Shopping Using Public Transportation
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I was at an in-person training session in DC a couple of years ago and met three long-time DC shoppers who use public transportation, exclusively. In addition, it is quite common to do so in Manhattan and other transit-rich environments. I know that, once in center city DC, I can walk very little and do a lot of shops in a day! Banks are so thick on the ground, for instance, that I could do 6 bank shops, for 6 different MSCs, with a guarantee that I could do a lunch shop at a Potbelly or a 5 Guys, a salad place, a DD, or a Chipotle, along the way.
All that said, you do need a dense business district and a rich public transit system. And, btw, increasingly, that system may well include a bike share system and protected bike lanes!
where you located?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/2016 01:04PM by walesmaven.
All that said, you do need a dense business district and a rich public transit system. And, btw, increasingly, that system may well include a bike share system and protected bike lanes!
where you located?
Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/2016 01:04PM by walesmaven.
I mystery shop via TTC and I am satisfied with it. I shop wherever it is doable by public transportation and it is up to me how much I want to earn and how much I want to relax. I find that everytime I depend on the car, I have more problems, esp in downtown Toronto.
I have a shop coming and it's near the airport and I could go by TTC but my companion does not want to go near any public transportation. I used to do the airport shops for years, all by TTC. I stopped doing most of the airport shops not because of the public transportation. I simply did not want to do many of them.
I agree with walesmaven. I feel I am just lucky that TTC covers a lot of the shopping locations and if it doesn't, there is the Viva or Go Train. And I live in a locations, locations, locations area. I find the car hampers my schedule because of parking and other problems. I am saving a lot for car maintenance and gas, but missing the parking reimbursements.
I have a shop coming and it's near the airport and I could go by TTC but my companion does not want to go near any public transportation. I used to do the airport shops for years, all by TTC. I stopped doing most of the airport shops not because of the public transportation. I simply did not want to do many of them.
I agree with walesmaven. I feel I am just lucky that TTC covers a lot of the shopping locations and if it doesn't, there is the Viva or Go Train. And I live in a locations, locations, locations area. I find the car hampers my schedule because of parking and other problems. I am saving a lot for car maintenance and gas, but missing the parking reimbursements.
What is TTC, please?
Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
I just looked it up as I was curious. Toronto transit commission.
Sorry, it is the Toronto Public transportation and as JasF stated, Toronto Transit Commission. I have written about it before when a thread about mystery shopping by public transit came up.
I became a fan of it when I held two jobs, then when my husband died and when I started mystery shopping. Many times when I mystery shop with a companion who abhors public transportation,I have a difficulty completing my route for the day.
I used to live in Chicago and I think I would have been able to depend on the public transportation if I mystery shopped. But not in the vicinity.
I became a fan of it when I held two jobs, then when my husband died and when I started mystery shopping. Many times when I mystery shop with a companion who abhors public transportation,I have a difficulty completing my route for the day.
I used to live in Chicago and I think I would have been able to depend on the public transportation if I mystery shopped. But not in the vicinity.
Public transportation in much of the US is virtually non-existent. There are perhaps a dozen routes through my county and they head into a central hub where you can transfer out to other areas. During rush hours there are enough running that you could believe they were on a schedule, but in non-rush hours you could wait an hour or two for a bus. Attempting to do mystery shopping here by bus would not be feasible.
@risinghorizon wrote:
Sorry, it is the Toronto Public transportation and as JasF stated, Toronto Transit Commission. I have written about it before when a thread about mystery shopping by public transit came up.
I became a fan of it when I held two jobs, then when my husband died and when I started mystery shopping. Many times when I mystery shop with a companion who abhors public transportation,I have a difficulty completing my route for the day.
I used to live in Chicago and I think I would have been able to depend on the public transportation if I mystery shopped. But not in the vicinity.
Chicago has fabulous transportation and the Loop area where many shops are is small and within walking distance. I walked one day in Dec. from 10:00 AM till 5 and had a ball. San Francisco where hills are the norm, you couldn't walk.....L.A. distance is the problem, but I'm lucky, my town has many restaurants and several business and a mall. Driving into the city, say Century City, between the Democratic party (Obama) always being here, traffic is stopped like yesterday when my shop had to be cancelled due to street closure.
Location is a big asset to easy MSing. Funny thing, Beverly Hills is the best with 2 hours free parking and many retail and restaurants....go figure.
Live consciously....
I would love to be able to take public transit but where I live it would just take too long, I think it may be possible in the downtown areas that have subways and trolleys but that would take a lot of planning and many hours to complete. I guess it just depends on the area. I know there are mystery shoppers who use public transport but wondering if anyone has attempted it in the San Diego area?
I use public transportation exclusively for my shops. In my Metropolitan Statistical Area there are Numerous shopping opportunities. I can even walk to some of them. I can pick the shops at my leisure.
I live in Boston and shop exclusively using public transportation. Obviously I don't do route shopping. I do this part time but it works for me, Some days I can plan quite a few back-to-back like retail and banking shops and then do a lunch shop. Other days I squeeze one in last minute if I find I am going to be in a specific neighborhood for non-mystery shopping reasons already. The Presto App works well for me for that purpose, specifically if you can self-assign shops.
I would say it depends on how good the public transit system is and how dense the area is with shops and shoppers. Sometimes it works to my advantage just like shops in more rural areas that require a far drive. I've gotten some great bonuses for shops that are in areas with limited street parking and exorbitant garage parking like near hospitals, college campuses and ballparks.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/24/2016 09:22AM by sarahshopper.
I would say it depends on how good the public transit system is and how dense the area is with shops and shoppers. Sometimes it works to my advantage just like shops in more rural areas that require a far drive. I've gotten some great bonuses for shops that are in areas with limited street parking and exorbitant garage parking like near hospitals, college campuses and ballparks.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/24/2016 09:22AM by sarahshopper.
I live in a big city where parking and traffic are a big hassle, so I probably take the bus or metro to shops 90% of the time.
I don't have a car so all of my shops are done via transportation. I live in a major metropolitan city where you don't need to drive.
@alparslan wrote:
I use public transportation exclusively for my shops. In my Metropolitan Statistical Area there are Numerous shopping opportunities. I can even walk to some of them. I can pick the shops at my leisure.
There's a five guys around the corner from me and a BOA. Whenever a BOA shop near me pops up I snatch them up. The other night I was really hungry so I did a five guys shop. It was across the street so I figured I'd do it. The shop had to be completed before 9:15 and I left my apartment at 8:55pm and walked in at 9:01!
I live in the 'burbs where transit is less convenient, but whenever I go into downtown San Francisco, I take BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit, our local subway system). When I used to do Airport shops, I took BART all the time.. it's super convenient to get into SFO if anyone is ever planning a trip. The BART stop is right in the terminal.
But most of my shops aren't in San Francisco, and out here in the suburbs I usually drive my car or walk.
But most of my shops aren't in San Francisco, and out here in the suburbs I usually drive my car or walk.
Shopper in California's Bay Area
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