Solution To Old Hechinger's Filling Up
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Topic: Solution To Old Hechinger's Filling Up
Posted By: pflanigan
Subject: Solution To Old Hechinger's Filling Up
Date Posted: 15 Feb 2011 at 3:44pm
The Old Hechinger's lot has become kind of a nightmare recently. It can be very hard to find a space in the morning and if you dare park along that far wall you WILL be ticketed (I just got done paying the last one I got.) The lot is filling up quick and the result is lots of cars lining up looking for slugs but no slugs because they can't find a place to park. This undermines the whole reason why we slug. Fortunately I think there is a simple solution in the case of the hechinger lot.[:)]
If you go to find a space after around 8:20 at the O.H. lot in the morning and if you don't see any, just get back on 123 and go to that grossly under-used lot that's right off 123 on the northbound side of 95. It's literally 200 yards from O.H. and there are TONS of spaces waiting to be filled! It's a commuter lot that we as taxpayers pay for- let's make it the 'overflow' lot for O.H.! I think that VDOT should post signs that address this option at O.H. so that slugging can continue despite the limited size of that lot.
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Replies:
Posted By: Admin
Date Posted: 15 Feb 2011 at 4:56pm
Even with leaving the 14th/18th/L'Enfant at Potomac Mills we (slugging community) may need to expand to the 123 lot. As you said, it is very very close.
So, do you 14th/18th/L'Enfant slugs support that? We can set a date and I can help promote it, but only if slugs want to do this.
Let me know how I can help!
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Posted By: Boo123
Date Posted: 15 Feb 2011 at 6:04pm
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Pflanigan, the 123 lot is significantly more than 200 yards from Old Hechingers. I have walked from the 123 lot to Old Hechingers once. I either got on the wrong bus coming out of DC one afternoon or got mixed up which lot I had parked in that morning (I do that to myself at least once a year). You have to walk up the ramp that descends into the lot. You are in the street so will have to deal motor traffic coming into the lot. Then you walk along the shoulder or sidewalk on Gordon/123. But the diciest thing is sprinting across Gordon/123 to get to the other side of the street. The motorists will do their very best to kill you dead (smirk), and I don't think you have any crosswalk until the marina. You're walking maybe a quarter mile overall. It is not insignificant, timewise nor otherwise.
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Posted By: Checkers
Date Posted: 15 Feb 2011 at 6:36pm
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Those who schlep to Old Hechingers on a regular basis -- whether slug or slugee -- a mere turn at the light on Old Bridge, and another mere turn either to the exit ramp to 95 and round and round we go, or go straight and a mere turn to the left :) -- not such a bad idea. This is PRTC's first stop in the evening -- not bad, either!
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Posted By: rtreed
Date Posted: 15 Feb 2011 at 7:50pm
I would love to park over there and slug to either 14th or 18th street. But no drivers want pick up or drop off there to really get it started.quote:
Originally posted by Admin
Even with leaving the 14th/18th/L'Enfant at Potomac Mills we (slugging community) may need to expand to the 123 lot. As you said, it is very very close.
So, do you 14th/18th/L'Enfant slugs support that? We can set a date and I can help promote it, but only if slugs want to do this.
Let me know how I can help!
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Posted By: Checkers
Date Posted: 15 Feb 2011 at 8:18pm
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Not yet -- but I'll bet the dynamics are going to change real soon -- and another slug line is borne -- shades of Springfield a long, long time ago, one bus stop, a car pulling up and asking if anyone wants a ride for free. Whatcha think?
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Posted By: sluDgE
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2011 at 8:15am
Checkers,
You're "spot on" with the history of sluggin' at Springfield.
Once upon a time, there was a bus stop across Old Keene Mill Rd from the old Bob's Big Boy Restaurant, the 1970's oil crisis hit, Virginia opened the bus-only express lanes to 4-person carpools during rush hours, drivers wanting to use these lanes to save commuting time stopped at the bus stop and offered rides to the bus commuters to meet the 4-in-a-car carpool requirement --- and sluggin' was borne!
The offering of morning rides concept spread to other bus stops further west in Springfield and Burke. Commuter lots (like Rolling Valley) were built with bus service -- and sluggin' expanded to them.
