During the summer I bike to work (not the entire way, see my post up
above (comment #22 for details). I’ve often thought about getting a
job closer to home, but that would then require driving much more
frequently. My total commute time is a little over 90 minutes
door-to-door no matter whether I take public transportation, drive, or
ride my bike. To take public transportation, it costs me $250/month,
which, given current gas prices, is probably cheap.

If I worked closer to home, I’d definitely have to drive, which would
almost certainly cost more, unless of course, I worked within about 20
miles and could bike the entire distance.

I also value where I live. And in this market, selling my house and
moving closer to “the main city” isn’t an option. I couldn’t sell my
house for enough money to buy something decent closer to the city, and
I almost certainly could find what I have for a reasonable price
either.

So, for me, staying in the exurbs (extreme suburbs) is what I’ll do
for the forseeable future. Currently, gas prices don’t affect me that
much with respect to my commute given the public transportation. Of
course, given that I must ride the world’s most mis-managed public
transportation system, my guess is that the costs will increase
another 25% or so within the next 6-9 months. This would make the 4th
or 5th increase in as many years. Sadly, this time they have a
legitimate reason

But I wanted to try to drive less so I looked into using public transport to get to work. Because of the way the system is laid out, it would take me at least 90 minutes to get to work (one-way) and the fare is $2.05 one-way. So to get back and forth to work using public transport, it would cost me about $1 more per day and it would take me roughly 3 times as long to make my commute.

So yes, do the math first. It might seem cheaper to use public transport with gas prices being what they are, but it’s not necessarily true in all cases.

For me to commute 20 days a month, 16 miles a day (round-trip) at 38 mpg works out to $34/mo in gas. Parking is free.

To ride the bus would cost $60/mo.

Guess what? I drive most days – although I do telecommute once a week or so, thus bringing my commute costs down further.

I took driving lessons and earned my license last November. Very recently my office moved a bit closer and my commute is only about a half hour each way. I still don’t have a car, though I will probably get one next year. I won’t use it for getting to work most of the time since parking downtown is outrageously expensive.

I’ve really enjoyed watching some of my co-workers get used to taking public transportation-many for the first time in their lives. Some have even taken advantage of the express buses that have free wi-fi.

It all just takes a bit of planning. When I was initially looking for a place to live here, I specifically chose an apartment located complex across the street from a shopping center that had a grocery store and a bank and that was convenient to a major bus line. Unfortunately the grocery store closed last year, but there is another down the street and several others that are a quick bus ride away. In many ways this is not that much different from the way I lived in NYC, except most things shut down by 11pm.

A few years ago I started driving 15 miles in to work and biking the remaining 5, which took less time than either driving all the way or taking public transit, and was significantly cheaper than both. After a while I started driving 7 miles to the rail-trail that comes near our house, and biking the remaining 13 miles. This week I started biking the full 20 miles each way — a routine I will almost certainly not keep up full time, but it’s nice to know that I’m at a point where I *can* do it some of the time.

Driving all the way to work: $5/day in gas, $10/day in parking, 1 hour each way.

Driving to the train: $3/day in gas, $5/day parking, $4/day train fare, 1 hour each way.

Driving + biking: $1/day gas, 1 hour 15 minutes each way.

Biking: $0/day, 1 hour 30 minutes each way.

I can’t possibly tell anyone else what they should do, and it is certainly true that some people are in a position where they just cannot bike at all, but it is hard for me to contain my enthusiasm. Not only has it reduced my commuting costs in the short term, but the improvements in my stress levels, daily mood, and overall health are hard to put a dollar value on. I wouldn’t give it up for anything.

I’m 48 years old, and with the exception of 2 years when I lived in the country, I’ve never had a car. A car might make some things easier, but for me it’s not worth the expense or hassle.

I listen to audiobooks on my commute. Working my way through the Aubrey/Maturin series at the moment. It helps to have local libraries with good book-on-CD stocks.

So the car options sounds better, but then I think about this. When I drive, I can do nothing but drive. When I take the train, I can read, work or even sleep, and then I get a good workout biking the last two miles from the station to work. So the hour I spend on the train commute is useful, while the 30 minutes I spend in the car is completely wasted. Add to that the physical benefits of the bike ride plus the environmental harm of the car, and it’s an easy choice.

