Do you own a car or do you use public transport? And if you have a choice of both which one would you prefer? I sold my car as I plan to travel overseas for six months. I needed the extra money. Now I am thinking how different it will be without a car and being dependent on public transport services. I don't really mind at all. I just wonder if it will cost me more or less in the long run.
I was using public transport to go from one place to another for a very long time. I just got tired of walking and waiting in line and the like so I decided to purchase a car last month. I think that ultimately, public transport would save you more money than having your own car. In public transportation, all you need to worry about is your fare. In owning a car, you'd have to think of gasoline expenses plus repairs and maintenance. But of course, having your own car gives you a lot more perks than using public transportation.
I use both, I drive about 30 minutes to the train station and then take the train to work. I think in the long run you would end up spending less if you use the public transport system, not only do you not spend money on gas, you also don't have any expenses with car maintenance.
My family has our own cars and even a driver when we need him, so I've always thought that it was convenient that way. Though it takes a big investment at first, you can invest in gas, which is basically paying for transportation at cost. A purchase of a car will be an asset, but gas expenses will be serve as cosy consumables. I do believe it is cheaper to have a car, however, it does take a big investment at first.
Where I live there is no public transport due to the rural location. Nonetheless, obviously, if there was public transportation - aside from school buses, then I could save a load of money. Also, such a thing would save lives - as users of alcohol would be more likely to avoid driving themselves. Oh, by the way, I'm not sure if there is car pooling here and a probable exception to the rule would be special buses and/or vans for old people or the handicapped.
I ride public transportation only. It costs right now $60 for a monthly bus pass. It will go up though to pay for rail to $70 all at once a $10 raise more a month for a bus pass. You got to go earlier and plan to walk so have good walking shoes when you ride public transportation. You got to carry at least an umbrella for shading you when it's hot and to protect you when it rains. When you shop you've got to bring your own bags to carry your purchases & don't forget them anywhere. Be prepared for emergencies, if there is an accident you've got to call your appointments saying you'll be late etc. You got to know the routs of the public transportation, times they pass to go and get home. If you go out at night you've got to be extra careful or catch a cab to be safer. Be prepared to spend an extra 2 hours going and coming, one hour each way too at least. On the other hand, not having a car means you don't have to worry about parking it and paying for parking. Car maintenance, gas, keep and cleaning is all gone if you don't have a car. If you have an emergency at home be prepared to pay for the ambulance ride unless your health coverage covers it. If you keep your car you got to pay for tires, license and mechanical charges for upkeep. Locally for evacuation, our bus system is prepared to pick up all who hail them to bring them to evacuation shelters. We're lucky, my cousin who has a car says we can call him and he'll help us. A car comes in handy for evacuation, if you plan to sell your car find out how you'll be able to evacuate if needed. Since I've sold my car and relinquished my license I had to buy a Trolly Dolly for carrying heavy things like clorox, milk, vinegar etc. Luckily our bus drivers let us use the lift if the pushing carts get too heavy. There is good and bad as with anything if you go totally without a car, as I said we're lucky my cousin helps us and he has a truck. You just got to sit down and decide which is best for you and where you live and commute the best way for yourself. As you see bus pass does go up too. By the way, if the bus is too filled they'll ask you to catch the next one. Locally we have bus schedules to check where the bus goes, bus information to find how to catch a new bus to your destination and stores that sell bus pass usually asking for cash to pay for the pass. Check out your public transportation to see if it suits your life. Good luck.
To be honest, we bought 2 cars so we wouldn’t take the public transport. It is an ordeal to ride in the bus or in the so called public utility vans. The horde of people in the bus stop and the lack of system turn me off. It’s like a riot when a bus stops for people rush as if there is a commotion. In short, I put more value on my convenience so even if it’s quite expensive to drive my own car, I use it every day to spare me from the hassle of getting a ride in the bus or in the van. And to save a little, I leave the house before the rush hour to avoid the traffic on the road which saves me time and gas.
Public transport is way cheaper and in many cases, fun. For instance, sometimes I used to ride the subway in Seoul, South Korea - with the only purpose being seeing different parts of the city. On the other hand, though, I rarely used the bus. However, it's also an excellent way to privately tour the city.
Sometimes when I need to radicalize to make my savings grow more then usual, I change my car for a bus or a bike (depending on where I need to go) and this is no sacrifice for me because I like to exercise and save Money too.