As the I-95 HOV lanes extended southward, more commuter lots with bus service were established; in the early 90s the 4-person requirement was changed to 3-people-in a car; and somewhere in the history, certain vehicles (motorcycles, law enforcement, taxis with a fare, some SOV clean fuel vehicles, etc.) were given exemptions to use the HOV lanes during rush hours with less than 3 aboard -- and we now have sluggin' as it exists today. [:)]
(As a side note - There's a similar history about drivers originally getting riders from the afternoon bus lines at the Pentagon and downtown for the evening rides home. Later, there were increases in the number and some formal designations of afternoon slug lines, and there have also been some relocations of some of these slug lines.)
Not a perfect system -- but pretty dang efficient.
I-95 High-Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes (where 3-person carpools are supposed to ride at no charge) will be the next chapter in this history. Stay tuned.
A disclaimer: That's the history as passed to me by other Burke/Springfield commuters who have been commuting as long as, or longer than, I have (since early 1986). If it's not accurate, please post any corrections.
(By the way, what happened to this Message Board yesterday? It wouldn't open for most of the day and displayed an error message.)
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Posted By: slug123456789
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2011 at 3:23pm
quote:
Originally posted by sluDgE
Checkers,
(By the way, what happened to this Message Board yesterday? It wouldn't open for most of the day and displayed an error message.)
I contacted the webmaster who said they were migrating to a new & improved server but not everything transfered.
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Posted By: Admin
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2011 at 3:35pm
Yes, the message board was down almost all day yesterday as a result of an "upgrade" to a newer server. It appears that all the kinks have been worked out now!
Sorry for the inconvenience!
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Posted By: slug123456789
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2011 at 3:39pm
quote:
Originally posted by Admin
Yes, the message board was down almost all day yesterday as a result of an "upgrade" to a newer server. It appears that all the kinks have been worked out now!
Sorry for the inconvenience!
Hey, it happens! [:)]
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Posted By: Jack Burden
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2011 at 4:32pm
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I am a regular OH driver in the AM. I think the change at Potomac Mills has casued a lot of folks who might normally slug to start driving. I have noticed a lot more cars in line at OH around 8:00 and after. I usually pick up b/w 8:00 8:15. I would be happy to go straight the 95/123 lot and get slugs instead of waiting in a long line at OH for random slugs to trickle in even when there is no parking left. I would guess at around 8:30, no drivers are getting slugs at OH. Maybe the best solution is to state a time, say 8 AM, at which the OH slug line switches to 95/123. The trick seems to be get a system in place so slugs/drivers know what to do and don't continue to cling to OH at times when it clearly won't work becasue all the spots are gone.
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Posted By: Admin
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2011 at 4:34pm
Jack,
What do you think about a new 14th/18th/L'Enfant line at 123?
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Posted By: Jack Burden
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2011 at 4:50pm
Admin: I think a separate 14th/18th/LEF line at 95/123 would be fine too, but I doubt a 14th/18th/LEF line at 95/123 will be able to compete head-to-head with OH at the same time. OH is simply more convenient and established. That is why I suggested that at a certain time (at which OH will typically be filled) slugs and drivers switch over to 95/123.
To add to my earlier post, and to respond to an earlier post, I don't think is a good solution at all for slugs to park at 95/123 and walk to OH to get a ride. Too dangerous.
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Posted By: Admin
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2011 at 4:59pm
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I agree with both points!
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Posted By: Bob
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2011 at 7:35pm
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The slugs should take the lead on starting a slug line at 123. Just DO IT!! For those who normally go around 8 or later at OH, just go on over to 123 and stand there with a sign to your destination. What is the worst that can happen? You have to catch the bus, possiby home also. Not so bad really. Eventually it is a NEW SLUG LINE!!!!
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Posted By: solarcells
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2011 at 8:10pm
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The problem with 95/123 is getting home in the afternoon, it is bus or bust. Yes, one way slugging is better than nothing but it is not an ideal long term solution.
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Posted By: Jack Burden
Date Posted: 18 Feb 2011 at 3:21pm
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Good point. To make it work, drivers should be willing to go to 95/123 if they pick up for OH. I regularly drive to OH in the afternoon. I would be happy to take slugs to 95/123 and/or OH. I would go to 95/123 first, then OH.
