Commuter Stories
Share Your Commuter Story
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Commuter Stories
Teleworking
Allison Keller said, "When I needed to change my schedule to accommodate caring for my first child, I spoke with my employer about the possibility of working from home. They agreed and set me up with a laptop, company cell phone and access to our company network through a VPN connection. Since making the switch, I have found that I am more productive working at home without the office distractions. Additionally, I save money on gas and time stuck in traffic during the rush hour commute."
Mass Transit
Andrea Olson's goal is to use alternative transportation two days a week between her home in Salt Lake City and her Midvale office. Some days it involves a bus/train/bus combination, but most days it includes car/train/bicycle which adds only about 15 minutes to her regular commute and offers time to read or relax on the train.
"I usually drive to the Ballpark TRAX station and take the train to 7800 South. I rent a bicycle locker from UTA at that station where I keep a commuter bike, helmet, and extra shoes. The bicycle is the most efficient (not to mention the most fun) way to get from the train station to my office, about 1 mile away. The bicycle locker is really the key to making this scenario work for me. For $10 a year, I keep my bike fully enclosed, safe, and dry, and can keep other necessities with it like a helmet."
Jordan Putnam said, "As a student attending BYU and living in Salt Lake, the drive from Salt Lake to Provo tacked hours on to my day. I realized that by taking UTA's commuter bus to Provo, I saved hundreds of dollars on gas each month, and I was able to spend my commute time reading or studying instead of driving. Additionally, the bus uses the Express Lanes, meaning we saved time by not sitting in the bumper-to-bumper congestion during rush hour.
And now, as a first-year law student at the University of Utah, I take TRAX to commute to campus as well as run errands downtown. I avoid the traffic around the University each morning, and best yet, my wife and I were able to sell our second car now that I use TRAX as my transportation."
Cody Hansen of South Ogden said, "One of the benefits provided by my employer is a UTA pass. Since I live about 35 miles from work, it saves me a lot of money to be able to get there for free. Commuting on FrontRunner takes me a little longer than driving directly to work, but you can read or use your computer on the train. They offer wireless Internet, which is really convenient."
Biking/Walking
Brian Hall commutes daily on either bicycle or bus between his home in Bountiful and his job in downtown Salt Lake City. He has been traveling this way for over 2 years.
"I started slowly, switching between bus and bike, but as my confidence and enjoyment increased I have become much more consistent on the bike. In the winter months when there is snow and ice, or it's too dark to feel safe, I'll put my bike on the bus and ride to downtown Salt Lake City, and then ride the bike the last mile to my office."
"The shortest route to my office is 9.5 miles one way, which takes about 40-minutes. When I have time I ride a longer-and somewhat safer and more scenic- 14 mile route which takes about an hour. I lose a few hundred feet going in, and then get it back on the return trip. I am lucky to have access to a shower when I get to the office. My colleagues think so too."
"I've never tried to put a dollar amount on the savings, but I know it's significant. Commuting on bike and bus allows our family to own just one car. Of course there are physical benefits that come from commuting by bike. It's my exercise for the day and such a great way to start and end the work day. I think some people shy away from trying to commute by bike because they think to do so one must have an expensive bike spandex gear. I'm proof that such ideas are not remotely true. The more of us who take to the road and show others that a bike is a very safe and reasonable alternative for the commute to work, the more likely we are to see improvements to infrastructure and safety. Well, I hope at least."
Suellen Riffkin commutes by bike to work when she can and by train to school twice a week. She's always watching the terrain in hopes of minimizing the hill climbing on her 15 year old bike!
At Suellen's office, there's always someone able to drop her and her bike off at home on their commute in the afternoon. So, she finds it best to bike to work in the morning, stow her bike at the office and then hitch a ride home after work. One barrier she encountered biking to work was a big hill on a busy street. Struggling up that hill with cars and trucks whizzing by was very discouraging. With a small amount of sleuthing, she discovered an alternate route through a parking lot and a gap in the fence - saving her about three blocks and that steep uphill.
Two days a week, Suellen is a student at the U. For that trip, she's chosen to take TRAX from the station closest to the office. Homework and class preparation seem to get done during the ride, luckily. Her class ends just before the direct train from the U to Sandy, so with a quick walk, she rides straight home rather than switching at Gallivan. On Tuesdays, however, that train's air conditioning seems to be on the blink, so she found a UTA bus which also goes to the TRAX station. The bus takes just 10 minutes more than it takes TRAX. You know which ride she'll select on hot days!
Robert Kotch, 50, also believes more people should hop in the bike seat. He rides from Ridgewood to his messenger service company in Midtown Manhattan daily.
"The new bike path off the West Side Highway has made it easier to bike to the city," he said. The ride gives him time to reflect on all that he's gaining by free-wheeling to work, he says. "I'm sticking it to the man and not buying gas," he quips, estimating that he's saving nearly 22 gallons of gas per month plus parking fees and tolls. "Plus, the commute is a great substitute for the gym so I'm saving gym fees and getting more time to spend with my family."
Kotch said it takes 90 minutes from Ridgewood to Midtown plus or minus 10 minutes depending on wind direction and physical fitness.
Source: The Record, NorthJersey.com, May 14, 2008