Just remember that comparing time spend on alternate transit vs. in the car is like comparing apples and oranges. You can’t work or sleep while driving, or at least I hope you don’t.

Gal

I’m by no means saying what I do is do-able by all. I was merely asking what the OP meant by the statement that he lives too far away to bike to work, and trying to communicate that it doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing bike commute. I drive half way, bike half way.

I count myself as quite fortunate to be able to bike, to be able to park freely at the places I bike from, and to have both a shower at work and a schedule flexible enough to allow it.

I apologize if I came across as preaching that everyone should follow my lead. That was not my intent.

Let’s keep in mind the fact that not everyone’s situation allows them to bike to work. That’s great that you can, but what about parents who pick up kids after school? What about people who would have to bike down winding roads with no shoulder (as in my case)? It is dangerous and irresponsible to bike down at least half of my commute, both for bikers and for drivers who have no visibility to pass.

What may work for one person won’t necessarily work for another, but I think the real point is to think outside the box to find the best solution for your situation.

I agree that using public transportation saves you money, but at some point the costs (not monetary) outweigh the benefits.

I’m a big fan of living close to your work. I’ve done long commutes in the past — they wear you down financial and emotional. I hope to never do that again!

If you’re frugal, what’s the point of the soda? seriously, this does nothing to fuel the body. It’s a senseless, purposeless drink. you’re *much* better off with juice or just putting a lemon in your water.

Makes me wonder what the 6-10 bags of “necessities” are- chips, mac n’ cheese.

If the gas would have been cheaper, or the roads a bit clearer, I probably wouldn’t have thought about moving closer. Necessity is the mother of invention, or innovation.

Fortunately, I have about 4 grocery stores, Walmart, target, B&N, Malls,etc in about a 10 mile radius. So for shopping and running errands, the fuel cost is minimal ( I get 30 MPG). A Big Shopping Trip might cost me $2 in gas. It costs more for the gas in my lawnmower.

Not everything is about saving or sqeezing money. I can think of a lot of reasons NOT to ride a bike or take a bus somewhere. I have better things to do with my time. There are some places biking is not safe, and some employers where riding a bike is not practical,etc. I think we’ve been over the “public transportation is not available everywhere” thing a million times. And when it is, it’s rarely convenient. I used to have a co-worker who spent about 4 hours a day waiting for buses or walking. He didn’t have a car. No one on that particular bus did, or they would drive.

My life is based on frugality out of necessity ( but also a little choice). I know I can get by without needing a lot of money, commuting 100 miles or needing to work 80 hours a week and/or in some high profile profession.

So for me, I just dont go anywhere. Or I will work very close to home and save the time and money ( both apply to driving and biking/public transport), even if it means grossing much less.

??????? When we go to the grocery store every 10-14 days or so, we bring back 6-10 bags of food, not to mention the occasional 2-6 12-packs of soda cans (when they’re on sale).

In order to carry that home “in my backpack” I’d have to go to the grocery store almost every day…

During the summers I bike to work. I start out at the beginning of the summer driving most of the way and bike the last 15 miles or so. As the summer goes along, I drive in a shorter distance and bike further, to the point where I’m biking in 23-25 miles and only driving in 20 or so. I do this twice a day, once in, once out. The amount of time my commute takes is not significantly longer compared to the train, and is actually significantly shorter compared to driving all the way.

This is my 4th year doing this, and let me tell you, an hour bike ride in the morning is a better wake-up than coffee, and a fantastic stress release after work!

Oh, and my first year biking, I got hit by a car too, but it didn’t stop me. The weather is way too nice during the summer for me to want to give that up to sit squished into that sardine-can of a train on a 90+ degree day when the train AC is broken.

I haven’t done the math yet, but I think last year I might actually have saved money biking, even though I drove 40+ miles per day more than I do when I take the train…

http://www.schwinnbike.com/products/bikes_category.php?id=109

I think it’s sad that so many parts of north America are so unfriendly to pedestrians.

During the winter if the weather is bad, there is a bus stop 2 blocks from my home. I’ll get myself to the bus stop in lieu of making the one mile drive to the light rail. This does, however, make the whole commuting process 30 to 45 minutes longer so I only do it when icy conditions make driving unfun.

I save on gas, wear-and-tear on my car AND avoid a hefty $10+/day parking fee. My pass costs my $50 a month, and I save a few hundred.

DB