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Posted By: southbridgemom
Date Posted: 19 Feb 2011 at 11:36am
quote:
Originally posted by Jack Burden
Good point. To make it work, drivers should be willing to go to 95/123 if they pick up for OH. I regularly drive to OH in the afternoon. I would be happy to take slugs to 95/123 and/or OH. I would go to 95/123 first, then OH.
Jack,
I am going to talk to my hubby (who rides PRTC from 95/123 to PNT, now that Horner isn't viable for him to bus/slug after 6:45). He tells me at least 10-12 folks get on PRTC for the PNT between 6:30-7:30 daily, and at least 40% of them get off at PNT. He tells me about 40-50% of the entire bus gets off at the PNT each day. I for one think there's an untapped gold mine of folks at 95/123 that would go for a PNT slug line there. The trick would be to get drivers to agree to go there.
Give me until late next week (w/the Presidents Day holiday) to see what (if anything) I can find out. I for one have a hard time seeing what the problem is with that lot. The access isn't as bad as others have made it out to be. I lived in that area from 89-02, before moving south.
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Posted By: Lisaerei
Date Posted: 23 Feb 2011 at 9:30am
I've taken the bus from 95/123 many times, and I would also say about half the folks on the bus get off at the pentagon. The parking lot is also underused, and I could definitely see at least a Pentagon slug-line there.
Today, there were some drivers from Horner Rd. that came to the OH lot to pick people up and were going to L'enfant - Adding L'enfant at OH and Pentagon line at 95/123 may work well.
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Posted By: Boo123
Date Posted: 23 Feb 2011 at 6:11pm
I am all in favor of at least a Pentagon slug line at 123. There is a large gap between bus service there to DC (8:17am bus and the next and final is at 9:02am). Slugging could easily fill up that gap.
Maybe both the Gemini and 123 lots could turn into the later morning lots (say 8am and later). I don't know if much slugging is happening at Gemini. I get the feeling everyone is just getting on the bus. I know I am.
Perhaps signs could be put up in the other lots that fill earlier that Pentagon, etc. slugging is available at Gemini and 123 later in the morning. If we make it so.
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Posted By: southbridgemom
Date Posted: 23 Feb 2011 at 9:32pm
quote:
Originally posted by Lisaerei
I've taken the bus from 95/123 many times, and I would also say about half the folks on the bus get off at the pentagon. The parking lot is also underused, and I could definitely see at least a Pentagon slug-line there.
Today, there were some drivers from Horner Rd. that came to the OH lot to pick people up and were going to L'enfant - Adding L'enfant at OH and Pentagon line at 95/123 may work well.
I know of at least one person (hubby)who would ride from 95/123 to the Pentagon (and back), leaving between 0645-0730 in the AM. Hope a PNT slug line can get started there!
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Posted By: Lisaerei
Date Posted: 23 Feb 2011 at 10:00pm
quote:
Originally posted by southbridgemom
quote:
Originally posted by Lisaerei
I've taken the bus from 95/123 many times, and I would also say about half the folks on the bus get off at the pentagon. The parking lot is also underused, and I could definitely see at least a Pentagon slug-line there.
Today, there were some drivers from Horner Rd. that came to the OH lot to pick people up and were going to L'enfant - Adding L'enfant at OH and Pentagon line at 95/123 may work well.
How would we go about getting it started? I know some of the bus riders might be skeptical at first, but I'm sure some people would be open to getting picked up and given a ride to the Pentagon and/or L'Enfant.
I know of at least one person (hubby)who would ride from 95/123 to the Pentagon (and back), leaving between 0645-0730 in the AM. Hope a PNT slug line can get started there!
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Posted By: snlfam
Date Posted: 24 Feb 2011 at 4:44pm
I have gotten rides to 14th street from 123 five times in the last week and a half (the other 2 times, Hechinger's still had legal parking spots). I have been using it as a "overflow" lot from Old Hechinger's. I have even taken the time to temporarily stop at Hechinger's and send cars to the 123 lot. There have been small lines of slug riders developing at 123(best on Tuesdays-Thursdays), now if we can just get the word out to everyone. I asked the county if they could post a sign, and they said "NO". I think I may start "littering" and posting some signs at the Hechinger's lot for both drivers and riders.
