I have to start taking the Bus to work

[RockaFowler]

I can't afford the gas and wear and tear on my car any longer. So, I looked into the bus service from Port St Lucie to West Palm Beach. Thank God there is one bus. It picks you up in Stuart and takes me right to work in West Palm Beach. It's $60 a month for an unlimited pass. And with my hubby still on unemployment (a year now), I have to make some sacrifices. It costs me $120 a week for gas and $20 a week in tolls to drive to work each day. Why? Because we couldn't afford a home in Palm Beach County when we bought. And well, my hubby had a good job and we could afford the trip each week. Now, not so much.

So I've got to get up early in the morning and drive to Stuart to pick up the bus. I figure I can save about $400 a month. I could really use that money, so I'm making the sacrifice. Now only if the darn train would make it's way up to Port St Lucie (thanks for nothing pRick Scott - we could have been a great state with real public transportation). Then I might even save a little more money!!

[villager]

1. well, this may not be entirely bad -- how long is the trip? (And think of the reading...

...you can get done!)

[RockaFowler]

4. It's about an hour

I think the stress alone may stop me from aging so fast

I-95 is the absolute worst road in America.

[villager]

17. I've been able to take a dedicated bus line to/from youngest son's school

...a couple times, here in L.A. Amazed how much less stressed I was after traveling each direction...

[ejpoeta]

2. good luck to you. glad you at least have the bus option. wish you had a train too.

[marmar]

3. I'm taking the bus now and saving about $100 per week and lots of rush hour stress.

nt

[GKirk]

5. Sounds like you made

a very sensible choice.

[MrCoffee]

6. Why do you refer to taking the bus as "a sacrifice" twice?

Is it really that taxing on you to take the bus?

[KittyWampus]

10. for me, the amount of extra time that taking mass transit requires is mind numbing.

But I can't speak for the OP.

That said, I now take the train into NYC to save money. It just takes longer.

[marmar]

12. When I lived in New Rochelle, the train was ALWAYS quicker into Manhattan than driving.....

...... but then I didn't have to deal with the L.I.E. like you do.

[KittyWampus]

13. Oy- I live all the way out east. The few trains that run are almost all locals.

They make every. single. stop.

Long Island- real estate developers run amok with no regard to livability.

[RockaFowler]

15. It's a much longer day now

I have to leave the house at 6am and I don't return until 7pm that night.

To be honest, I'm kind of glad that it's even available to me. I'm stressed and I'm gaining weight (i find myself eating more chocolate to curb the stress - not working). I really should have said, I'm blessed. But I'm sacrificing a little freedom in order to save some money. I'll get over it soon :)

[Grey]

7. Just think of all the knitting

you can get done now that you don't have to be the driver.
Yay, for more free time to knit!

[KittyWampus]

11. I save up my crossword puzzles.

[SheilaT]

14. Yes, yes yes!

I crochet, not knit, but the same idea.

[blogslut]

8. Taking the bus is kind of nice

That is, if people leave you alone. Buses are heated in the winter and air conditioned in the summer. You get time to collect your thoughts and do some busy work. The waiting is hard and having to adjust your schedule isn't so great. Just the same, I am a great believer in public transportation. I wish more people took advantage of it.

[kestrel91316]

9. SAVING $400 a month isn't a sacrifice, it's common sense. Consider it

a blessing in disguise. You can get a lot of reading and thinking done when someone else drives.

Kestrel......still car-free in Los Angeles

[SheilaT]

16. $120 per week in gas.

You must be driving something that gets incredibly bad mileage.

If you can actual save the $400 you won't be spending, in a year you'll have the money for a good down payment on a good used car that gets far better mileage.

[RockaFowler]

18. Not the mileage of the car that's bad

It's the miles. It's 50 miles one way to work each day. I just wish my job was closer. Love my job - hate the commute


Oh yeah and hello fellow Sheila :)

[SheilaT]

30. Wow, that's a long commute.

I have never been willing to commute more than a few miles each way, and I've been fortunate enough to always have jobs fairly close to home.

We should start a Sheila club.

[marmar]

19. Or stick to public transit.....It's better for Mother Earth.

nt

[Warpy]

20. I loved mass transit back in Boston

even though it took considerably longer than driving. I read tons of books and knit sweaters and did all sorts of people watching.

This town has a pretty bad bus system that shuts down at 7 PM and only runs for a few hours on Sunday. I hope it improves soon because I'd love to be able to use mass transit here.

[gratuitous]

21. One other thing

Good public transportation doesn't just happen. By riding, you're casting a vote in favor of expanded public transportation. If you're of an activist bent, consider getting involved with the transit agency. It may be (at first) nothing more than suggestions for improvement or pointing out things that aren't working, but you can make a difference, and your own experience in using the service is worth the advice of three consultants who've never been in the area.

[RockaFowler]

26. I like this idea

I'm gonna push the story here at work, too. Maybe they can do a piece on how to save money in this climate

:)

[Amonester]

22. With that amt of savings and more time, you could buy a 'tablet'

and bring it with you so you could 'stay connected' with DU (and/or read ebooks) longer.

Just saying.

Good 'sacrifice' though.

[RockaFowler]

27. I like it

Let's see after the first month.

[lunatica]

23. I love the chance to read when I'm on BART

[Javaman]

24. Great time to catch up on reading.

I have to admit, I have been lax in my bus riding. Frankly, I miss the trip. I plowed through books on that morning and evening trip.

I think you have reinspired me.

Also, when I was taking it regularly, I got to know a good group of people on there.

Peace and be safe.

[FSogol]

25. Wife and I started carpooling to work 3 times a week. It save us about $48 a month

not counting wear and tear on her car.

[CTyankee]

28. Hubby took the bus to and from work every day for 9 years when he worked downtown at City Hall.

He loved it. He saw "regulars" each way and they would chat. He said the stress of driving in rush hour traffic and the cost of parking was just too high a price to pay. Plus, he got a nice walk in every day to and from the bus stop.

[RockaFowler]

29. THANK YOU

I want to thank the person who donated a star to me. That was so kind. I just love this place :)