The Digital Press

A.M. Hickman and his wife took a unique journey across New York’s North Country relying solely on rural transit buses, navigating obscure and inefficient routes to experience a rare form of travel. Their odyssey highlights the challenges and unexpected rewards of rural public transportation, revealing a hidden world of community and adventure far from typical car or train travel.

Why it matters: Rural transit systems provide critical, affordable transportation for underserved communities despite being underfunded and obscure.

The big picture: This journey exposes the fragmented nature of county-run rural transit, lacking coordination yet offering a potentially very cheap travel option.

Stunning stat: The couple traveled 146 miles for roughly $101, with potential to reduce costs to $22, or $0.08 per mile solo.

Commenters say: Readers appreciate the evocative storytelling and adventurous spirit, recalling their own unconventional travel memories and praising the insight into overlooked rural transit.