Mass transit poll: How do you commute to work?

[marmar]

I'd love to get out of my car and take mass transit to work, but in metro Detroit, the land of the automobile, public transit is an utter and complete :rofl:.

Who's using mass transit out in DU-land?

[swag]

1. The number 8 bus makes me happy.

Sure, it's packed with cellphone talkers, loud high school kids, and crazies from time to time, but it takes me where I want to go, and I don't have to fuck around with driving.

I bus to work at least three times a week, and take the bus on the weekends when I can.

on edit: I live in Portland, OR, by the way. Our bus system is quite good, and the light rail compliments it nicely.

[im10ashus]

2. Subway every day.

When I lived in Indy, that wasn't an option. Their public transportation there was a joke when I was growing up. NYC has the best system in the country, IMHO.

[marmar]

4. True...and Washington's isn't bad either...

But there's that east side-west side (Manhattan) imbalance with the subways - one line on the entire east side, and a whole bunch of them on the west side.

[im10ashus]

8. Good point.

But it was an easier commute for me when I used the east side subway as opposed to the west side subway. Just my experience. I am no expert on the subject.

:-)

[marmar]

9. Yes...

If nothing else, the trains seem a lot more frequent on the 4-5-6.

[im10ashus]

10. I loved the express service on that system.

The 1-2-3 is ALWAYS experiencing delays. And being down in the Financial District makes it about a 40-50 minute commute each way. Still no complaints, having grown up in Indy.

[Warpy]

3. I loved the Boston subway system

and I didn't have a car there for many years. When I did get one, it was an old tuna wagon I used to get out of the city to do my shopping in the burbs, where it was cheaper.

An hour commute on the subway sounds terrible to people who have not done it. For me, it was a great time to catch up on reading for work or to read for sheer pleasure. I'd often take the last train at night to get home, and I never had a problem in over 2 decades of doing that.

Anyone who has ever driven in Boston knows why I didn't consider driving to work, not with a perfectly good subway system available.

The system in this town is not good. It stops running at 7 PM, and only started limited runs on Sunday very recently. I have taken it from time to time when the car's been DOA. The only advantage to the local bus system is that it is partially a hydrogen powered fleet.

They're starting to build a passenger rail service here. So far it goes from a small town in the south to a small town 15 miles north. When it gets to Santa Fe, I will be riding it frequently.

[marmar]

25. Yes, driving in Boston is a horror.

And in a relatively compact city, why bother? The "T" is very good.

[Sinti]

5. When I lived in Alexandria VA I took public trans just about everywhere

You actually didn't really need a car. Driving to work in the DC Metro is insane, you could probably walk faster. But here in ID - they don't seem to know what a bus is. They're working on it in Boise, though... I've seen a shuttle here and there. Gratefully, I work at home and telecommute :)

[AllieB]

6. Commuter Rail to Subway

:-)

[CornField]

7. Telecommute

I'm currently at work in my nightie. :)

[marmar]

11. I'm jealous...

:)

[Wickerman]

12. I second that

but boxers, as it were. :D

[myrna minx]

13. Walk. I have a 5 minute commute by foot. n/t

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

14. Walk.

1.5 miles. Good exercise!

[Mika]

15. I cycle to work.

Rain or shine. Hot or cold.

Luckily, I'm the boss. :D

[tonkatoy57]

16. Bus/Train/Bus

I live and work in St. Louis and take the bus from my house to the train station, the train to Busch Stadium and the connecting bus to my office. Door to door in a little over an hour for a trip that by car would take 15-20 mins. I don't really mind it since I'm able to read and do the crossword puzzle, however I must mention that St. Louis has possibly the worst mass transit system of any city its size. Bus routes are constantly being reorganized and eliminated to to a serious lack of funding. We have a new light rail spur that will open later this month but Bi-State, the operating company, has no funds available to run the line. That will mean more bus lines are eliminated or curtailed to free up funds to run the rail line. Is this any way to run a transit system?

[MadHound]

17. I live out in the country, with a fifty two mile round trip commute

There is absolutely no public transportation in my area, and like much of rural America we're on our own.

So for my commute, when the weather and pavement is dry, I ride this


Gets aprox. 100mpg, cruises at 55-60mph, and is a ton of fun to ride.

[maveric]

18. There's a great public transit system where I am. But where I work...

its not a viable option. I'd have to transfer four times from trolley to bus. So I drive the 20 miles to the Mexican border, where my office is situated.

[nosillies]

19. I work from home.

But at times I do have to visit people's offices, and public transport is not an option (yet) in my area. So it's car or plane.

[gula]

20. Bicycle or walk

[RebelOne]

21. The closest bus line is about 6 miles from where I live.

And my office is 13 miles away, so it doesn't make much sense to drive to the bus station.

[sentelle]

22. Ferry

I live on an Island.
I use a ferry each day to go to work in Seattle. I walk on.
Does it count as a carpool?

[marmar]

23. I think it's public transit...

a very cool and unique form. How many of us get to see whales en route to work? :)

[BigMcLargehuge]

24. I walk

:)

[mtnester]

26. It is simply not available to me, and it is nearly a crime it is not

However, when we vacation, if we go to a location that has a great mass transit system, we use it and do not rent a car.

I wish....however, currently Mike Coleman, the Dem Mayor of Columbus, is doing a STUPID thing with streetcars...dammit Mike, we need light rail for gawd's sake! Coming into Columbus and going out to the burbs where most of us live.

On this project, I will have to go with DISAGREE...otherwise he does a good job for his city residents. (Well, snowplowing could be better, and some of the main roads ARE shit). OK, so we disagree on a couple of things, Mike Coleman and I! :)

[ronnykmarshall]

27. I wish I could commute via public trans.

There isn't any going to where I work.