Mass Transit Sadness

[i_am_socket]

I'd love to take mass transit to my new job that I start next week, I'm 2 blocks from a train station and it's 1 mile from a major junction station. So I'm off to the NJ Transit page to do some math.
Westfield -> Newark -> Secaucus Junction = $198.00/month

Not bad, but then we calculate out what it costs to drive:
Gas + Tolls + Oil Changes = 143.87/month (assuming $4 gas and 20 working days; can't get rid of the car so no worthwhile insurance/payment savings)

Assuming the tolls don't increase ridiculously, it would have to cost me $82/tank of gas ($6.84/gal or drop to ~25 mpg) to be cost-effective to use mass transit.

It just might make sense soon, but not yet. Anyone else run into this?

[Noel]

Wow,

Any Monthly transit passes that work out any cheaper?

[NeilBlanchard]

Hi,

Another angle might be that using the trains will lower your car insurance?

What about parking costs, and traffic jams?

[MazdaMatt]

I'm from London, Ontario. The transit here is great. About 15 bus routes pass 2 blocks from my house. None of them go to my work or even a walkable distance, so i drive daily.

Many people also say that taking mass transit is a nice way to start and end your work day. No hassle, no stress. Read a book and drink a coffee in the morning and relax in the evening. It might be worth it.

Another factor that may be a plus or a huge minus: travel time. Try both for a week and see how they compare.

[xbUser]

If you don't mind driving, see if you can find anyone carpool. sometimes, driving earns money if you have enough people.

[Lazarus]

I echo what Matt wrote. What about the intangibles? It might not be cheaper but it better environmentally, the car gets less wear and tear, you can do work or other things that you could not do while you were driving and it might even be easier on you mentally then slogging out the rush hour commute.

[i_am_socket]

Hmmm.... actually... if my insurance dropped by at least $50ish, that'd certainly be a point in its favor...

Travel time would be approximately equal, no parking fees (though the new location has a distinct lack of parking at the moment: too much growth for their building!)

Dealing with weather isn't a huge issue as long as it's not torrential downpours or ice storms. I'll give ye olde insurance company a call and get an estimate. I wanted to do mass transit to my current employer, but it was way out of economic feasibility with the extra rail-line transfer.

[i_am_socket]

After contacting ye olde insurance company, if I dropped my mileage to maybe 5000 miles/year (I do random road trips here and there) and went to bare bones state minimum coverage I would save: ~$30/month.

Boo. But, knowing this, once gas gets to just over $5/gallon on average (next year?) I'll be all over it. The intangibles (like no commute stress) aren't enough just yet since my commute isn't stressful anymore thanks to the intangible benefit of hypermiling.

The fact that it is more eco-friendly is what is pushing me to consider it in the first place. The economics of it, at the moment, is all that is keeping me from doing it. If I can find enough savings in other areas to offset the extra cost (I think I know a few places to look), I'll be on that train.

[saunders1313]

That really seems like a small amount for them to adjust your insurance. Have you thought about switching insurance companies? You can usually find a better deal.