Take a look at some of the things other people are doing on their buses as they travel to and from work all around the CNKY area.

Click HERE to view contest entries...

The grand prize winners of Metro and TANK's itsmybus contest were (left) Joe Meyer and Nancy Fedders (second from right). They are pictured here receiving their prizes from Metro CEO Michael Setzer and TANK General Manager Mary Lou Franzoni. Each received a year's free bus rides for their entries.


Grand Prize for Metro
Donald "Joe" Meyer, Rt. 33
Price Hill
Age 28
Story: The humidity and the air quality (especially in the summer) is horrendous.  In addition, I am a newlywed and don't have as much time to train for the bike events I do each summer( I am doing the MS 150 and the Pan Ohio HopeRide in August).  Therefore, I bring my bike with me and ride the bus to work at Deaconess Hospital each day and then ride home.  I love the freedom and stress free commute of drinking my morning coffee on the bus and then the stress relief of riding home after work.  Plus, as a physical therapist, I am an example of the importance of incorporating physical activity into your life to all my patients. In addition, riding the bus helps me to bring a sense of community by meeting my neighbors who use the bus.  If I would just get in my car and drive to and from work, I would never get a chance to meet the people who I live around.
 
Grand Prize for Tank
Nancy Fedders
Click here to view Nancy's video entry.

Read winning runner-up entries below:

Will White, Rt. 47
Avondale
Story: A mentor told me to "continuously educate yourself so you can be fully prepared to handle any situation that may arise." On My bus I do just that by reading books that will help me both professionally and personally. The commute is the same amount of time as if I drove downtown so I use the time I would be driving reading and also catching up on work I may have to do either before I go in or reduce the amount of work I have to do at home when I leave work by doing it while on the bus. When I drive to work I know I can leave the house whenever I want but since I've been using Metro I am on a schedule where I get to work at 7 a.m. and leave at 6:30 p.m. Essentially, I have gained about 2 hours of work time I did not have before. My boss has noted the increased quality and efficiency of the work I submit and I know putting the extra time in only helps me career wise. I decided to start using Metro to save on gas and get to work earlier but I didn't know how making a small change in my routine such as using Metro as opposed to driving would positively affect my work performance.
 
Sandy Knuckles, Rt. 42
West Chester Township
Story: Sometimes I rest but most times I socialize with my fellow bus-riders. I enjoy getting to know the many people that ride the bus...now I often see them out around town at lunch time and speak to them. When I started riding the bus in 1998 I thought, for sure, I was not going to like it because I was so used to having my car right there...NOW, I do whatever I can so that I DON'T have to DRIVE to town. The bus is economical, relaxing, and beneficial to my health and well-being as it allows me the time to de-stress after work and before I get home to my family.  It is generally a pleasure to ride the bus and it is, for the most part, convenient.  
 
Evelyn LaBrier, Rt. 71/72
Deerfield Township
Story: I take the bus to and from work. But on the way home I will often take it to the store and meet friends and shop. The fun fact is my apartment complex knows I take Metro, so whenever a new resident comes and has questions about Metro, they just give me a call. I think what I like best about my bus is it is my down time. No work, no home obligations, no cooking or cleaning, no one to do anything for but me. I can read, listen to music or sleep.  It is great!
 
Luann Wegman, Rt. 74x
White Oak
Story: 74X Via Banning 4:05 is actually called the "74 FUN RUN." The front of the bus is the "Fun Run Gang". There are about 10 of us from all different areas and work at different places that have become friends. We laugh , we sing, we tell stories, the bus drivers love us. If you ask any driver which is the craziest route to run they would probably say the 74X Via Banning.  Walter is our favorite driver. There is a gang that rides the back of the bus that we won't talk about (they are funny too.) We have people that love riding the bus and listening to all our stories. You could ask many bus riders about lobster goggles and they would start laughing. Everyone at 5/3 loves to hear my bus stories!!!!!!!!!!!! Like "Dancing with the Bus Stars".  Our group singing sessions. We all just have FUN on my bus!!!!!!! I think the best thing about our bus ride home is that you forget about your work day the minute you get on the bus and we don't think about until the next day walking through the doors of our places of employment. We laugh so hard that we cry! I look forward to the bus rides home. I have met people that I probably would never have the chance to meet if I wasn't riding the Metro and that would be a shame. Thank you Metro for making my commute to and from work a pleasure.  I wish that everyone could have a chance to ride the "FUN RUN".
 
Carolyn Spradlin, Rt. 32 or 10
East Price Hill
Story: The bus is my limo and I even have a chauffeur. I go to work and come home, go to doctors, to shop and for fun. I like the friendly drivers who get to know me and look out for me. I am disabled and have a hard time walking and can only use one arm.
 
