Update: A (Former) Transit Rider with a Choice

By Christy Campoll, Program Liaison

Last October, I shared my reflections on commuting to work via IndyGo. I rode the Route 10 bus to and from work almost every day for six months. Because it was an experience with mixed results – and because I’m what’s known as a “transit user with a choice” – last month I made the choice to start driving to work again. That led me to realize that I have other choices as well.

Of course, my decision to drive each day came with ramifications. Making the trek in my large, gas-guzzling pick-up truck meant re-introducing myself to the cost of gas, the stress of downtown driving and the guilt that comes with adding emissions to our air. The benefit? I got another hour each day to care for family, home and self.

You see, after a few months on the bus it dawned on me that my six-mile one-way commute consumed a lot of time. I’d leave the house at 7 AM, walk to the bus stop, ride the bus, walk from the bus stop to my office and be in chair at 7:50 AM. The way home was less predictable. Thanks to rush hour traffic, my bus routinely was 5-10 minutes late, and 20-minute delays weren’t unusual. This brought my evening commute time to a full hour.

Compare that to my door-to-door, 20- or 25-minute commute by car and you see that I can save an hour per day by driving. That’s priceless, especially for a working parent.

Granted, it’s not all been great. Since I started driving again, I’ve locked my keys in the truck three times – once forcing my husband to drive in from his east-side office, and twice forcing me to get dirty and embarrassed crawling under the truck to find the magnetic key box on its underside. (I now keep one spare in my purse and one in my desk drawer.) One day, after unknowingly parking in a private lot, I returned to find my car on a tow truck (cost: a $100 drop fee). And then there’s the car I bumped while squeezing into a tight parking space. Fortunately, the car’s owner was able to buff out the damage.

OK: I probably get into these situations more than the average commuter, but all drivers have problems once in a while. (At least I was still on the bus during the worst of pothole season.)

These experiences prompted another choice: two wheels rather than four. I tried bicycling to work and found it to be quicker and more enjoyable than I anticipated. Ninety percent of my ride is on roads with bike lanes and little traffic. As a YMCA member, I can shower at the Athenaeum before heading into the office. The garage under my office building provides secure bicycle parking, out of the elements. The 13-mile round trip provides a solid workout, eliminating the need to squeeze workouts into my busy life.

I also learned that, if I commute by bike three times per week, I become eligible for the Emergency Ride Home benefit offered by Central Indiana Commuter Services. Carpoolers, vanpoolers, transit riders and those who walk to work are also eligible for this benefit. That makes me wonder if I could find someone to carpool with on the days I do not bike, further decreasing the cost of my decision to trade in my bus pass for a parking permit.

The bottom line? My choices aren’t limited to bus or car … I have plenty of options. How about you? Have you tried different modes of commuting and compared the costs and benefits of each? How did you choose your present mode of commuting? Share your story by leaving a comment.