@Dora M I use public transport. It is ever convenient as at this time of my life, I still have a lot on my plate. Fresh from campus and without a job, public transport is the only solution that ensures I save. If I had a choice, I would prefer having my own car. This is because it is ever convenient. I could go home any time of the night, go to work at my own time. I would also not have the hustle involved with public transport. Sometimes you find that the fare has been hiked, rude conductors or even passengers. At the point when I have a personal vehicle, it would mean that I have a well-paying job and the saving factor would not come in since the benefits of having a car are more compared to public transport.
Currently, I rely on public transportation. I had my own vehicle my entire life. However, I got a ticket that I could not afford to pay so my license is suspended. Public transportation is very inexpensive and you meet some pretty interesting people while riding. However, I would prefer to drive my own vehicle.
I don't yet have a car and my dad takes the car to his office so I always take public transport. I see it as a way of saving money on the gasoline and maintenance. I occasionally take our car but still, I feel taking public transit is much convenient for me.
I make use of both public and my private car. The means of transportation I chose depends on the journey I want to embark on and the location of my movement considering traffic restrictions. Just like my state of residence in Nigeria, Lagos state, taking private transport can be very comforting but the painful and annoying part of it is being kept in traffic for over 4 hours in one spot no movement. You waste a great deal of petrol, costing you a lot of money which is something public transportation won't cost you. So if my journey is routed through any road that I would get stucked in traffic, public transport will be my choice but if it's a free road area, I would make use of m private transport.
I have used the public transport for a long time, but since it is more expensive than driving my own car I have decided to give up on public transportation and use my own car even if I am more tired at the end of the day. In this way, I'm saving a lot of money!
I do not own a car yet, answers the first question you asked. If I have a car and there is an option of using a public transport, I will always prefer using my personal car for the public transportation. One major benefit of using one's personal car is that it saves you a lot of time you would have wasted going to the bus stop to board a public transport coupled with the fact that with your personal car, there is rest of mind on which way to follow so as to reach your destination early. Public transport should only come handy when the issue of travelling on a long distance comes in. In that occasion, going by public transport will save one the fuelling cost of the personal car. Other situations, I will always prefer the personal car.
I have a car but I do not like driving long unfamiliar journeys so I use public transport too. Rail travel is awful in the UK, not too reliable and very expensive so I don't use it often. Having a car is convenient but keeping it on the road and maintaining it is expensive too. Recently I've had nothing but trouble with mine and I'm seriously considering going without one for a while as my partner is quite happy to ferry me around or I can occasionally use the bus or train.
I'm relying on public transportation for years now but before that, I was using my dad's bike every time I travel. I prefer it than using a car or public transportation to avoid traffic. However, I also wanted to have my own car because of the convenience that it can provide especially if you're travelling with your family or in a group. It may be a little pricey depending on the car that you have including maintenance but it can definitely save you time and effort
Well, as for me, I prefer public transport. Infact I always wish that if it's possible, the government should ban private transport on weekdays to ease on congestion and pollution, but we all know that wishes are not horses, otherwise beggars would ride. In my home country, public transportation is fast and cheaper, except during rush hours or when the price of gas rises. However, as cheap as it is, it comes with a price, and a heavy one at that. You have to put up with rude touts, loud music, careless driving and sometimes being driven past your stop, therefore having to walk back. Worst of all, you're prone to crime by pickpockets, and let me not get into the sudden fare hikes when it rains. It's a painful experience, but when you consider the price, you just keep going.
I've been using public transport for years and I do not enjoy it. It just seems cheaper than driving your own car if you just travel alone. But once you add two people that you travel with, it is way better to drive your own car. In our place, it is hard to use public transport since a lot of people use them and the traffic is annoying, unlike if you drive your own car you can make short cuts and just evade places where the traffic is heavy. Around 3 years ago, I had a friend who has a car and we travel everyday with that car, it's a lot convenient which is why I wanted my own car. But my problem is I tend to sleep whenever I travel even if it's just a few minutes away, maybe I would get my own car and hire a driver.
I really would use the public transit system more if it were not a complete joke here, but I also realize that for many it is not really a choice. I would like to see functional systems in all cities but I think that is just an improbable thing for anytime soon.