for 25 minutes until Alex's school started.  Then, I would return, typically taking 35 minutes back, getting home at 9:00am.  If we left later than 7:30am, we might not make it to school by the start time of 8:30am because traffic stacks up during that window.  Then, in the afternoon, I would drive to school, leaving around 3:25pm, getting Alex at 4:00pm, waiting the 15 minutes for Will to finish school, driving back home arriving around 5:00pm.

Three hours is the estimated time spent with normal traffic.  One time it took 2 hours to get to school.  There had been a truck drivers' strike the day before.  The trucks didn't go anywhere until after the strike was over, then they all left the next morning at the same time.  Which meant we couldn't go anywhere.  After about an hour of trying to get out of our neighborhood, we finally got across the river and were sort of on our way.  We stared wistfully at the tram for a while as we were stuck in traffic near the stop.  The kids got to school just before 9:30am.  To add insult to injury, it was a Wednesday.  Which means that the kids only had a half day.  I decided to just get coffee and groceries near school until the noon pickup time.  We have had similar experiences returning home from school.  The problem is primarily on the Friday before a school vacation.  Everyone leaves a little early and tries to get on the road on Friday evening.  It's kind of like trying to get out of Los Angeles before a holiday weekend.

Back in January, when it was still dark at 7:30am, the kids started taking the Tram to the Train to the Bus to school.

The Tram in January

We didn't just stick them on the tram and hope that they could figure out the connections.  The first few times, I went with them.  For the return trip, we practiced that too.  I would leave around 2:00pm to take the public transportation to school, then return with them, trying a couple different ways to get home and teaching them how to figure out which train to get on and where to scan their transport cards.  Despite being a huge expenditure of time, it was totally worth it.

After a few tweaks in the route, the boys currently the boys leave home at 7:10am, scooter over to the SNCF station, take the train nearly all the way to school, then scooter over to school, arriving around 8:00am.  Then, to return home in the afternoon, they take a bus to the train station, train to the tram, then scooter home, arriving at different times, depending on the day and success of quick connections.  Sure, they need to spend more of their time commuting, but it's a whole lot better than me spending 3 hours per day, every day, driving them to school and back.

Fun and Fast Scooters

Of course, nothing is simple and easy.  The kids have had times where the different parts of the journey were behind schedule, connections didn't work, part of the system was shut down, or the national trains or local transport have been on strike.  Fortunately, they have been able to think on their feet, improvise, and make it to their destination without too much trouble.

One time, when Will was coming home on his own after Computer Club, the transit officials kicked everyone off the tram.  Since Will had his scooter, he decided that the best way home on the last part of the journey would be to scooter on the sidewalk, along the tram track route.  It took a while, I was slightly worried, but he made it home.

The train strike has been the most fascinating of problems.  The day before a scheduled train strike, you can check the route you want.  It will show the schedule changes and alternative transportation by bus if that is what replaces the normal train route for that day.  Most times this has been reliable.  One time when the boys' train was supposed to be on track, it didn't arrive.  Fortunately, they were able to take the next train that was 30 minutes later.  They were slightly late for school, but here in France, La Greve, the strike, is an acceptable excuse and you aren't counted tardy.

The kids have become so adept at taking the public transportation that they feel they can figure out any route.  They think that when we are in the US, they are going to be able to take transport out to visit their cousins' house.  I think someone needs to tell them that the US doesn't work the same way as Europe.  (Technically they could do it, but it would take 3 hours.)  It will be a disappointing reverse culture shock for them.

Alex Commuting Alone

Has anyone ever noticed that their children are different from each other, even though they share practically the same genes?

Commuting Generally Going Well
Will and Alex have been commuting to and from school, most days, since January.  Sure, I pick them up on the two days a week that Alex has to get to judo after school.  I pick up Alex and one of their friends on Wednesday when Will stays behind with his friend for Science Club.   I bring them out to school when I have a meeting out that way once a week in the morning.  But mostly, they commute together, and meet up with or travel with their other two friends during the commute.  

One Day, Last Part of Journey, Alex is Alone
There is one day when Alex makes the last part of his journey home alone.  He and one of our friends leave school together, but then they split up to go to their respective homes.  This usually goes smoothly.  Except when it doesn't.  One time, there was some sort of lift or construction vehicle that had tipped over and was blocking the tram line.  So they kicked everyone off.  Alex's solution was good, as he was at a major transit hub, he hopped on the metro to get closer to home.  Then, because he had forgotten his key for his scooter and had to leave it at school, he walked home from the metro.  This took quite a while.  I was slightly concerned, but he made it home eventually.  

