Long Commutes Are Sucking the Life Out of You

[Nevyn]

I'm a long commuter. My previous job was 67 miles EACH WAY, with a travel time of ~110 minutes. I was spending just under 4 hours a day in the car.

I've got a new job now, that's 53 miles away, but the commute time is only 65 minutes. I don't feel stressed about the commute at all. I'll get there when I get there, I leave enough time to do so without rushing, and there's always room to pass.

My gasoline cost per mile is between 6 and 7 cents. If maintenance were to be included, I'd be looking at about 13 to 15 cents per mile.

Our mortgage PLUS insurance PLUS taxes is $546 per month. If we moved, the cheapest we could realistically find to replace our house with is probably in the $700-$800/month range. Also, we'd lose closeness to friends/family, which would mean we'd end up driving more and probably needing paid babysitters more (we often 'kid swap' - we'll watch theirs one day if they'll watch ours another; it's a great free system).

[euromodder]

I've always commuted between 40 and 50km.
Though it takes some time, I start off early so there's no need to stress.

For me the commute is a clear dividing line between work and home.

Surpeisingly, the people who live closest to work are the ones who are most often late.

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by Daox

Summed up it basically shows and calculates that moving 1 mile closer to work (or getting a job 1 mile closer to home) will save you around $800 per year. That is not a worst case scenario even!

So far my car has cost 8077 euro a year all in - not just commuting - and disregarding any future resale value (even as scrap).

So, trading USD for EUR I could move 10 miles closer to work and drive for free ?
(At the official 1.3 to 1 rate it'd take 13 miles)

[SentraSE-R]

I commuted for 34 years, 3-80 miles RT, and only did single occupant car driving ~3 years of that time. I vanpooled, carpooled, rode ferries, BART, buses, motorcycles, and bicycles 90% of the time. Although it wasn't part of my daily commute, I put on more miles commuting by airplane to jobs around the world than I did on the daily drudge.

Coincidentally, the 3 mile RT for 2 years was the one I drove in my car alone, because bicycling on a major arterial in coastal GA in the summer was more stressful than driving.

[99metro]

67 miles each way to/from work. Mostly paved rural, about 20 miles of city to city commuters always running late. Drive gets better each day as the familiar commuters get used to my slow steady driving. The day truckers are getting better too - they remember when you are courteous and share the road. When I flash for them to come back in after they pass and they give me a quick signal of thanks - I know we are on good terms. I have a CB in the car, but these quiet communications are kinda nice. Lessens the stress when we can all just get along.

[slowmover]

1) Driving costs $0.51/mile. It doesn't. Especially to an eco-modder. My car gets relatively poor mileage compared to many on this forum (~32 MPG), and its cost of ownership is well under $0.15/mile. If I paid for maintenance, this would surely increase, but would not even be close to $0.51/mile.

Actually the per-mile cost is likely higher. Much higher. You are confusing fuel cost with the greater "ownership cost": purchase price, finance charge, depreciation, tawes, insurance, registration, etc. Fuel cost is less than half, on average.

The way this is figured is car-centric. Pointed out above is the need for a house with a garage (land & building) thus a greater mortgage, insurance and upkeep on that structure. Which also keeps that land thus used from a higher & better purpose, etc.

The cost-per-mile is a handy way of understanding that particular expense, but it has to be related to net income. The more that is tied by by transportation the worse is the situation for a family.

The penalty for lack of walking access (under 2-miles) to grocery, post office, library schools, and governmental offices is huge. It, then, has to be factored back into the home cost which itself must be factored back into the cost of the car.

Cars, per se, have not been the leverage to a better life since 1972. The cost is hidden, and it is subsidized.

Take some time to understand the full range of how your life would be different if it were not required that you have a car.

The cost of fuel is a trifle when placed in context. The availability of fuel is what will be life-changing (by price or literally). MPG is just whist-playing as the drilling & production costs rise.

A long commute is just a good way to waste a good vehicle. Part of what makes too much of America a bad place in comparison to civilized countries.


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[TheEnemy]

There are a few things to keep in mind when reading an article like this.

1. It is likely biased.

2. It is likely aimed at specifict group of people. In this case probably agressive suv drivers.

3. The group here can not in any way be considered Joe average as far as the motoring public.


Just a rough calculation on the cost of ownership for my truck $0.30 per mile which is high because things like purchase price and insurance are independant of mileage which I dont rack up a bunch of.

[ProDarwin]

Originally Posted by slowmover

1) Driving costs $0.51/mile. It doesn't. Especially to an eco-modder. My car gets relatively poor mileage compared to many on this forum (~32 MPG), and its cost of ownership is well under $0.15/mile. If I paid for maintenance, this would surely increase, but would not even be close to $0.51/mile.

Actually the per-mile cost is likely higher. Much higher. You are confusing fuel cost with the greater "ownership cost": purchase price, finance charge, depreciation, tawes, insurance, registration, etc. Fuel cost is less than half, on average.

Nope. Just like the article says: I drive otherwise, so I am required to have insurance. That is not strictly a commuting cost. Nor are taxes. I'm not discussing having a car vs. not having a car - the discussion is about reduced commuting distance.

My last car I paid $1000 for. I drove it 40k miles and averaged 29mpg. Lets say I put $500 into it in basic maintenance/repairs (this is likely high). I sold the car for $1300. So my net loss was $200 in 40k miles. Thats $0.005/mile + fuel costs.

Side note: My real cost was much lower, because I was paid $1600 for damages caused when someone rear-ended me. I didn't fix anything and I pocketed the change. So it was really more like getting paid $0.035/mile.

Originally Posted by slowmover

A long commute is just a good way to waste a good vehicle.

Absolutely. This is why it seems illogical to do the math using a "good" vehicle. Anyone fiscally responsible will be using something cheap, reliable, with low depreciation for this type of commute. My example is a little on the low side for ownership cost, but certainly not extreme.

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by slowmover

Take some time to understand the full range of how your life would be different if it were not required that you have a car.

That'd be easy : transport unions would decide where and when you could go if it's beyond biking range.
They go on strike when their own farts smell bad.

[gone-ot]

...this is exactly *why* I chose to drive in to work BEFORE 0600 and drive home from work AFTER 1800...to literally AVOID all the congestion and mid-morning Monte Carlo-wannabees. Made for some LONG days but at least I wasn't clenching my teeth BEFORE the work had even begun!