My first and only time riding Las Vegas' bus system was just a few days ago on New Year's Eve. I wanted a cheap and safe way to get to the strip and this was my best option. Despite living here on and off going on seven years now, this is my first adventure, so let's break it down.
The ride to: Actually kinda fun. I was able to hop on at a stop just a block or so away from my apartment. The first leg took us to the South Strip transfer station where I got on a bus driven by a friendly young man "staight outta detroit" and a self-proclaimed "gangsta" but not in a creepy/scary way. It was New Year's, the bus crowd was in a good mood and he made good use of the PA system, especially when we stopped at a red light next to a car that featured a couple having sex in the backseat. Oh, Vegas.
The ride back: Not so great. Had to walk a couple of miles just to reach a bus stop because of all the closures on the strip, which isn't the RTC's fault. But once I got on a bus and reached the transfer station it was a bit of a fail. We waited in the cold for a good 40 minutes for a bus to arrive. People were worn out and just wanted to go home. Would have been wise to have more buses on the ride during the busiest night of the year, but them's the breaks when you live in a city in financial dire straits. Still, we all ended up getting home just fine.
I wouldn't want to ride RTC with any regularity, but it does the job in those special occasions when you need someone else to do the driving.