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To be flexible without freedom: How seniors bend their lives around the bus

By Andre Phillips, a Davidson College Sustainability Scholar and 2024 Sustain Charlotte summer intern.

Key Takeaways

  • Seniors bend their lives around the (in)frequency of the bus schedule, which reveals their flexibility but restricts their freedom
  • CATS Buses are an important option for seniors, because they make it possible to get around without a car
  • CATS Buses (specifically the routes on Central Avenue) run on infrequent schedules on Saturdays and Sundays, which discourages seniors from getting out during the weekend

The Seniors’ Story

Because of the time they’ve been around, senior citizens tend to have an incredibly interesting perspective on getting around. Thankfully, I had the opportunity to hear some of their stories at the Latin American Chamber of Commerce of Charlotte Senior Meal Distribution outside the Latin American Coalition (LAC) building on Central Avenue.

Initially, I hoped to do long-form interviews with some of the people at the event. But I wasn’t able to talk with them for long because of one major issue: flexibility. Restricted by the schedule of the bus or the time it takes to walk from place to place, Juana Rios, Adela Salomon, and Maria Ruth only had a few moments to speak to me. But during that time, they were able to give me valuable insight into how the bus system impacts, indeed shapes, their daily lives — or rather, how they shape their daily lives around the bus. 

Juana Rios lives in the apartments across from the LAC building on Central Avenue. She used to take the bus to get around, but because the bus schedule is so inconvenient for her, she now finds it easier to walk everywhere. She doesn’t like having to walk, but it is her only choice most of the time. She enjoys taking the bus occasionally, and she believes it is good to have the bus as an option, especially for emergencies. However, the infrequent schedule and absence of stops in certain locations makes walking more convenient. 

Most of the time, if Juana needs to go somewhere farther, her nephews can drive her. In terms of improvements, she believes the sidewalks are good overall, although she does have to be careful with all the traffic on Central Avenue. As for the bus, she would appreciate some safety additions, such as better security, so she feels more comfortable traveling with her young nephews.  

Maria Ruth to the left; Adela Salomon to the right

Adela Salomon lives by Central Avenue. She mostly takes the bus to get around since she cannot drive. It is an easy option during the week, but because the bus only comes every three or four hours on Saturdays and Sundays, she does not go out on weekends. Other than that, she finds the bus to be an efficient system for her needs. 

Maria Ruth lives by Carriage Drive, about a half block away from LAC. Since she cannot drive, the bus is her easiest option for getting around, so she adjusts her schedule around the bus. Like Adela, Maria finds it difficult to get around on weekends. The main issue for Maria is that the schedules on the CATS Pass App are mismatched and do not show accurate times, meaning she often has to wait much longer than expected. Sometimes while on the bus, Maria comes across aggressive people and has to get off before her intended stop to avoid potential conflicts. She feels she always has to be alert while riding the bus, in case she has to pull the wire to let the driver know to let her off. Despite the discomfort of these situations, she acknowledges that everyone is entitled to public transportation, so excluding them would be discrimination. However, CATS has safety protocols prohibiting aggressive behavior, and Sustain Charlotte believes CATS should ensure that buses have a security officer to help riders like Maria feel at peace during their trip. 

Maria Ruth to the left; Adela Salomon to the right

Being and getting around Charlotte for a while seems to have made Juana, Adela, and Maria accustomed and perhaps somewhat resigned to the challenges of navigating Charlotte without a car. But their stories show how limited they are in where they can go and when they can go there. Although they might not have flexible schedules, Juana, Adela, and Maria are extraordinarily flexible people: people who are able to bend their lives around the (in)frequency of the bus. However, personal flexibility does not necessarily mean freedom; and, as of now, the bus system restricts rather than releases these seniors. With improved weekend schedules, increased route frequency, and updates to the CATS Pass app, the bus could become a way to get people where they want whenever they need; the bus could become a way to set people free. After all, a bus is a vehicle, and a vehicle is a way to go.