That 6 a.m. bus route in Austin completely flipped after the fare change

I take the 803 every morning from Mueller to downtown, and for two years it was the same dozen sleepy faces. Then they dropped the fare to a dollar back in March, and now the bus is packed with high schoolers, service workers, and folks with grocery carts. The vibe went from quiet and awkward to loud and sometimes chaotic, but honestly I kind of like it now. Anyone else watch their daily route transform overnight like that, or is this just a weird Austin thing?

3 comments

3 Comments

joel_martinez4d ago

Yeah the grocery cart crowd is the real game changer honestly. It makes the whole route feel more like a moving community center than just transportation. Wouldnt trade the occasional chaos for that dead quiet morning ride we had before.

jenny_hall4d ago

Oh, I have to push back on that. That loud chaos and the grocery carts make the ride stressful, not lively, and I miss the quiet where you could actually read or nap before work.

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alexk604d ago

Opposite here. The energy and carts make it feel alive. Quiet rides felt dead and lonely.