Hartford, Connecticut, Transport Hartford – I’ve been riding public transit for decades, and it’s how I get everywhere I need to go—whether it’s the grocery store, the laundromat, or a doctor’s appointment. I live in Hartford, Connecticut, and I rely on the buses to get around. For the most part, I can get where I’m going, but some circumstances make it more difficult.
One of the biggest issues is service frequency. When I lived on Main Street years ago, the bus came every 15 minutes. Now, where I live off of Broad Street, it comes every 25 minutes—and not at all on Sundays. If I want to catch a bus on a Sunday, I have to walk to Capitol Avenue, where the buses only come every two hours. It shouldn’t take hours to get to the grocery store or the mall, but sometimes it does because of the infrequent schedule.
Another big problem is the bus stop infrastructure. There are no shelters where I live, which means I’m standing out in the rain, snow, or cold. For an elderly person like me, that’s not just inconvenient—it’s hard on my body. Winters are especially bad. When the plows come through, they leave big snowbanks by the curb, and if the bus doesn’t pull up to a clear spot, I’m left trying to climb over piles of snow. That’s dangerous, especially if you use a cane or have limited mobility.
The Fastrak service has been an enormous help. I can now catch a bus across the street and go straight to my doctor in Farmington. Before that, I had to go downtown and transfer to two other buses just to get there. But there are still places, like Bloomfield, where the buses don’t go, and I’m left walking blocks just to get to a stop.
If I could tell members of Congress one thing, it’s this: We need more frequent buses, better shelters, and safer access in the winter. People like me depend on public transit for everything. We shouldn’t have to wait hours for a bus or stand in the rain and snow just to get where we’re going. Buses are a lifeline for seniors, people without cars, and families trying to get by. Investing in better public transit means making life easier, safer, and more accessible for all of us.