Is Public Transport Cheaper?

Discussion in Auto & Moto started by Denis Hard • Sep 4, 2014.

  1. Denis Hard

    Denis HardWell-Known Member

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    This could apply specifically to those who live within ten or so miles of their work place. Taking a bus to work can be cheaper than buying gas for your car, maintaining the car, paying for insurance and a lot of other costs [when added up].

    Add loyalty programs to all that and you'd be saving a little bit more. Could be I'm wrong but I'd like to hear your thoughts.
     
  2. deathbyprayer

    deathbyprayerActive Member

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    It really depends in the place where you live. Some places it's cheaper to have your car but others its better to just commute. In my place it's cheaper to ride the bus to everywhere the downside is you have to deal with the traffic since the bus route is different from the route the private vehicles take. It's a matter of traffic and expense in my part.
     
  3. chiofthenorns

    chiofthenornsActive Member

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    I agree that it depends. I live in the city, and public transportation here is cheaper than in the province. I guess that it is because the competition is higher in urban areas. Also, the demand in public transportation in the province is less because people there prefer walking or riding bicycles. Sometimes, they even have their own customized vehicles.
     
  4. H.C. Heartland

    H.C. HeartlandActive Member

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    We live in what is considered a bigger city and have battled with whether or not to buy a car. We used to have a motorcycle which was convenient in traffic but eventually got sold and never replaced. Every time we compare the cost of fuel, repair, and parking, we decide against purchasing a vehicle. Public transport is defiantly cheaper although not as convenient. When you use public transport, you have to become accustomed to pick up times and drop off locations. If it is a rainy day for example, you may be dropped off several blocks from where you work as opposed to drivers who pull into a parking lot. Taxi services can be used at times for inclement weather but we mostly use bus transport. At our location there are no rewards programs available.
     
  5. GemmaRowlands

    GemmaRowlandsActive Member

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    It mainly depends on how easy it is to get to work, and what else you do. If you need to have a car anyway, and if you have the option of free car parking when you get to work, it would probably work out cheaper in my country. But I know that there are some places that would charge more than the cost of a train ticket for parking alone, and that's not even taking into account the petrol that you would need in order to get you there. So you do have to try and weigh up the various costs involved. It's also good to remember that you are able to get right to where you need to be in your car, whereas you might have a bit of a walk if you used a bus or train.
     
  6. TuRon Davis

    TuRon DavisActive Member

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    You're right, it really depends in where you live and how many buses it takes to get to work. Here in Kansas City where i live, it's a $1.50 post ride making it $3 a day to ride. That would total $30 a month and do me no good considering the fact I live 5 minutes away from work. $6 a week for gas is all i need to a and b it for the week which equals $30. If you live 10 or more miles from work, the metro may be the answer.
     
  7. Dora M

    Dora MWell-Known Member

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    I have lived in places where there was no public transport at all. The only way around was to hitchhike, if you didn't possesses a car or motorbike. The distances were vast and the climate very harsh, so travelling with a bicycle wasn't exactly an alternative either. In some areas there were community buses that one could catch once a week for shopping trips, but that was all there was. So, it all depends where you live. In my case, public transport was cheap, but the hours of waiting for a lift were long.
     
  8. deansaliba

    deansalibaActive Member

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    I try and walk whenever I can as not only does it save me money on public transport, but it is also good for me. I live in London and if you don't have an oyster then public transport can be very expensive indeed! Although they have recently stopped accepting cash on buses as they want everyone to have an oyster card, not sure why as an oyster card mean you get to pay half price for travel. Maybe they want the info we give them when registering.
     
  9. downloadsincomplete

    downloadsincompleteMember

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    But the thing is, gas is not the only cost you need to consider. You have to pay car insurance, you have to pay wear & tear (tires, breaks, etc) and you have to pay for maintenance (oil changes). Then there's still the actual cost of the car. Yes, while you may see $30 come out of your pocket on a regular basis, the cost is a lot more once you factor in the other variables.
     
