How much do you spend on public transportation?

[awakenedsoul]

I just joined a gym and have been going there to swim each morning. I was all excited because I got such a great price: $15.00 a month. Now I'm realizing I should probably buy a bus pass to get there each day. Where I live, a bus pass is $30.00 a month. It's still cheaper than driving, though. Maybe I can work up to biking there. It's only five miles each way, but I'd have to ride alongside a highway on the sidewalk.

How much is it for a bus pass where you live?

[catherine]

Sorry, I have no idea! I do not use bus transportation around town. I think driving in my Prius would be the most cost-effective means of transportation anywhere--roughly .07 a mile. So that would be .70 round trip. If I were you and I went swimming 20 days a month (taking weekends off?) that would be 14.00 a month. Of course, there's wear and tear on the car, but still, car transport seems to be much more cost-effective, unless you're using your bus pass to do a lot of other things, too.

Now, if you're using the IRS guidelines of .52 a mile (I think that's what it is today), you're way ahead of the game ($104 vs. $30)

[Spartana]

We have all kinds of different passes here in the OC. Seem much more expensive then your in LA as they are around $70/month for unlimited use - less for youth, seniors and for various routes and days. I don't have one myself as I can just ride my bike most everywhere I go around here and avoid most big streets, but when I drive I try to multi-task as much as possible. Generally use the car for long trips though. Congrats on the gym membership, hope it works out for you.
http://www.octa.net/Bus-Transit/Fares-and-Passes/Overview/

[gimmethesimplelife]

Here in Phoenix the montly bus/light rail pass is $64, 1/2 that if you are disabled (and have cleared it through Valley Metro) or over 65. Students that are full time can buy semester passes and save a bit that way, otherwise $64. I can remember when we first moved to Phoenix in 1977 a child's fare was fifteen cents, and an adult fare was thirty five cents. Like anything else, this cost has gone way up but at least in this case there has been significant improvement in the service offered - Phoenix transit now has light rail, runs later than it used to, and even runs on Sundays now, which started up in 2000. Rob

[awakenedsoul]

Thanks for all the replies! Catherine, I know what you mean. I just would like my car to last another 20 years, so I try to only drive it one day a week. I have to lug my turntable and speakers to the senior center to teach tap, so that's the day I drive. Plus, I go to the gym every day...(no rest for the wicked!!!) My car insurance is also cheaper when I drive less. If money weren't an issue, I'd probably just drive. But, with the price of gas and car repairs, I'll try this first.
Spartana, That's great that you can avoid the busy streets. We have some nice bike paths here, but they don't take me to the gym. The bus feels safer. It's really clean and comfortable. Thanks for telling me about the Costco gym deal!
Rob, Wow! Phoenix bus passes are expensive! I think this is a great deal for LA. Our cash fares are $1.00 each way.

I'm interested in what people spend using their cars, too. I usually spend $35.00 a month on gas. I used to spend about $10.00 a month on bus fare, and another $20.00 a month on coffee at my knitting group. I just realized, this is about the same. Now I take my knitting on the bus and sometimes after I swim I knit by the pool.

[bae]

$142.45 every 3 months or so for a 5-trip car ferry pass to the mainland, $85.05 every 3 months for a 10-use passenger ferry pass, $85.25 every 3 months for a 5-trip inter-island car ferry pass.

[Miss Cellane]

In Boston, a monthly pass for just bus service, no subway, is $50. For bus and subway service in the central core Boston area, $75. Students get a cheaper, $25 a month pass.

There are more monthly passes that cover various commuter rail zones and the harbor ferry. I think the most expensive one is about $350, but that will bring you from half-way across the state into Boston.

Side note: Veterans ride the commuter rail for free. My brother would ordinarily have to pay about $250 a month for a commuter rail pass, but because he is a veteran, he rides in and out of Boston daily for work for free. He does need to buy the $75 T pass to get from South Station to his job, but he considers that a bargain--he doesn't have to drive in to the city every day, he doesn't have to pay for parking (garages in his area charge $35 a day), and he gets some exercise daily walking the mile to and from the train station. Part of the reason he bought the house he did was the access to public transportation.

[Tradd]

I don't spend anything on public transit since I don't use it. I'm far enough out in the Chicago burbs that the suburban bus service (Pace) is nearly non-existent. I don't go into downtown Chicago, so I don't ride the commuter trains (Metra), either. CTA (Chicago Transit authority) buses and L trains are in the city or very close-in burbs.

