How to Make the Best of Your Commute on Public Transportation

As gas prices climb, public transportation has become a more attractive option for many people. Not only can it save you money, by cutting down on your gas consumption and on wear and tear on your car, but it can also let you reclaim much of your commute time for yourself. Here are some tips to help you make the best of your commute on public transportation.

If you love to read, using public transportation is a great way to build more reading time into your day. You can spend your commute time being whisked away into your own private world of adventure, learning a new subject, or catching up on current events. You can use your gas savings to buy the newest book by your favorite author or save even more money by checking out your books from the library.

Listening to music or news is a pleasant way to pass your commute. Bring your portable CD player or radio and your headphones and spend your commute soothed by music. Just don't turn the volume up so high that everyone else can hear your music in spite of your headphones.

You can spend your time being productive. A train ride can be a good place to catch up on work so that you do not have to spend extra hours at your job. With a laptop and a cell phone, you have a virtual office right there. If you are a teacher, use the time to plan lessons or grade papers so that you will have more of your personal time to spend with your family. If you are working and going to school, use your commute time to study.

If you have a side business in addition to your regular job, this time is even more valuable. You can work on correspondence and other paperwork for your business. You can also work on the primary function of your business itself, if the type of work allows. Writers can write, web designers can work on web pages, and artists can sketch. You can hold a meeting with a partner or collaborator, either by cell phone or in person. Carry a bag or briefcase with your company's logo and name to squeeze in a little free advertising, too.

You might be able to work on a craft or hobby that does not require elaborate equipment, such as knitting or embroidery. Quilters might be able to piece together small parts of a quilt.

Use your commute to increase the amount of exercise you get every day. Park at the far end of the station parking lot so that you have further to walk. Take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator whenever possible. Get off the bus one or two stops early and walk the rest of the way. Instead of driving to the train station or bus stop, ride a bike. Most public transit systems have installed a bike rack on the front of their buses. They also allow bikes to be brought on board the trains if there is room for them.

You may use your commute to help maintain personal relationships and a sense of community. If you ride the same bus or train as a coworker, take the time to get to know them better. You might end up with a good friend. Making a pleasant remark to your neighbor on the bus might spark a whole conversation. You might hear an interesting point of view or learn a little bit about another culture.

You can use your commute time to meditate. If the noises on the bus or train are distracting, take a CD of white noise or nature sounds to give yourself a private aural space. Meditation can help clear your mind for the workday ahead or help you decompress after a tough day at work. It may take some practice to get into the proper state of mind for meditation on the bus, but it can be very rewarding.

As time goes on, you will find that the rewards of commuting on public transportation go well beyond the money you save.