I started the day early by returning my rental car at the Madison, Wisconsin (Dane County) airport. There was nobody at the Hertz rental return booth. A helpful competitor said that the lot was full, and I should park in the paid parking and take the ticket inside to the rental desk. I did, and it worked.
Next, I took a rideshare from the airport to near the University of Wisconsin campus, from where the bus was scheduled to depart. The buses (Van Galder) leave every hour for O’Hare and are inexpensive.
I’ve taken a few buses over the years in many countries and have experienced a wide variation in quality. I had no idea where the Van Galder bus would fall on the spectrum.
I’m happy to report that the bus was clean and spacious. It wasn’t crowded. The drivers and even the other passengers were friendly and helpful. We arrived on time. A good experience overall.
Nothing like a Weird Al Yankovic bus experience.
—2p