However -

Pace bus only monthly pass - $60

Pace/CTA combo monthly pass - $100 (you can't buy just a CTA pass)

If you ride a premium Pace route, the monthly pass is as much as $140.

Monthly Metra tickets vary in cost, depending on how far you live from Chicago, and perhaps which train line you live on. From where I live, it would cost $163 for a monthly pass.

For all these, low income and other eligible folks can get monthly passes for half price.

[awakenedsoul]

Thanks for the replies. Looks like $30.00 a month is a good deal. Miss Cellane, I'm thinking that buying this house was good for the same reason as your brother. I'm a block from the bus stop, and a mile from the Metro train station. It will come in handy when I'm older.

Tradd, Thanks for the info. We have mostly low income people using our bus system. It's excellent. I love it.

[Tradd]

Forgot you asked about gas, too. Just to and from work and local errands runs me $40 a week (at $4/gallon). A tank lasts me about a week. I drive 30 miles round trip a day for work.

[ApatheticNoMore]

Forgot you asked about gas, too. Just to and from work and local errands runs me $40 a week (at $4/gallon). A tank lasts me about a week. I drive 30 miles round trip a day for work.

Yea that's what I pay for gas too, although gas is usually over $4 a gallon here and my commute is more like 38 miles round trip. I drive a small car. Public transportation was taking me 3 hours commuting round trip so .... that's why more people don't take public transit, including me (even contending with traffic doesn't take that many hours). I do occasionally take public transit locally for non-commuting, I just pay for the ride (don't have a monthly pass or anything).

[Miss Cellane]

Thanks for the replies. Looks like $30.00 a month is a good deal. Miss Cellane, I'm thinking that buying this house was good for the same reason as your brother. I'm a block from the bus stop, and a mile from the Metro train station. It will come in handy when I'm older.

Tradd, Thanks for the info. We have mostly low income people using our bus system. It's excellent. I love it.

In the greater Boston area, the nearness of public transportation affects rents, as well. (Boston has a much higher percentage of renters than most areas of the US.)

My personal observation is that if the apartment is within a block or two of a bus stop, add $50/month to the rent, everything else about the apartment being equal.

If the apartment is half a mile or less to a subway or trolley stop, add $100. Within a couple of blocks, add $150.

An apartment with a parking spot is probably going to be at least $200 a month more than one without a parking spot, so not a bad deal over all. A great many people don't own cars, so the extra rent and the T pass are still going to be less expensive than owning a car--gas, insurance and maintenance all add up.

On the other hand, owning a car could mean that you could live further out from the city center, where rents are cheaper.

The math gets complicated.

[pinkytoe]

Bus and rail are free for university staff which I am. I really should take advantage of it more.

[awakenedsoul]

That makes sense, Miss Cellane. We have a lot of renters in this area, too.
pinkytoe, Yeah...that's a great deal.
We have some good bike paths here that meet at the bus stops. For some of my errands, it's faster to take the bus, and then bike the rest of the way. If you pay cash and transfer here, you have to pay again. With the bus pass, the rides are unlimited.

[Float On]

We have one little trolly that runs around downtown - no need for me to ever use it.
I'm stuck with driving and I go through 2 tanks of gas a week and my husband goes through 1 tank a week. :( :( :(

[jp1]

San francisco muni is $66 month. That's good for all buses light rail and cable cars within the system. Coverage is extensive so i consider it a fantastic bargain even if it is $21 more than when we moved here 6 years ago.

[awakenedsoul]

Thanks for the replies. I didn't see your post until now Tradd. It sure makes a difference, what you drive! That must be expensive FloatOn. Everybody's got to get to work...
jp1, I've ridden the muni. That is a fantastic bargain for SF. I know what parking costs there!!!

[mira]

I pay £96 for a 10-week city-wide bus pass. That equates to about $66 every 4 weeks. It's expensive here compared to other European cities.

The transport system in my city isn't integrated like in other major cities either... I can't use my pass on other forms of transport, which is a pain in the neck.

[awakenedsoul]

Sometimes what I do is break it down into what I'm paying per ride. This is my first month with a bus pass. I really like it. (Well, I had one a few years ago when I had my own business.) It's working out well to use to go to the gym. Where I live, you have to pay again if you transfer buses. Now I can take two buses to the gym, instead of riding my bike by certain people I'd rather not...I also can stop at the library on the way home. It's no big deal to run to the store to buy something I need...before, I felt guilty if I didn't do all of my errands on one day. Last month I did a lot of extra driving. My gas bill was huge! This month I will stick to the bus! My gas budget per month is $37.00.