Lost Things
You would think that forgetting his scooter key might be the exception to keeping Alex and all of his stuff together.  But it is not.  He has also lost his metro card, twice.  He has lost his scooter lock, twice.  To be fair, he is not the only one who has lost his card.  Will lost his metro card a while ago.  Dan went online and requested a replacement.  Then Will found his metro card again.  When Alex lost his metro card, we figured it would be easy to request a replacement since it worked for Will's card.  However, when Dan tried to do this, the system told him that a card already existed for Alex and that we would have to go to the metro office to make a request for replacement.  Of course, the main office is currently closed due to metro improvement projects...  So, since Will had two cards, Alex is now the younger looking Will.  Yes, he is using one of Will's cards.  

You may wonder why it worked for Will's replacement and not Alex's.  Well, we finally figured it out.  When Dan requested the replacement for Will, he spelled William without the second "i."  So Alex is actually "William" and Will is now "Willam."  This has actually worked out pretty well.  Occasionally there are enforcing officials who check the tickets on the transportation.  And this did indeed happen during one of the boys' trips home.  Alex knew he didn't have his card and he was the other "Will."  I hear that when the ticket checking guys came by, Alex looked completely terrified that he would be found out as an imposter.  Of course, the worst thing that could happen is that he would get kicked off, taken to a metro office, and we would have to collect him and get fined 60 euro.  But really, the only things the ticket enforcers care about is if you are paying the correct fare and have a validated card.  They scanned the card, found it properly validated, and continued on to search for someone who hadn't paid their fare properly.  I feel, though, that the state of panic that he experienced may have encouraged Alex to be a bit more responsible about his card.  

Alex Commuting Alone
This brings us to the next Alex Commuting story.  Normally it is Will who has a cell phone and can use it to text or call if there is a problem.  He is older and sort of keeps track of his stuff more than Alex.  I can track him on his commute if I get worried.  Well, I can if he has actually kept his phone charged.  

But this week, Will is not here.  He is on a 4-day school residential trip.  Our friend, who Alex normally commutes with, had other afternoon plans on Wednesday.  As I had already spent the morning driving both boys and Will's large trip backpack to school, it was up to Alex to make it home completely on his own.  

As part of this epic journey, we gave Alex his phone with his new SIM card.  The first time he has had a phone that actually phones and works outside of WiFi.  

On the way to school, we reviewed his route home.  He was supposed to scooter over to the bus that brings him to the tram, then transfer over to the tram at a particular stop.  If for some reason, he missed the stop, it was ok, because the terminus of the bus was also a tram transfer stop that worked.  He would just stay on until the end of the bus route, not try to catch the bus going the other way to the first workable stop.

About 20 minutes after school finished, I got this text from Alex.

This is not the bus we talked about that goes to the tram!  This is the bus that goes to the train.  And it's a train strike day.  

I'm not sure if he actually meant "sniff" or if he meant "sncf" which is the train company. (Gare = Station).

Fortunately, the bus he was supposed to get on also goes to the SNCF Gare.  So he can take the 150 bus, but then switch over to the correct bus.  No problem, just extra time added to Alex's commute because he didn't get on the right bus the first time.  

So Alex successfully makes the bus switch.  And, being considerate, texts me to tell me this good news.  A little bit later, I get a new text.

Remember how I had discussed with Alex, in the morning, what he should do on the off chance that he misses his stop to transfer?  Yeah, he missed his stop and had to sit in a bunch of traffic until the end of the bus line to catch the tram at the later stop.

Fortunately, he made it home without any other incidents of closed-down transportation.  He also had his scooter, so he made it home from the tram stop without delay.  

The whole experience of missing two different transports is probably good for him.  Most likely next time, he will think a bit more and pay a bit more attention.  

I did, however, text him this morning when it was nearly time for him to disembark from his train.  Because getting home late is a good time for learning how to handle missteps.  Getting to school late is not the time.  

I'm amazed a the kids' independence and resourcefulness.  I feel that the skills they are learning now will prepare them to go anywhere in the world and navigate any transportation system.  Plus, they have the confidence that comes with solving a problem on their own.  

The Two Musketeers Can Go Anywhere!