31. October 2008 by admin.

Tunnel Bus passengers are a unique bunch representing many nationalities and walks of life.  In fact, many consider fellow riders as part of their extended family.  I have not seen this comradity in other mass transportation systems anywhere.  Others have expressed that same opinion.  Riding the Tunnel Bus is much more than simply a mode of transportation but a source of knowledge and experience.  We all share not only a common experience of traveling between two countries for employment but I think miss some of the common bonds of living and working in the same city.  I feel that it is a link that we draws the ridership together.  We often discuss issues facing us such as currency exchange rates, work visas, citizenship, shoping and taxes.  There are few people that truly understand the complexity of issues that we must handle.  There is a common bond that draws us together.

 From time to time, I will focus describing various characteristics on the Tunnel Bus.  It is not my intent to use names or identify them.  All of our characteristics add something to the dynamics of the whole.  In all fairness, I will start with myself.  Most of the time, you can find me seated near the driver.  There are no assigened seats on the Bus but we often sit in the same place everyday.  During the Detroit International Auto Show, we complain with the onslaught of additional passengers, that “our” seats are filled.  It’s always good to bond with the Transit Windsor drivers.  They have influence on making the ride a pleasant experience.  They look out for you.  You know, those days when you’re running just a minute or two late and they wait for you.  It’s nice when a one minute delay doesn’t turn into a 20 minute delay while you wait for the next bus.  It’s like the school days, make sure everyone, especially the driver, knows when you’re going to be absent.  No need to delay everyone else.

Chatting with other riders is very entertaining.  I think I have developed a good receipe collection, banking information and even information on how to rebuild my deck at home.  People go out of their way and look out for each other.  It’s a good feeling that I wish more people would embrace.

For years, I have said I have friends on both sides of the border.  But it’s not any easy thing to accomplish when you work  in a foreign country.  Our friends in our neighborhood, churches or civic groups are in different circles from our work friends.  You can’t see your “Windsor” friends during a coffee break or lunch.  It’s not possible.  Riding the Bus, provides the link of friendship across the border. 

 Well, more on me later.  It’s Halloween and Friday afternoon.  It’s time to head home!

Till next week!

Posted in characteristics | 1 Comment »

30. October 2008 by admin.

Occasionally, I need to drive to work or present at a location somewhere in Michigan.  Well, today was one of those days.  Knowing that the Tunnel has been terrible this week, I set out early.  I needed to be in Troy, Michigan by 9 am this morning.  It’s only 30 miles from my house and all freeway driving in the opposite direction of rush hour traffic.  One would normally expect to spend about 30 to 40 minutes to get there.  Well, when you travel the Tunnel, you need to be prepared for anything!  I left the house at 7:15.  A full 1 3/4 hour in advance.

Leaving the house early, I did not have time for breakfast.  Prior to entering the Tunnel, I stopped at the Tim Horton’s drive-through a block before the Tunnel entrance.  With my tea and bagel in hand, I sat on Goyeau Street waiting to pay my toll.  The traffic was at a stand-still and the 7:20 Tunnel Bus was right behind me.  After sweezing my way into the Tunnel, I was ready for breakfast.  The Tunnel is one lane in each direction.  There are probably 8 toll lanes that need to merge to one to enter the Tunnel.  It’s pretty cut-throat.  But I’ve learned its easier to work with a car in another lane to effectively force them into letting you go.  No road rage here — it’s a mile to Detroit and if you tick someone off behind you, well, you may have a long ride.

After entering the Tunnel, you start to lose all the “extras” that most people enjoy while commuting to work.  Within the first couple of feet, you reach for the radio to not only turn down NPR but turn it off.  There is only one radio station that is accessible through the Tunnel.  So much for having a choice!  If you look at your cellphone, sorry, I always think of the Verizon commerical — the network isn’t there!  The traffic is mostly stop and then go.  Driving a manual transmission, you’ll get a good leg work out. 

Finally, I reached the middle.  My car strattled the border with the US Flag to the North and the Canadian to the South.  Time for breakfast.  Whatelse is there to do while you wait.  I wish I could say I had some gourmet breakfast to talk about while on the border but just a simple bagel and tea.  I certainly had time for a gourmet breakfast but not today.

Tomorrow is another day — Halloween!  I’m back on the bus tomorrow.  I’m sure we’ll have some good stories, Halloween, Friday and the weekend–are usually ripe opportunities for good stories.

