Forming an Opportunity

An opportunity to fix a problem. Fixing problems or ideas to fix problems often occur when something that troubles you bugs you in a way that almost makes you angry. Basically, what I’m saying is that your breaks may squeak a little now but in 3 weeks when the screech is unbearable you are prompted to fix the problem. Same goes for many other everyday problems.

So, the problem I believe that has an opportunity to be fixed, is the public transport system in Gainesville. The problem I have is that there are sometimes so many people on a bus its unbearable. It only really seems to get loaded down leaving the campus later in the afternoon prior to classes. I think all students travelling away from campus after their classes have this problem. After this problem, has become worse over the years with increasing numbers of students enrolled at UF I think they should have found a solution by this time, and it seems that nothing is being done about the problem. I’m 90% sure that people across the campus have realized how bad the problem is during the afternoon.

The typical person having trouble with this problem is the students that do NOT ride mopeds from their apartments to campus and back after there are finished on the school grounds in the afternoon.

After Talking with a few guys that met up for a MAN group project the 5 of us all had similar views and said that there was a problem in the transportation system in the afternoons. Only 3 of us had serious complaints saying that it absolutely needed to be fixed. So, the two guys I interviewed both said that the problem is every day without fail. One of the 2 that had a serious need, who is the only one who is not a transfer student new to campus, said that he realized the heightening problem early last semester. They both said the need came as soon as their first experience sitting merely inches away from a person with serious B.O. The non-transfer student said the best way to avoid the large bus crowd is simply to stay on campus later in the afternoon after everyone has already gone home, or to take a less crowded bus to another stop close to his apartment and transferring to a different bus to take him to his apartment entrance. The new transfer student I talked with about the problem lives close to campus so he utilizes the busses bike rack bringing his bike to class with him in the morning, and riding back home later in the day.

The thing that surprised me the most is how 2 out of the 5 people in my group didn’t mind the smells and close quarter seating enough to try to think of a solution.

I still believe that a majority vote would show that there should be a solution to cramped buses in the afternoon whether it be assigning more buses in the afternoon to certain routes, or setting limits on how many people can be on a bus to ensure comfortability.  I think that seeing some people don’t mind being close to others has made it clear to me that sometimes my problems aren’t nearly as severe to other people as to me. I assume that a key to entrepreneur’s success lies within adapting to customer’s views and beliefs whether they agree with them or not. More time than not staying true to what you think rather than adapting, will cause a detrimental fall in your business.