Additionally, I plan to make a big push for 123 return trips in the evening from the new New York Ave stop in DC starting Monday.
We can make this work... but it may require a little work on our part.
[:)]A special call-out thanks to the woman who was directing overflow sluggers to 123 the other day![:D][8)]
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Posted By: Lisaerei
Date Posted: 24 Feb 2011 at 7:08pm
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What can I do to help get the word out? I can walk to OH, but sometimes prefer 95/123. Today I got to OH later (815 or so I think) and I was able to hop in a car to 14th - I saw a good five cars there waiting, I didn't even think about mentioning overflow to 123 to pick folks up.
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Posted By: Admin
Date Posted: 24 Feb 2011 at 7:56pm
I can help organize a new line at the 123 lot if that is what slugs want. It makes sense to start using that lot for maybe both downtown (14th/18th/L'Enfant) and maybe one for the Pentagon.
What do you think?
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Posted By: southbridgemom
Date Posted: 24 Feb 2011 at 8:25pm
Hubby said he would talk to folks at the bus stop for the PNT at the 123 lot. He will gauge interest and I'll report back ASAP.
A line from 123 to the PNT early AM (before 7:30) would certainly make life a bit easier for our family, that's for sure.
Thanks! [:)]
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Posted By: Lisaerei
Date Posted: 25 Feb 2011 at 12:00am
quote:
Originally posted by Admin
I can help organize a new line at the 123 lot if that is what slugs want. It makes sense to start using that lot for maybe both downtown (14th/18th/L'Enfant) and maybe one for the Pentagon.
What do you think?
Totally for this. I will likely take the bus back in the afternoon, but what would be the option for a return slug trip?
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Posted By: Boo123
Date Posted: 01 Mar 2011 at 10:56am
quote:
Originally posted by Admin
I can help organize a new line at the 123 lot if that is what slugs want. It makes sense to start using that lot for maybe both downtown (14th/18th/L'Enfant) and maybe one for the Pentagon.
What do you think?
Yes. If slugging is established in this lot, maybe stage one combo line (a la Old Hechinger) to all destinations. Run said parallel to where the buses come (beside the shelters) but on that *next* sidewalk out (the one closest to parking). Is that what people are using already (the few that have successfully slugged from here)?
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Posted By: snlfam
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2011 at 5:10pm
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Starting today, I am trying to start a return line to the 123 lot at the new New York and 14th location. If that doesn't work well, I will try to start one at the Commerce Dept. line. Anyone want to join me?
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Posted By: dizzykat22192
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2011 at 1:21pm
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I cannot slug home evenings due to work schedule but I would be happy to have the 123 lot be one-way sluggers only since the bus does stop there evenings. This would eliminate the problems with drivers not wanting to go to 123 at night and help to alleviate the parking problems at O.H. That being said, we definitely need a sign directing people to 123 when the lot is full. O.H. this morning was a nightmare - I got there are 8:15ish and it was nearly full but the cars were lined up all the way to Old Bridge Road. I've never seen the cars like that. As for the Church - 14th/18th works for me.
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Posted By: Boo123
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2011 at 3:32pm
quote:
Originally posted by dizzykat22192
I cannot slug home evenings due to work schedule but I would be happy to have the 123 lot be one-way sluggers only since the bus does stop there evenings. This would eliminate the problems with drivers not wanting to go to 123 at night and help to alleviate the parking problems at O.H. That being said, we definitely need a sign directing people to 123 when the lot is full. O.H. this morning was a nightmare - I got there are 8:15ish and it was nearly full but the cars were lined up all the way to Old Bridge Road. I've never seen the cars like that. As for the Church - 14th/18th works for me.
Some sort of way, we've got to get the later-morning drivers and slugs on the same page. I was in the Gemini Way/Dale City lot at 8am this morning. No Pentagon drivers nor slugs and only 2 cars and 2 slugs (excluding myself) for Crystal City/Rossyln.
There is lots of parking left in both the Gemini Way/Dale City and 123 lots in the late morning (say, 7:30am onward). If we could get some of the folks currently queuing up for naught at Old Hechingers and Lake Ridge/Tacketts to come to either of these lots instead, that would be great.
