Good Reasons Why You Should Ditch Your Car and Take the Bus

I love to drive. There is a feeling of freedom that comes from being able to just get in your car and drive off that nothing else can replace. Unfortunately it is sometimes frivolous and impossible to keep a car. The truth is that most people can't afford to pay a car note AND car insurance. In some cases it is close to five or six hundred dollars a month for car note and the insurance. That is all before we even put in gas, make sure there are good tires, and give the car a tune-up.

Unfortunately the American public is very soft in regard to public transportation. If we have to take a bus or cab it is just not the same as driving our own cars. Walking is also out of the question in most cases. But with the way things are going we now have to consider that a car may not be the best choice for our budgets. We are all staggering from sticker shock on just putting gas in the tank.

The truth is that most of our public transportation in this country is excellent. We have additionally been able to build rather sophisticated systems for Ride Sharing and other forms of innovative commuting to our jobs. There are several places in the country that have refurbished train routes for commuters.

In most cities the common price of a bus ticket is between $1.50 and $2.00. This is actually a deal compared to the $5-$10 a day that it can cost you in gas to travel, if you use your own car. I merely want to point out that it is a terrific drain on funds to be so dependent on our cars.

Monthly bus passes cost between $50 and $60 and it can cost you anywhere from $200 to $300 to fill your tank with gas every month. It is really easy to see just what is practical here. Once you are on the bus it is comfortable, warm and safe. It is the waiting for the bus that drives people crazy. And what happens if it starts to rain or snow.

If inclement weather impacts your travel to and from work your might consider sharing a cab with a friend or look into ride share programs. Quite a few jobs have ride share programs and in most cases you can get reimbursement for your gas if you ride share. If they don't have a ride share program perhaps you can start one.

Most other countries in the world survive without a car in their household. Riding bikes, trains, ferries, buses, and subways are all viable alternatives to owning your own car. We are just lazy and want to indulge ourselves by having a vehicle all our own. . It might be tough walking to and from the bus each day but we could all use a healthy brisk walk if it is close enough.

There are a few things to remember about bus or transit systems. Usually when you travel from one county to another it is an extra charge, for instance in my city it is $1 extra on the bus fare if we go into the next county. Also in many areas there are shuttles that will, by appointment, pick you up and take you to where there is public transportation.

The last thing I want to mention is that if you are planning on putting together a car pool and you need to have advice it I best to talk to your local transit system customer service line. They can refer you to other agencies that may be able to assist you in putting together a car pool. Your local Department of Transportation is another good place to contact to see if there are any agencies that can assist with this.