Ah, Winter. Cloudy skies, snowy white outs, extra hours of darkness. What’s not to love? In honor of the season, we’ve put together this top five list to encourage safe travel to and from the bus stop in this challenging season.
Wear Reflective Clothing/Light Colors
It may be dorky, but safety is no geeky matter. Most people don a black or blue winter coat and this helps you blend in to nighttime surroundings. So unless camouflage is your goal, consider a lighter color coat and bright gloves, scarf, and hat. Consider purchasing a coat with reflective strips sewn in or purchasing reflective arm bands.
Carry a Flashlight or Reflective Piece
Even if both of your bus stops are well-lit, you’ll likely have some amount of walking between destinations. So light the night! Attach a blinking light, flashlight, or at the very least something reflective, to your accessories like a backpack or purse. These items cover your person and can be transformed into extra visibility insurance.
Be at the Stop 5 Minutes Before
We stand by our STOPwatch real-time departure information, but the times provided are estimates. When you access the data (by text, app, phone, or m.cumtd.com), it is returning a snapshot of the bus’s current location and calculating when it will depart the stop you are at. Buses often pick up and lose time along a route depending on the luck of the lights and passenger loads. So give us, and yourself, a cushion. Refresh the STOPwatch departure times and get to the stop before the countdown hits five minutes.
Give Us a Wave
This is a bus riding 101. Give your arm a shake when you see the bus approaching. In light or dark hours, this helps alert the operator of your intention to board. After all, you could just be taking a break on your walk or waiting to cross the street.
Be Where We Expect You
If you’re a pedestrian, stay on the sidewalks and crosswalks. If you’re a bicyclist, use the bike lanes and signal your intentions. Please wait for the appropriate signals at stoplights. Gain eye contact anytime you’re crossing the street to make certain you and our operators (or any driver of a vehicle) are thinking what you’re thinking.
There you have it! Five things guaranteed to increase safety during nighttime travel as well as catching the bus success rates. Did we miss anything?