  10. DrRipley

    DrRipleyExpert

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    I think it does turn out to be cheaper in general especially if you're smart about it. Subways and railway stations usually offer long term use cards that allow you to use the trains as much as you like for a set fee and if you are going to be using it everyday then I think it is a good bargain. Also it comes in handy for discovering far away places that you might otherwise not go to if you chose to drive.
     
  11. lindbergh

    lindberghWell-Known Member

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    I've been using public transport ever since I was in high school and I could say that it's much cheaper to use public transport than to use your own vehicle.

    The price of oil has significantly increased and it's kinda hard to go out using your vehicle without ample funds to pay for gas.

    Do I still use public transport now that I have my own car? Yep, I still use public transportation especially if I go to far away places. When I go to work, I use my car because it's more convenient and it gets me there a lot faster than using public transportation.
     
  12. stacyje

    stacyjeActive Member

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    Yes, I really think that it cheaper depending on the place you live. There is a public transportation company that about2 hours away from me and it offers anywhere within a certain mile for 1.00. I think this is great casue alot of the senior citizens and the your kids that go to mall etc. Use this transportation.
     
  13. Theo

    TheoWell-Known Member

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    I support public transport as people need to use it to keep the service going and also to keep those people in jobs. I don't drive so rely on public transport wherever I am and it can be cheaper as you don't have insurance, parking and fuel costs. You only pay when you need to use the service.

    There are cards you can buy which discount the prices, I have an oyster card for London, Charlie card in Boston and Metro card in New York and they save money on single trips.
     
  14. Pat

    PatWell-Known Member

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    I don't think so. It cost $1.80 to get on the bus, the transfer is only good for 2 hours, most trips take an hour just to get to where you want to go. If you are trying to do a round trip forget it. You will have to pay twice because the transfer will have run out. And if you have kids it cost the same amount of money and you pay more to get on the subway. A daily cost of $10 or more is easy to do.
     
  15. DreekLass

    DreekLassWell-Known Member

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    All in all, I think how much you travel is a factor. But then if you had a car, and were paying to run it, then how much you traveled would also come into play. But then again, with public transport, you do not have to pay all of the expenses that come with running a car. You do not need to service or pay tax, or M.O.T's. If you have kids, I should imagine that public transport would be a lot dearer. But I am more of a taxi cab person myself.
     
  16. pwarbi

    pwarbiActive Member

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    As a method from getting to and from work its definitely cheaper than a car. The trouble is though, is that people usually need a car as well for doing other things. Its very hard to do a families full weekly shop on a bus.
    Like wise any trips or days out. Getting around the country on public transport can be hard work.
     
  17. tipoywizard

    tipoywizardActive Member

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    Public transport is quite cheaper than driving your own car. First, you spend nothing on gas. Public transport fare is quite reasonable. If you are using train then you do not have to worry about traffic. However the only downside I have experience in public transport is heavy number of passenger using it everyday.
     
  18. Diane Lane

    Diane LaneWell-Known Member

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    When I lived in the Boston area, I didn't own a car, and transportation was a lot less expensive, since I only had to worry about T-passes and the occasional cab or car rental. In that area, parking is minimal, and comes at a high price, on top of the costs of owning and maintaining a vehicle. Where I live now, I'm dependent upon a vehicle, which is o.k. in some instances. There are good and bad sides of each situation. Right now, my car is in the shop, and I'm about to get it inspected, so those costs are on my mind, but, without the car, I'd be very limited. If I were in Boston, I could just hop on the train, but there are so many instances when a car is needed, especially nowadays, that it would be difficult for me to go back to not having one, even if I lived up in Massachusetts. I definitely think it's cheaper cost-wise, to use public transportation, but it's also more time consuming, and labor-intensive, having to carry bags, rather than sticking them in the trunk, etc.
     
  19. Aladar

    AladarWell-Known Member

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    Well, that depends on the individual cities. Where I live, I would say it definitely is cheaper. However, the public transport is not as good as in other cities here, in that the buses only go once per 30 minutes or so. So, while cheaper, car is definitely more convenient.
     
  20. missbishi

    missbishiWell-Known Member

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    I find public transport is cheaper and quicker. I live in a big city though and the transit is great. There's also a parking problem here, spots are expensive and hard to find so I much prefer to walk or take the bus.