Get on the Bus to NYC for Human Rights

Bus Pick Up Locations {back to top menu}

Each year, several Amnesty groups in the northeast organize buses and vans to NYC and welcome other activists to join them. Bus pick up locations will be announced in early 2009.

What you should know if you are riding the Amnesty bus and have seats reserved:

You MUST reserve and pay for your bus seat through GOTB by the deadline. Register online now
If your number of needed seats changes at all, let us know immediately. You cannot show up with an extra person because there may not be room.
Make sure you can get to the MBTA station without public transportation (it is too early for most city buses and subways).
The bus often stops for dinner on the way home (at a fast-food joint) . So bring some extra cash if you want food.
Bring $1-2 for the bus driver tip (optional).

Hiring a Bus to NYC {back to top menu}

Buses generally have 47-55 seats. You should check on the availability of buses that are the right size for you. (Some companies may offer "mini-buses.")
You may want to rent one or more 8°Š15 passenger vans. Budget (www.budget.com) and U-Save (www.usave.com) both rent to drivers under 25-years-old. (Check state laws.)
If you live north of Boston or a couple of hours away from Boston, you may choose to stay overnight in the Boston area and reserve seats on one of the buses organized by AI Group 133. Email us if you need housing.
If you'd like to charter a bus, an excellent source for information is the website www.busrates.com: a free database of companies that charter their own buses, rather than using brokers. (Brokers may be less reliable and more expensive.) You can verify a company's ownership, safety rating and insurance at: http://www.safer.fmcsa.dot.gov/CompanySnapshot.aspx. Remember: safety and reliability may be more important than price.
It's a good idea to make sure there is someone knowledgeable about first aid in each vehicle. Everyone in the group should have Bus Captains' cell phone numbers, as well as numbers for emergency contacts. Please check this website http://www.amnesty133.org/ai/gotb/safety.html for additional safety information.
Bus drivers cannot drive for more than 10 hours following 8 consecutive hours off-duty; on long trips, cost may include a hotel room for the driver. (Some companies will swap drivers on the way.)
Charters are usually priced by the hour or by the mile if trips average over 275 miles per day. A 10 % deposit is usually required 2°Š4 weeks in advance (the sooner the better, since bus availability may be limited), and full payment may be due a week before the trip. You should ask group members for a deposit in advance so you aren't stuck paying the deposit if people cancel or don't show up.
Choose a realistic pick-up time (allow an extra 15 minutes or so), and make sure everyone in your group knows the bus will be leaving on time.
Decide on an appropriate pick-up location (safe, well-lit, easily accessible, open 24 hours, with ample free parking). Post clear directions. (If using MapQuest, remember that people may be coming from different directions.)
Make sure the bus company has detailed directions on how to get to St. Bart's.
Establish a per-person bus fee based on the number of people expected and total transportation cost. We recommend you base the fee on a conservative seat count (example, base the fee on filling 35 seats of a 49-seat bus). You can grant participants a refund on April 11th if you've collected more than you need.
Set a passenger registration deadline. We suggest setting a deadline of March 11th.
Make sure your passengers have also registered for GOTB.
It's a good idea to make sure there is someone knowledgeable about first aid in each vehicle. Also, make sure all your passengers have your cell phone number and any other emergency numbers.
Email gotb@amnesty133.org with your contact information, price, deadline, and pick-up location and we will post it on the GOTB website.
Get permission from parents and school as needed.
- Present the Safety and Security letter Žĸthe more organized and professional the presentation (especially by students) the better!
- Make the educational connection by:
  - Emphasizing that GOTB is a practical application of American citizenship.
  - Making connections to social studies curricula.
  - Showing how these issues are the results of studied American and world histories, world and national politics.
  - Having students write up reports about the issues being protested Žĸ the more academic, the better.

Taking a Train to NYC {back to top menu}

Public Transportation General Tips {back to top menu}

Research the train or bus you are on; identify any changes in train lines you may have to make.
Research what the Friday schedules are like for trains/buses.
Try to find the time that will get you to GOTB on time (the place fills up quickly and the early birds get the best seats for the speakers panel!)
If at all possible, try and find a train/bus time that you can use as a back-upŽĸgiven how difficult it is to get everyone to one place on time, you don't ever want to have to choose between leaving someone behind and missing a lot of the event.
Make sure everyone has a copy of train/bus schedules there and back, as well as cell phone numbers of the organizers if anyone is running late.
Have people get to the train station one half hour ahead of timeŽĸit will give you time to get tickets, exchange emergency numbers, and give time for latecomers.

For those who need to arrange transportation to get to the train station:

Organize car pools from a central location that everyone can get to.
With the help of your faculty advisor, you can hire a school bus to bring you to the train station.

Getting to St. Bart's from Grand Central Station or Penn Station {back to top menu}

From Grand Central Station:

From Grand Central Station get on the 4, 5 or 6 train going uptown.
Stay on the train for 1 stop. You will get off at 51st Street.
Exit nearest to E. 51st Street and Lexington.
Walk west (with the direction of traffic) on 51st Street. St. Bart's is in between Lexington and Park Avenues.

