Transportation and Moving around in USA

You need the know the environment/infrastructure around you because only the God knows when you will need this information. If you are living in Mumbai , Hyderabad or Ahmedabad you would have known such information right away. Also, remember that you may look like a “fool” if you ask your American colleague about how to call a cab or where is the nearest airport ? These are the most basic things that one must know.

In USA, you just cannot knock the door of your neighbor and ask such information. Please note that all this information is easily available at your fingertips (You have to just Google it right).
Knowing the mode of transportation is MUST
	Where is the nearest train station ? The name of the train service is popularly known as Amtrak in USA. Amtrak’s web site is : www.amtrak.com
	Where is the nearest bus station ? Greyhound is one of the most popular bus service in USA. Greyhound’s web site is : www.greyhound.com
	From the place you are living , how far is Amtrak and Greyhound ? Use Google Maps at maps.google.com
	Where the nearest Airport is? And other nearest Airport(s)? Airlines usually offers a greater discount from popular locatons. So digg around and have such information handy.
	What’s local taxi ( also known as Cab) number ? In countries like India, usually you don’t have to call the taxi to travel from location A to B. However, in USA, you need to call the cab, provide your physical address, and the cab person will tell you at what time he would arrive to pick you up from the physical address. Cab on demand ( where you don’t have to call) is only available at the crowded airports, bus stations and hotels in USA.
	Buy a reliable prepaid telephone card. One can buy it almost anywhere in USA, from Gas Station to Grocery Store it is sold almost everywhere. If you are a tech savyy person we have a recommendation for you, use localphone.com’s prepaid service. Visit Local Phone’s website at www.localphone.com Localphone.com allow you to purchase the credits using the credit card, and using the pre-paid credits , you can call anywhere in the world including USA and service is extremely reliable. Prepaid telephone card comes really handy when you don’t have a cell phone and you are stuck somewhere. For example, you are at the airport, and wants to give a phone call to your employer/friend that you have just landed/arrived or once you reached the bus station , the bus schedule is changed , and now you are running 2 hour late. How would you inform your friends /relative ? Prepaid telephone card is the answer, unless you want to carry the spare change ( coins) to make a phone call using the payphone. Please note that prepaid telephone card also works from payphone ( in case of prepaid phone card ) you don’t have to pay any money when you use the payphone.
	Stay in touch locally Try to be aware of the city where you are living, read the local newspaper or go to the website of the local newspaper. One can find the local IT jobs advertised in the newspaper; also it is another way of knowing IT companies looking for manpower locally. Also, you would be able to join the discussion with your American friends/colleagues when something important (from basketball team to a serial murder case) news are being discussed. Please note that majority of new comers tends to ignore it and then they act like a moron or stay quite and unable to join such discussion.
	Find the salary offered and cost of living in geographical region where you are currently working or expected to work/study Use the payscale.com or just search on the Google for example Cost of Living and you would know the cost of living and the salary offered in your subject area and in the city you are living.

Why you need to know these things?

• If you come to work in USA on H1B visa, and during your first couple of months, if your employer is not treating you well. You may want to work with other employer and knowing such information right away would relieve some pressure from your end that how I would travel to new location ?
• Also, when you are sneaking out on your own for interview or any other personal purpose you may want to use taxi/cab.
• You want to visit a friend or family member in a nearby town, and in such cases you need to take a local taxi (cab) , get to the bus station ( greyhound) or train station ( Amtrak) or airport. Instead of let your friend or relative in USA spoon feed you such detail it would be better that you have such information handy with you.
• In a bigger cities like New York , it is absolutely essential that you know how to use public transportation ( such as local train, subway etc..) , otherwise local taxi ( cab ) will burn your wallet !

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