I sat in the employee breakroom at WSU, smoothing out the yarn in my lap as I listened to my colleagues talk about getting to work. I’ve been a part of the university community here for a long time, starting at Gonzaga back in 2003 before moving over to WSU ten years ago. For me, cost savings motivated me to explore commute options. "At WSU, where I've worked for the past 10 years, my interest in Commute Smart was prompted by parking expense. A free bus pass is such an enormous gift. So I thought I would give this a try."

As the lunchtime conversation went on, I could hear the anxiety blocking my coworkers from trying it themselves. One colleague said they were worried about what would happen if a sudden emergency arose with their kids. Interestingly, they admitted they would feel far more comfortable booking a ride with a total stranger through Lyft than asking a coworker for an emergency lift home. Another coworker nodded in agreement, sharing their anxiety over the thought of dodging traffic while biking on busy Spokane city streets.

I smiled, understanding their hesitation but eager to share the peace of mind I had found. For me, Spokane's transit system isn't a restriction; it gives me freedom. "As long as I can get to the Plaza, I can get anywhere," I reassured them, pointing out how seamlessly the network connects the whole city, allowing me to run errands downtown and support local businesses.

I described how trading my car keys transformed what used to be a stressful drive into pleasant parts of my day. "It's so wonderful to observe the four seasons while walking," I told them. "On the bus, someone is taking you somewhere. You don't have to do anything! I am a knitter and a reader and I take my projects with me on the bus. It's fifteen totally free available minutes to me. It's an all around win." As the lunch hour ended, they looked down at the knitting project in my hands, and their hesitations about rethinking their rides turned into curiosity.