Rebekah Weiner, Rt. 17 Seven Hills
Clifton
Story: So I moved to the 'Nati a month ago, and it's my first time living in a big city. I've always supported public transit, but never had the opportunity to take advantage of it. I have a car, but it has blissfully been resting curbside of my house since I arrived because I take the bus to work downtown everyday to the Fifth Third building, The Bankers Club. I realized, after working there for a week, that three other employees regularly take the same bus every day. It should be noted that there aren't very many employees there, so it's a pretty big coincidence. Every morning I get on the same bus and grab a seat next to one of the other employees in matching goofy serving attire. This makes me feel not only like I'm a part of the city community-- but like I'm a part of an organization, and organism, that is also integrated into the city. It's also helped me foster friendships in a city where I didn't know a soul besides my sister upon arrival. In such a big city, it feels smaller and more personal when you see the same people every day. It's fun to guess where they work based on their clothing and departure stop. It's a little game I play to pass the time. Maybe one day I'll work up the nerve to check my predictions with the actual people. I also like the McMillan stop, where a lot of Russians get on the bus-- I have no idea where they go every day-- but it's interesting to listen to their language.
 
Tina Adams, Rt. 50
Cleves
Story: What I do on the bus is enjoy the extra time I can spend with my 9 month old baby girl in the morning on my way to work and her daycare located here at work. When I drive she is in the back seat and backwards, so she yells and carries on if I talk to her. But if she gets upset I can't comfort her without pulling over. Now we can enjoy our face to face time. And everyone enjoys seeing a baby and many conversations come up while on our bus ride from Sayler Park to Cincinnati. My baby girl is getting used to the different people and faces she sees each day. Thanks, Tina and Lilliana (Lilly) Adams
 
M. Tilley, Rt. 81
Anderson Township
Story:There is nothing like Rt. 81 arriving 7:50 a.m. and departing 5:10 p.m. If you miss a day, you miss a lot! I have ridden the Metro well over 20 years all told and have taken several different routes from West to East, and I must say that the regulars on Bus 81 have become an extended family. Together we have laughed, cried, celebrated weddings and births, thrown showers (on the Metro), cheered at the return of one of our favorite soldiers from Iraq, sadly said "see you later" to those who have retired, and mourned in the loss of loved ones. And we get to do all of this while being chauffeured by the friendly men and women of Metro. In fact, we all enjoy each other's company so much, that we have regularly scheduled "Metro Happy Hours!" If only Seinfeld would have ridden Bus 81, of what great episodes he could have written.
 
Bill Price, Rt. 11, 69
Downtown
Story: I read newspaper, plan the day. I also pick up stories on the bus. Other riders recognize that I work at 9News and they're not shy about speaking up, introducing themselves and telling me where I should look and what questions I should ask. It keeps me a real advocate for the city and its residents at my morning news planning meetings at the station. I've learned about landlord-tenant disputes, successes and problems at some schools and legal/justice system issues. Almost always get a "Good Morning" or "Hello" every time I board. I grew up riding buses and subways in New York City, and I'll tell you that NEVER happened there when I was growing up.

Georgie Reed, all routes
Cumminsville
Story: I, along with my 5 year old daughter and my mom, use the Metro as our primary means of transportation. We use the buses to travel in Ohio as well as in Kentucky. My mother nor I have never had a driver's license. On a typical day I can ride the bus up to ten times to several locations.

Georgette Rice, TANK Rt. 5
Covington
Click here to view Georgette’s video entry

Linda Miller, TANK Rt. 29X
Hebron
Story:  My morning Commute is usually a quiet one where passengers are trying to get some sleep before tackling their busy day.  I have made friends with several of the other passengers and when my one friend’s 40th birthday came around, the TANK bus driver, Jim, allowed me to take an overhead advertisement home and decorate it to surprise them.  It is not uncommon for us to start singing Christmas Carols on our bus during the holiday season not to mention the charming Santa hat our driver will wear.  I love not having to drive in Cincinnati traffic so taking the bus helps me from being white knuckled and stressed.  The best thing about riding the bus though is the money I save.

Karl Spisak, TANK Rt. 8
Covington
Story:  I take the bus to work almost every day, and I ride it home from Cincinnati.  The bus ride is relaxing, much easier than driving and cheap compared with downtown parking.  I find the drivers friendly and love riding my bus. 

Susan Flicks, TANK Rt. 25X
California
Story:  I moved to Northern Kentucky and had to start riding TANK I thought I’d really miss my Metro bus buddies and I do, but I’ve made new friends on TANK and love the buses this side of the river.  I recently got to ride one of the new express buses and had to email my Metro friends to rub it in. 

Shirley Myers, TANK Rt. 25
Alexandria
Click here to view Shirley’s video entry

David Ellis, TANK & Metro rider
Cincinnati
I enjoy reading and relaxing on the bus, and I don’t have to worry about the stress that comes with driving.  I ride the bus to visit family, friends and go to the library, it is my only form of transportation.