How Business Travelers Benefit from the Bus

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If you’re a frequent business traveler, chances are, you think a lot about the quality of your travel experience. Besides simply making your flight on time-hopefully with some time to spare-your considerations may include minimum stress, comfort, and opportunities for productivity en route.

However, often times, the most unpredictable and stressful part of any journey is the trip to the airport. Living in the Bay Area, and particularly in Marin, traffic is a fact of life. Some days it is not so bad. Other days, drive time to the airport is difficult to determine. Then, there’s parking at the airport. Will the lot be full? Will the shuttle get me to the gate on time? You know the drill. There can be doubts and delays around every turn. So many so, that you might even consider the convenience of a virtual office to be the only solution.

Travel Choices, Travel Choices

As we all know, getting behind the wheel yourself is an invitation to stress. We all want to travel in a way that lets us be at our best upon arrival.

Among your options, if you choose not to drive, is Uber or Lyft. If you’re a single traveler, the cost of this kind of transportation to the airport will be several times greater than the bus. A taxi is worse, and you can’t always depend on either to show up on time. An added benefit of not driving is that you can focus on reducing your stress levels as best you can. If your stress is consuming, you may need to discuss it with your doctor, with them referring you to a marijuana dispensary for a prescription if they feel like this is appropriate, otherwise, they will recommend other stress-reducing practices.

Then, there’s the Marin Airporter. We serve seven different stops in Marin. Parking at our locations is now described in detail on our website. No guesswork!

And, now, for even less stress, you can now buy your ticket online, ahead of time.

And then, there is the comfort of the bus itself.

To the Airport in Comfort

As you take your seat, you immediately relax into spacious comfort. Our first class coaches offer the kind of space that allows you sit back and reflect, rest, or work.

The comfort of our buses may suggest to you the idea of getting a little more sleep. Or perhaps this is a great time to pull out that book and read. Or maybe you just want to enjoy the view of our beautiful Bay Area home that you can’t appreciate when you’re driving yourself. If you want to continue traveling in comfort, you can use this private jet charter cost estimator to see if a private plane is a possibility for you. This would mean you could go from relaxing on the bus to relaxing on a plane without being bothered by other noisy passengers.

And, because we use the bus lane, we make the best of any traffic condition.

Getting a Charge Out of Business Travel

On the other hand, you may have a meeting for which you can use this time to be better prepared. You switch on the overhead light and pull out that report you need to review or deliver. For most of us, that simply won’t happen in a car.

Is the report on your laptop or tablet? Well then, you might be surprised to learn that Marin Airporter buses now have plug-in-power at most seats (currently about 70% of our buses have electrical outlets at every seat). Thanks to these buses, your mobile device won’t be running on fumes when you reach your meeting. And, on the way home, you won’t worry about running down the battery after a long day of travel. Plus, with something like this asus smart gesture download, you won’t have to worry about plugging in a mouse, as your touchpad will be able to do all the scrolling and clicking instead!

You’ll get home fully charged, and so will your devices.

Comfort. Cost. Reliability.

We’re in the business of making your travel comfortable and reliable.

When your life sends you away from Marin to SFO and home again-whether it’s for business or pleasure-Marin Airporter is a choice that makes stress-free sense. And we get you there and back at a more reasonable cost.

We invite you to charge up your devices and yourself by relaxing on the bus.

See you soon.

Our New Website & e-Ticket Option Keeps Pace with Marin’s Changing World

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As with most things these days, the Marin Airporter is managing unprecedented changes.

The San Rafael Transit Center has been around long enough for most of us to feel familiar with the flow of buses, including the Airporter. What is new in the equation is the new SMART Train.

Farther south, the hub for Marin Airporter operations has moved from Larkspur Landing to Andersen Drive in San Rafael. For most riders, this means trying to remember that the buses now depart for the airport from this central hub at ten minutes before and twenty minutes after the hour, not on the hour and half hour as was the case when Larkspur Landing was the main hub.

Likewise, because the Larkspur Landing hub is gone, that location now has two roadside loading zones, one on either side of Sir Francis Drake Blvd. That means you have to plan parking more than previously since there is no longer any dedicated lot in Larkspur (although there is ample parking at our new Andersen Drive hub).

No one can blame the more and more frequent flooding of the Manzanita stop on the Airporter, but anyone who drives in that area is aware that much of the parking for that stop is unavailable during storms and at certain phases of the moon. You’re kidding, right? I have to know what shape the moon is in to find a place to park? Yup. Sorry.

How Can Our New Website Help?

You may be wondering, how can a website redesign provide any relief for some of these changes? Well, why not check it out.

Instead of the old “one-page-fits all” PDF schedule (which is still available for those who prefer that sort of thing) each stop now has its own website page of information that’s available via simple click on our user-friendly route map graphic courtesy of a tool like this map maker or via a drop-down menu. It was hoped that these new pages would have their own website color schemes in order to make navigation easier for travelers. However it is unsure if this idea would be in the final product. You can see the proposed website color schemes 2021 offer here.

Each of Marin Airporter stop website pages gives you quick access to information that was either difficult to find or unavailable on our old site. And, now, because the information is provided stop-by-stop, it’s easy to find just the right information you need for your trip without your having to wade into the weeds of data about the other six stops. Any new website design can be intimidating at first, especially if a company is trying to build one of their own, luckily there are helpful videos such as https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGSU1A69HA0, that can provide a stronger background of assistance. We hope this new website will be useful to people.

