The Northwest is a public transportation paradise. I love the buses of Seattle. Let me explain.

The task seemed simple enough. I needed to meet some friends at a restaurant in downtown Seattle at 5:30 p.m. My initial impulse was to drive. The Internet gave me a deceptively quick estimate of 15 minutes frame of time.

I knew that it would take much longer, especially during rush hour traffic. While plotting my potential route, I mentally calculated that I would probably pay an additional $10 for parking. At the last minute, I changed my mind and decided to take the next step in becoming a true Seattleite: I took the bus.

This may not seem like a big deal to longtime residents, but it’s a big change from my life growing up in the Midwest. Your car is your primary and usually only form of transportation. Many people count down the days until their 16th birthday when they receive their driver’s license and gain true transportation freedom.

Discussions of mass transit are usually related to whether those funds would be better spent on constructing more roads. The few bus systems that do exist are always on the brink of financial ruin. Bicycle commuting is a high-risk endeavor due to the lack of bike lanes. Midwestern public transportation is more of a luxury for the environmentally conscious commuter rather than a way of life.

In the Northwest, we have it pretty good. No fewer than three agencies provide bus service throughout the region that includes dozens of local and express routes. The Sounder provides easy access to Tacoma and Everett, while the upcoming Link Light Rail will help close the gap between Seattle and Sea-Tac airport. City leaders have ensured that bicycle travel is not only possible but encouraged through the generous construction of bike-friendly roads, storage lockers and trails. Even interstate travel is possible via Amtrak to destinations as far as Los Angeles and Chicago.

Even the much-maligned South Lake Union streetcar seems marvelous. It may not be the most cost-effective form of transit, but it shows a serious commitment to public transportation that is lacking in many American cities.

Even with the variety of options available, the idea of being able to travel around the city without using a car seemed almost surreal. Could I really get downtown and back just by riding the bus? What if I got off at the wrong stop? What if my bus route stopped running before I had finished dinner? How long would it take?

My doubts quickly disappeared as I approached my destination. Not only was the system easy to navigate, but it was essentially free because I have a U-PASS sticker. Riding the bus turned out to be both cheaper and more convenient than driving. I didn’t have to worry about navigating confusing downtown streets or finding one of the few expensive parking spots. The trip took about the same amount of time that I would have spent sitting in rush hour traffic.

The Seattle public transportation system still has it flaws. The failure of the “Roads and Transit” proposal this past November underscores concerns many citizens have related to regional transit programs.

Personally, I am just happy to finally live in a city that has such an effective and thorough system of public transportation.

[Reach columnist Mike Noon at opinion@thedaily.washington.edu.]