The Austin Business Journal reports that Capital Metro, the Austin transit Authority, is starting to build a transit center in South Austin, that will include thirteen dedicated bus bays, parking, covered bicycle parking, and space for future food service vendors. It's expected to be completed in August next year.

Basically it sounds like a real transit center, versus what Austin currently has, which is at best, glorified combo bus stops. This is a good first step towards having a modernized transit facility that just may encourage people to use it.  Full details at the Capital Metro website.

I admit it. I take the bus. I have never had a driver's license. I am more than old enough to be the mother of someone who has one, and doesn't have age related restrictions on their license.  The short story is I never got my license in high school, and then in college, I was settled in Boston where I didn't need one.  When I moved to Austin, I got more stubborn than usual about people telling me I had to drive.

I chose Austin in part because it does have a mass transit system. It's far from perfect, but it works.  Some days it works better than others.  It does make for good transition time between work life and personal life. And when you're all sitting in your cars, spending half your paycheck on gas, and getting frustrated by the traffic congestion, I'm (usually) on an air conditioned bus, able to listen to my tunes and read a book, or have a conversation with an interesting person and not have to worry about traffic hazards.