Perhaps we need a poll (Mr. Administrator) to gauge the number of folks who would be interested in slugging from Gemini or 123 from 7:30-8:15? Till 8:30? Maybe if folks see the level of interest (assuming it exists), they will be less wary of not finding drivers or slugs at these lots.
I understand not wanting to commit to a lot you are not sure will work out. We are all trying to get to work on time.
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Posted By: Lisaerei
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2011 at 4:34pm
quote:
Originally posted by Boo123
quote:
Originally posted by dizzykat22192
I cannot slug home evenings due to work schedule but I would be happy to have the 123 lot be one-way sluggers only since the bus does stop there evenings. This would eliminate the problems with drivers not wanting to go to 123 at night and help to alleviate the parking problems at O.H. That being said, we definitely need a sign directing people to 123 when the lot is full. O.H. this morning was a nightmare - I got there are 8:15ish and it was nearly full but the cars were lined up all the way to Old Bridge Road. I've never seen the cars like that. As for the Church - 14th/18th works for me.
Some sort of way, we've got to get the later-morning drivers and slugs on the same page. I was in the Gemini Way/Dale City lot at 8am this morning. No Pentagon drivers nor slugs and only 2 cars and 2 slugs (excluding myself) for Crystal City/Rossyln.
There is lots of parking left in both the Gemini Way/Dale City and 123 lots in the late morning (say, 7:30am onward). If we could get some of the folks currently queuing up for naught at Old Hechingers and Lake Ridge/Tacketts to come to either of these lots instead, that would be great.
Perhaps we need a poll (Mr. Administrator) to gauge the number of folks who would be interested in slugging from Gemini or 123 from 7:30-8:15? Till 8:30? Maybe if folks see the level of interest (assuming it exists), they will be less wary of not finding drivers or slugs at these lots.
I understand not wanting to commit to a lot you are not sure will work out. We are all trying to get to work on time.
We definitely need a poll to gague interest. I normally go to OH, but would gladly go to 95/123 provided I could get home in the evenings (have the option of bus AND slug home). Where would those going to 95/123 line up in order to slug home?
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Posted By: southbridgemom
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2011 at 10:12pm
quote:
Originally posted by Lisaerei
quote:
Originally posted by Boo123
quote:
Originally posted by dizzykat22192
I cannot slug home evenings due to work schedule but I would be happy to have the 123 lot be one-way sluggers only since the bus does stop there evenings. This would eliminate the problems with drivers not wanting to go to 123 at night and help to alleviate the parking problems at O.H. That being said, we definitely need a sign directing people to 123 when the lot is full. O.H. this morning was a nightmare - I got there are 8:15ish and it was nearly full but the cars were lined up all the way to Old Bridge Road. I've never seen the cars like that. As for the Church - 14th/18th works for me.
Some sort of way, we've got to get the later-morning drivers and slugs on the same page. I was in the Gemini Way/Dale City lot at 8am this morning. No Pentagon drivers nor slugs and only 2 cars and 2 slugs (excluding myself) for Crystal City/Rossyln.
There is lots of parking left in both the Gemini Way/Dale City and 123 lots in the late morning (say, 7:30am onward). If we could get some of the folks currently queuing up for naught at Old Hechingers and Lake Ridge/Tacketts to come to either of these lots instead, that would be great.
Perhaps we need a poll (Mr. Administrator) to gauge the number of folks who would be interested in slugging from Gemini or 123 from 7:30-8:15? Till 8:30? Maybe if folks see the level of interest (assuming it exists), they will be less wary of not finding drivers or slugs at these lots.
I understand not wanting to commit to a lot you are not sure will work out. We are all trying to get to work on time.
We definitely need a poll to gague interest. I normally go to OH, but would gladly go to 95/123 provided I could get home in the evenings (have the option of bus AND slug home). Where would those going to 95/123 line up in order to slug home?
A poll would be nice. Could said poll also gauge interest in an early AM (before 8am) line from 123 to PNT? I know I may be beating a dead horse here, but I find it hard to believe our family is the only family struggling for slug options in the early AM from a non-Dale City vicinity lot.
Hubby is still trying to gauge interest as he rides the bus, but not getting a lot of feedback so far. I'll keep you guys posted.
Thanks!
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