From Penn Station:

Take the E train from Penn Station (34th Street) heading Uptown/Jamaica Center. Get off at the Lexington Ave/53rd Street stop. It will be your fifth stop.
Exit near the intersection of E. 53rd Street and Lexington Ave.
Walk South on Lexington (with traffic).
4. Turn right onto 51st Street.

Taking a Bus Within Manhattan {back to top menu}

For those who live near a bus station with access to the Port Authority:

Follow same tips for taking public transportation.
Be aware that almost all buses are seated on a first-come-first-serve basis, so depending on your bus station, you may want to get there an hour in advance for a large group. Note: buses to New York City tend to fill up quickly!
St. Bart's is on the routes of the #98, 101, 102, and 103 buses, which travel south along Lexington Avenue and north along 3rd Avenue and on routes #27 and 50, which travel west along 50th Street and east along 49th. The #1, 2, 3, and 4 buses are nearby, traveling north along Madison Avenue and south along 5th Avenue.
Buses and subways are $2 per trip; $5 for express buses.
MetroCards can be bought in subway stations, vending machines, and in convenience stores. You get an automatic free transfer between subway and bus, or between buses.
If you plan to take public transportation between actions, we suggest you buy a 1-Day Fun Pass, which will give you unlimited rides for $7.
Manhattan subway and bus schedules and maps are available at http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us/
For a personalized transit map, visit http://www.hopstop.com/?city=newyork. You can enter your starting address and ending (109 E. 51st Street) and you will be provided with the best subway/bus routes to get to St. Bart's from your starting location.

Taking the Subway Within Manhattan {back to top menu}

The NYC subway system is very extensive. It will be easiest to plan your route on the subway before you go.

Make sure that your group has enough money to pay subway fares.
Try to get someone to outline the subway route you will be taking ahead of timeŽĸfor those not familiar with the subway system, it can be very confusing!
St. Bart's is located directly above the Lexington Avenue subway stop on the #4, #5, #6 line (green) and a short walk from the E (blue) and V (orange).
Buses and subways are $2 each trip; $5 for express buses.
MetroCards can be bought in subway stations, vending machines, and in convenience stores. You get an automatic free transfer between subway and bus, or between buses.
If you plan to take public transportation between actions, we suggest you buy a 1-Day Fun Pass, which will give you unlimited rides for $7.
Manhattan subway and bus schedules and maps are available at http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us/
For a personalized transit map in NYC, visit http://www.hopstop.com/?city=newyork. You can enter your starting address, and ending (109 E. 51st Street) and you will be given the best subway/bus routes to get to St. Bart's from your starting location.

Driving to Manhattan {back to top menu}

We strongly advise that you do this with the assistance of a faculty advisor or a parent.
You may want to rent a car or an 8°Š15 passenger van. Budget (www.budget.com) and U-Save (www.usave.com) both rent to drivers under 25-years-old. (Check state laws.)
Consider renting a car and driving to a commuter rail station and then taking the train to Grand Central or Penn Station.
See tips for parking.

Parking in Manhattan {back to top menu}

Parking in NYC is relatively expensive. The key to getting the best rate is to park as early as you can. Parking rates may increase by as much as $20 if you arrive by 10am as opposed to arriving at 8am. Some lots cannot accommodate SUVs or vans, and the price to park these vehicles is usually more expensive than a standard sized car.
You can purchase prepaid New York City parking cards online in denominations of $20 and $50. Parking cards allow you to park at any parking field or on-street meters in the city. For details, go to http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/motorist/parking/municard.html
Decide where you will park before hand, have directions to several parking locations near St. Bart's.
For New York City parking rules, go to http://www.nyc.gov/html/dof/html/parking/parking.shtml

Parking Lots Near St. Bart's

http://nycgarages.com/#1

What you Should Know {back to top menu}

Regardless of how you are getting to New York City, you should familiarize yourself with the following information:

Know where to be and when. Check out the schedule of event times and locations. The day will start at 10:30 am
Once you get off your bus, van, etc, (at 10:30 am) you will not have access to it again until later that afternoon. Plan to take your lunch, signs, and other items with you for the day. We suggest a backpack to keep your hands free to hold the signs.
While we will have lots of signs there, we invite you to create and bring your own. Use wording that supports human rights, prisoner of conscience, etc. NOTE: the law prohibits us to have signs with poles or stakes.
You may want to take a city transportation between the protest locations. Bring some cash to pay your fare.
Bring a pen, as we will have petitions to sign on site.
Try to bring a sack lunch, and a backpack to carry it in. If not, bring money for lunch (there is a one-hour lunch break). We highly suggest the sack lunch option. Can you imagine 1,000 people trying to go out to eat at the same time?
We suggest making phone calls Thursday night to remind your group to be ready for the trip. Buses will leave on time and will not wait for late-comers.
Bring $15 for a GOTB t-shirt if you'd like to purchase one (optional).
Let teachers, friends or family know this emergency phone number in case they need it: 978-273-8791 °Š mobile phone for Nate Stell, lead GOTB Coordinator.