When you click on the stop most convenient to you, a list of big blue buttons offers you the following choices: Pick Up Schedule, Buy Tickets, Map and Directions, Parking Info and Questions.

For example, click on the schedule for Central San Rafael and you find this:

Buses leave from the Central San Rafael Transit Center once an hour at 10 minutes after the hour, starting at 4:10 AM until 10:10 PM. The trip to SFO takes a minimum of 1 hour & 20 minutes, but may take longer depending on traffic conditions. Please allow plenty of time to travel. Traffic delays are common and should be expected.

Everything you need to know. How early? Departing how often? When? How long to the airport? Done and done.

The Map and Directions tab is great for travelers not familiar with Marin, and for those of us who get confused from time to time or need to use a different stop (because maybe we’re taking the new SMART train to Central San Rafael for the first time). The text directions from all points are accompanied by a detailed bird’s-eye view of the area.

Buy Your e-Ticket Before You Go

But wait! “Buy Tickets“? Marin Airporter has been a cash-only business for as long as most of us can remember. So, what’s this about e-Ticket sales? It’s time.

No more stopping at the ATM on your way to catch the bus! All you need to do is click “Tickets” on the left-hand menu, select the date you plan to travel, then click “Select,” checkout and you’re done.

Once you’ve purchased your ticket(s), as our new website explains:

“Tickets purchased online may be printed and given to the driver, or you can display the ticket on your phone.”

Welcome to a new age of Marin Airporter convenience.

Other Goodies

If you have questions and needs beyond the usual, watch our Blog for updates on things like the pesky flooding at Manzanita, Mill Valley. Need to know if animals can ride our buses? Click the “FAQs” tab and save yourself the time of making a phone call or doing further online research. The answers to all of the most Frequently Asked Questions are there, just a click away.

Have another question? There’s a “Contact” tab and we are happy to help.

Getting Out of the Car

We all know how bad traffic congestion can be in Marin as well as elsewhere in the Bay Area. Our riders are happy to leave the driving to someone else. Getting some additional time to work while in transit is another plus.

Now, thanks to our new website, all of this comfortable traveling ease is more accessible than ever.

More Beautiful New Marin Airporter Buses Are Being Added to Our Fleet

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New buses are on the way! We’re looking forward to taking delivery soon on two brand spanking new 2018 Prevost H3-45 motor coaches. They are currently in the paint shop getting their rainbows on, and will be in service as part of our Airporter fleet in just a few weeks. They are clean running buses that meet all the latest emissions standards for heavy duty diesel engines. Think your Prius is efficient? These buses will get around 300 passenger miles to the gallon when running full. And for everyone taking the bus to or from SFO (and not driving, or taxi-ing, or Ubering) that’s another car off the road. So when you see the bus, think 20, or 30, or 50 cars off the road.

The new buses will have power ports to plug in your phones or your laptops (no USB ports, so bring a plug for a regular 110 V outlet). Please use your best judgment when bringing electrical appliances on board the bus.

Unfortunately we won’t have Wi-Fi on the new buses, at least not yet. That is probably the number one request from passengers as an additional amenity, and we are looking into our options. The buses will however have all sorts of other modern features to make your ride as safe, smooth, and enjoyable as possible, including the latest in electronic engine monitoring and emissions controls.

There is no better, more efficient and environmentally-friendly way to get to or from SFO than taking the Marin Airporter.

 

Can I Bring Animals on the Marin Airporter?

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We love animals here at the Marin Airporter, but being in the transportation business, we have to be considerate of all of our passengers, and their comfort and safety. For this reason, we have to limit animals on board our buses to only those that are the most necessary. Seeing-eye dogs and ADA qualified service animals are welcome aboard the bus, but any other animals you need to bring with you to or from SFO need to ride in a sturdy, hardshell case below the bus in the luggage area. We understand that some pets can become anxious during travel, and we respect that some pet owners will need extra help to calm their pets during travel, whether that is private label CBD dog treats or medication to help pets relax during the journey. This is also used with sick dogs, and sometimes their owners have to travel with them to simply move house, or perhaps even to get them some treatment. Either way, travelling could make them more uncomfortable with whatever they are suffering with. That’s why there is cbd for cushings, cancer, seizures and more illnesses that sometimes needed to be taken on journeys. We are sure that you will be able to ensure the mental and physical safety of your pets during your travels with us, and we will do our best to provide as much help as we can. It’s also a good idea to get your pet insured, especially if they’re a certain breed like the Cockapoo (see different Cockapoo colours here if you’re considering about having one), so you don’t have to worry about their safety when travelling.

To be clear, the ADA defines service animals as …dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.

Please note that service animals are not allowed to sit or ride on the seats of the bus. Also, under the ADA, service animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless these devices interfere with the service animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices. In that case, the individual must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls. Failure to do so might lead the pet to harm you or the other passengers and that would be considered personal injury. If at all there is a chance that the dog might go out of control, and hurt someone, the owner might need personal injury attorneys in Nashville or elsewhere to defend his case, in the respect that the other person files a case. We hope that it doesn’t happen during the journey.

As much as we would like to accommodate pets, our first concern has to be safety, as well as comfort. Many of our passengers may have allergy issues, and animals not trained, or excited by the atmosphere on the bus, can become a distraction, or worse, for the driver. We thank you for your understanding.