Dear SEPTA riders,

As a fellow public transportation rider, I understand that sometimes things can be a mess when you’re trying to get on (or off) your stop. Anything and everything could happen. You could be short on your fare, after meticulously counting it out beforehand, you could drop your phone, or maybe get off at the wrong stop. Trust me, I’ve been there too many times. The thing is, it’s now too cold to be playing games with other people’s body heat. Any mistake you make is another minute someone has to be out in this weather. Here are some tips to keep you from getting an icy glare.

Be ready to get on the bus once you see it. I cannot stress this enough. There’s nothing worse than being out in the cold and someone in front of you is holding up the line because they’re moving like it isn’t death cold out. I understand if you’re moving slowly because you have a disability or hindrance. But if not, please get a move on. I can assure you I am not as warm as you take me to be.

Have your carfare ready. Please have your carfare ready. It doesn’t matter if it’s money, tokens, or a pass. JUST HAVE IT READY. Don’t be the person that’s at the front of the bus taking millennia to get out their carfare. Some of us care about how much heat the bus lets out or how your pace is making us miss the light.

Get ready for your stop. When you notice your stop is coming, get up and wait near a door. You are saving yourself the hassle of fighting your way out when people are coming in. Thus ensuring you don’t miss your stop. Don’t be that one Spartan yelling “BACK DOOOOOORRRR” because you were slow.

Find an appropriate seat. I know I’m not the only person who internally groans when someone has a lot of bags and wants to sit in the narrowest part of the bus. Knowing that they will inconvenience everyone who wants to get a seat just because they didn’t want to use their noggin. At the front of the bus, there is a magical place where you may sit your bags. Please do so instead of almost knocking my brains out when you’re trying to get to the back.

Lastly, if possible, choose the most populated stop. As cold as it is, most people don’t want to do a lot of walking. They choose to go to the stop closest to them. This becomes an issue when halfway down the block there is another stop with more people. If you are the only person at a stop and there is a more populated stop near you, please go to that stop. The trolley does not need to stop seven times before we even reach the light because you were too lazy to walk.

As someone who does not work well with freezing temperatures, I hope you take this to heart.

Sincerely,

A cold traveler.