Life was so much easier when I was a straphanger.
The danger of riding on the subways alone late at night, sidestepping panhandlers, the noise, and the ever-present urine odor are all things that I would gladly accept again, if only I could avoid getting behind the wheel of my car every day.
Growing up in New York, everything was accessible for the price of a token. (Yes, I know that they use Metro Cards now, but I’m talking about the 70’s and 80’s). New York City’s much maligned transportation system provided me with the mobility to go to work in Manhattan, date a girl from Queens, and enjoy an amusement park in Brooklyn, while living in the Bronx.
I didn’t know how good I had it.
Since moving with my family to Pennsylvania, about a dozen years ago, we’ve had to rely on cars to get everywhere.
We started with one car, but soon realized that that just wouldn’t do, so we bought a second one. Last year, one of my daughters started driving, so now, we have three cars in the driveway.
None of them are new and all of them need work.
I used to think that springing for a set of tires was expensive, until I had to buy twelve. Tack on the costs of insurance, gas, routine maintenance, and the inevitable major work that needs to be done to keep these clunkers on the road and we’re talking about a small fortune.
Four tokens please.
A steady migration away from cities has been going on for years, but the amount of investment in public transportation has not kept pace. When I moved here in 1998, there had been talk going on for years about a rail system between the Poconos and New York.
They’re still talking.
The talk isn’t believed though, as illustrated by the results of an online poll conducted by our local newspaper, The Pocono Record, where 49% of respondents did not expect to see rail service in our area within their lifetimes.
Many locals drive or ride a bus to commute to and from their jobs in New York, but each of those alternatives is a time-consuming and expensive proposition.
A rail system wouldn’t help me with my current commute, but it would provide a more cost-effective alternative for many.
We have been slow to recognize the importance of improved infrastructure. Hopefully, we can change that.
I was delighted to read about the recent developments in high-speed rail planning with the requests that have been made for stimulus money for these efforts. Like the building of New York City’s marvelous subway system, these high-speed rail initiatives will take time to construct and implement, but it’s encouraging to see that we are headed in the right direction.
I never thought that I’d miss asking for, “Four tokens, please.”
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How’s the public transportation where you live?
Is investment in high-speed rail a worthwhile use of our tax dollars?
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Ray } – 
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
My husband’s commute to work takes approximately an hour by car or an hour and a half to two hours by BART train (Bay Area Rapid Transit). And we’ve priced it out. It costs about the same either way. The BART ticket costs $11.10 round trip plus a dollar for parking. We sold his car before moving to CA and I dropped him off and picked him up at the BART station. But we decided to go back to being a two car family again. It is so much easier, especially if he has late meetings or business trips or whatever and would have had to get a cab home because kids are in bed.
To drive into the city takes a gallon of gas each way in his car. Then he has to pay $6 to cross the bridge. It used to be $4 but now the fee has gone up during peak traffic hours. Parking can cost $12 – $17 depending on which lot he uses.
Ok, so it’s more expensive to drive but we’ve put a price on the time saved by driving. He’s less tired when he drives than when he takes BART and usually can’t sit down on the overcrowded train until he’s one stop away from home.
Hopefully you can get public transportation options soon. At least you can let someone else do the driving once in a while.
Hi Tristan, While it is more convenient to have more than one car in the household, your husband commuting costs should factor in the car’s maintenance and insurance as well — $1,200 of repairs can buy a lot of BART tickets. I’m especially sensitive to the insurance costs because mine went through the roof when my daughter started driving. Thankfully, you have a few years to go before you have to deal with that. I know that new drivers are bigger risks, but their pricing just feels like a rip off.
My daily commute is 162 miles, usually four days a week, so I fill the tank every other day. Fortunately, my wife and daughter only drive locally. Does your husband find that he has tired legs from all of that driving? I do. So much so that I rarely drive on the weekends if I don’t have to.
Those toll and parking costs can really dent a wallet. When I lived in Oueens and worked in New Jersey, the combined daily tolls were $13. It would be several dollars more today.
I’ve looked into the car pooling option, but haven’t been able to find anyone commuting in my direction or distance. You’re right, It would be a good alternative if I were still working in NY. Ray