Posted in technology, Dining | 1 Comment »

29. October 2008 by admin.

Well, today is Wednesday.  By the time I arrived home last night, I have already spent 3.5 hours commute to work just this week.  Please remember that the total distance I have travelled to and from work is 20 miles in 3.5 hours.  I recently completed the Detroit Marathon and my 20 mile time was slightly more than 3 hours.  Something is definately wrong with this picture, the work commute that is!  Why is it that the country that prides itself on democracy is so slow in allowing it’s own citizen’s and those with appropriate paper work to re-enter?  I have travelled all across North America and Europe.  I have never been delayed like I am on the American side of the Detroit/Windsor border.  Unlike a vice-presidential candidate, I have held a passport for nearly 30 years.  Plus, my house overlooks Detroit and my office faces South towards Windsor.  I guess I have presidential potential with my foreign policy credentials.  But that’s another story!

So to my fellow Tunnel Bus passengers, today, I was with you virtually.  I hope I didn’t miss any good stories to share but with all of the talk cookies, cake and Italian sausages last night on the way home, I was sure hungry.  Too bad my friend, who likes to cook gourmet meals, wasn’t on the bus.  I probably would not have been able to settle for the leftovers we served for dinner.

Posted in Dining, telecommute | 1 Comment »

28. October 2008 by admin.

For the past couple of weeks, US Customs/Immigration/Border Protections officials have instituted a new procedure for Tunnel Bus passengers.   For those not familiar with riding the Tunnel Bus and clearing American Customs from the bus, let me first explain the procedure prior to this new initiative. 

Upon reaching US Customs on the Tunnel Bus, passengers must alight from the bus, enter the US Immigration Office and present their citizenship and employment papers to an officer.  The officer usually asks several questions, such as where were you, where you’re going and what you’re bringing into the country.  There are many stories of various questions and answers that I’ll share in the coming days and weeks about the questions one gets asked!  The officer than hands back your papers and you are allowed to re-board the bus for the short ride through downtown Detroit.  Yes, this is something that Tunnel Bus passengers must go through everyday just to go to work.  I often ask myself how many others have to go through this much, just to go to work. 

About 2 or 3 weeks ago, that normal procedure was augmented.  Now, after the officer clears you for entry and returns your paperwork, he or she is suppose to hand you a half of 3×5 card with the number “10″ stamped in the middle of it.  Before boarding the bus, you are to hand the ”10″ card to the officer stationed by the door.  In all fairness to the officers, I understand why this is being done.  Evidently, there was an incident several weeks ago where someone who was not cleared by an officer re-boarded the bus and left.  The “perfect 10″ solution was born.

After the first couple of days of this “10″ procedure, one quickly realizes that it is a complete waste of time and taxpayer dollars.  It now takes 2 officers to clear the Tunnel Bus, one to check your paperwork and one to collect a number “10.”  Most of the time, bus passengers have to remind the officer to provide them a “10″ so that the officer by the door doesn’t send them back to be cleared again.  This is simply stupid.  The officer by the door has a clear view of all the officers clearing bus passengers.  In fact, he or she can probably hear the conversation between officer and passenger.  Obviously if the walk back towards the bus without being directed for additional screening, doesn’t common sense say they have been cleared? 

Now let’s talk about the paper and “10.”  There’s nothing special about the “10.”  It’s a 3×5 card cut in half with a stamped “10.”  Remembering back to my elementary school days, I think we would have done something like this in second grade.  I wouldn’t have to work very hard to create my own “10.” 

I hope that this silliness will end.  What a waste of tax dollars having two officers clear 20 passengers every 20 minutes.  Really, Homeland Security cannot come up with a better way to track passengers without 3×5 cards.  I can certainly see them spending millions of dollars on motion detectors, cameras and radiation sniffing devices at the border.  Really a 3×5 card with a “10″ on it?  I did hear one Custom’s Officer say that they were going to bring in “11″ soon.  This is how we protect our borders? 

Posted in US Customs | 1 Comment »

27. October 2008 by admin.

Greetings!

I’ve been thinking for a long time that it’s time for those who cross the US border from Canada and vis-versa to have a place to comment on their experiences.

For years, I have commuted daily from Windsor, Ontario to Detroit, Michigan for work.  A majority of my “underwater” time is spent in the Tunnel Bus operated by Transit Windsor.  The bus ride is only a few miles long but my fellow passengers and I have many unique stories about our travels.  I have often told family and friends that I should write a book on my Tunnel Bus experiences.  Well, this is no book but perhaps someday I will gather enough real life experiences that a book will be in the making.

So I hope that you will come back often and read about a very small portion of my day.  The daily commute!  I will share not only daily interactions with US and Canadian Customs officials as I go between the these two great countries but describe some of the characters that ride the bus and the bus itself. 

Let’s start off with a simple question, how long does your daily commute take?  My commute from door-to-door is 5 miles and take anywhere from 15 minutes to 1.5 hours.  The only trouble is I never how long it will be until I’m on the bottom of the Detroit River often without cellphone coverage.  For anyone travelling across the International Border from Windsor to Detroit, my first rule of thumb is: always go to the bathroom before you leave!

Rule 2:  NEVER forget rule 1!

Posted in Rules, Greetings | 3 Comments »