Transit is for Everyone: The Ultimate Guide to Discovering Transit This Fall
It’s fall in Hampton Roads. The leaves are doing their thing, your iced coffee is suddenly pumpkin flavored and your Spotify playlist has somehow gone 25% more acoustic overnight. Autumn has a way of making everything feel a little more intentional, a little cozier – except, of course, your commute. Because nothing snaps you out of fall bliss faster than staring at brake lights on I-64. Here’s the real kicker, though: you don’t actually have to do that every single day. Yeah, we said it. Transit isn’t just for “other people.” It’s for you, your neighbor and even that person who insists on reheating salmon in the office microwave every day.
This fall is your chance to switch it up. Forget the never-ending brake lights and give buses, light rail, even the Elizabeth River Ferry a shot. Here’s the secret nobody tells you - transit isn’t just about getting from A to B. It’s about more time to scroll, fewer parking battles, saving actual cash, and, honestly, feeling like the main character in your commute movie.
Let’s get into it.
First off: what even is “transit in Hampton Roads”?
Good question, fake reader voice in our heads. Transit in Hampton Roads is everything from the Hampton Roads Transit bus network to The Tide light rail to Suffolk Transit to Williamsburg Area Transit Authority (WATA). It’s not just one thing. It’s a whole ecosystem of ways to not sit in a car by yourself, muttering at the same red light every morning.
And before you roll your eyes - yes, we know you love your car. Transit can fit into your life in small ways, though. Take the bus a couple of days a week. Try the ferry once just for fun. Carpool on days when you know traffic is about to be that bad. Transit doesn’t mean you’re giving up your independence. It means you’re giving yourself options.
Source: Hampton Roads Transit
The commuter rewards you didn’t know you needed
Here’s where it gets pumpkin spicy (ba dum tss). When you use goCommute, you can log your trips and earn commuter rewards. Not like “10% off a sticker you don’t want” rewards, but actual discounts and deals. You’re literally getting rewarded for doing the bare minimum of not driving alone every day. It’s like your commute has a loyalty punch card now!
But what if I get stranded?
*Cue dramatic voice*: Fear not, traveler. The Ride Home Rewards program has your back. Let’s say you usually carpool, but suddenly you need to pick up your sick kid from school. Or you took the bus, and now there’s a family emergency. With goCommute, you get access to a free Guaranteed Ride Home - up to six times a year. That means you can try transit without worrying about being stuck. It’s like the safety net of commuting.
Source: Unsplash.com/Leo_Visions
Why Fall is actually the best time to try transit
You might think Spring has the monopoly on new beginnings, but Fall is undefeated. Hear us out:
Cooler weather: Standing at a bus stop in August humidity is… not ideal. Fall? Crisp air, golden light, maybe a pumpkin cream cold brew in hand. Perfection.
Cozy vibes: Reading on the bus feels way more romantic when you’re wrapped in a scarf.
Traffic is real: Back-to-school, holidays approaching and every single person suddenly needing to be somewhere all at once. This is peak gridlock season. Why not avoid it?
The traffic thing (without being boring about it)
We don’t want to preach, but let’s be honest... traffic in Hampton Roads is a lot. If even a fraction of us swap one or two car trips a week for transit, carpools or vanpools, the whole system breathes a little easier. Less congestion, better air quality, more time back in your day. You don’t have to be Captain Planet to appreciate that. You just have to be someone who doesn’t love sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic with your gas light on.
Out-of-pocket ideas to make transit more fun
Yes, commuting can be fun if you let it. Don’t roll your eyes yet - hear us out:
Make it a social thing: Carpool with coworkers and turn the ride into your own morning talk show. Someone brings snacks. Someone controls the aux. Instant entertainment.
Finally finish that book you’ve been “currently reading” for six months: Transit is built-in reading time. No excuses.
People watch like it’s your side hustle: Transit is a free front-row seat to humanity’s greatest hits.
Source: Unsplash.com/Patsanaannnn
So… is transit really for everyone?
YES. It doesn’t matter if you’re a nine-to-fiver, a student, military personnel, a work-from-home-sometimes hybrid warrior, or just someone who hates parking garages. Transit in Hampton Roads is designed to be flexible. You don’t have to go all in. Even dipping your toe in makes a difference for you, your wallet and the region.
And the best part? goCommute makes it easy to try. From trip planning to rideshare matching to commuter rewards, it’s all in one place. The hard part isn’t figuring out how - it’s just deciding to give it a shot.
This fall, maybe don’t do the same commute on autopilot. Try something different. Bus. Light rail. Ferry. Carpool. Vanpool. Telework. Mix and match until you find your groove. The transit world is your oyster. And who knows? You might just end up liking it more than you think!