Originally published October 25, 2019
I have been in the American workforce for over a decade now, and with working comes the commute to and from work each day. I have been a licensed driver in the state of Washington for over 14 years, but I don't always like driving. For one, driving can be stressful, especially if there is traffic. Also, anytime I drive it costs fuel and adds to the wear and tear on my car, adding miles and whatnot. So, if and when I get the chance, I like to take alternative forms of transportation to get to work to not only save money but to get a little bit more exercise.
I have been in the American workforce for over a decade now, and with working comes the commute to and from work each day. I have been a licensed driver in the state of Washington for over 14 years, but I don't always like driving. For one, driving can be stressful, especially if there is traffic. Also, anytime I drive it costs fuel and adds to the wear and tear on my car, adding miles and whatnot. So, if and when I get the chance, I like to take alternative forms of transportation to get to work to not only save money but to get a little bit more exercise.
In the first few years of my first job, I lived close enough that I could walk to work. I lived just less than a mile away, so it made sense to walk when I could. But unfortunately, that wasn't very often. I couldn't walk if I worked too early or too late (dark hours, in other words), and I really preferred not to walk when I had a long shift in front of me, because that made working an eight hour retail shift that much tougher. Anyone that's worked a long retail shift where you stand on your feet all day knows your feet hurt enough from standing and adding walking to and from work to that can be borderline torture. But if I had a shorter shift somewhere during the day, I did my best to walk to work. It took longer, but I could listen to music on the way or just think about my day ahead. This was also preferred by my parents because in the first few years of my job, I didn't have my own car so I had to drive my parents' car to work.
Eventually, however, I moved out of my parents' place, which as I said was close to my first job. However, my new place was about 5 miles away from my job. I therefore lost the ability to walk to work. But, I was able to find a bus route that took me from close to home to close to work. There was still a bit of walking involved, but not as much as walking all the way to work from my parent's place. I therefore tried taking the bus when I could, but it was tough because all the buses that could take me home stopped running around 6, 7 o'clock, and I usually worked until at least then, if not later. On occasion I would get an earlier, shorter shift so I would do my best to take the bus on those days, and I eventually got an Orca card to make it much more convenient. And honestly, I love taking the bus (so long as it's not too crowded), because I can do anything on my phone like play games, watch videos, and text people, that I would not be able to do if I was driving.
After leaving my last job and working here, I found there is another bus route that can take me from close to home to close to here. I then took that bus to work. It cuts it close to me being on time, but I always have the option to stay late if need be to make up for it. What is brilliant about this setup is that if I take the bus to work, I do not have to take the bus home. I am fortunate enough that my girlfriend (Whom I live with) works less than a mile away from me. She gets off an hour after I do, so that gives me plenty of time to get off and walk over to her work, so we can carpool home together. I saw that if I were to take the bus home, I would get home just a little bit sooner than her, so there's not really a reason to pay an unnecessary bus fare when it won't even get me home that much sooner than if I were to carpool.
Eventually, however, I moved out of my parents' place, which as I said was close to my first job. However, my new place was about 5 miles away from my job. I therefore lost the ability to walk to work. But, I was able to find a bus route that took me from close to home to close to work. There was still a bit of walking involved, but not as much as walking all the way to work from my parent's place. I therefore tried taking the bus when I could, but it was tough because all the buses that could take me home stopped running around 6, 7 o'clock, and I usually worked until at least then, if not later. On occasion I would get an earlier, shorter shift so I would do my best to take the bus on those days, and I eventually got an Orca card to make it much more convenient. And honestly, I love taking the bus (so long as it's not too crowded), because I can do anything on my phone like play games, watch videos, and text people, that I would not be able to do if I was driving.
After leaving my last job and working here, I found there is another bus route that can take me from close to home to close to here. I then took that bus to work. It cuts it close to me being on time, but I always have the option to stay late if need be to make up for it. What is brilliant about this setup is that if I take the bus to work, I do not have to take the bus home. I am fortunate enough that my girlfriend (Whom I live with) works less than a mile away from me. She gets off an hour after I do, so that gives me plenty of time to get off and walk over to her work, so we can carpool home together. I saw that if I were to take the bus home, I would get home just a little bit sooner than her, so there's not really a reason to pay an unnecessary bus fare when it won't even get me home that much sooner than if I were to carpool.
In my life I have probably commuted to work by car over 95% of the time just because it is easier and I don't have to plan for it. I would love to be able to reduce that and take the bus more often. I think I'll start out slow, taking the bus once every two weeks, then once a week, then two times a week, then maybe I might occasionally get to three times a week. I think I could get used to it so long as I gradually ease myself into it and get used to the different schedule. It also helps that King County Metro has made it so much easier for people with the introduction of Orca Cards, where you can load your cards with funds and check their balances online. I just wish everyone else made even as much effort as I do to either walk or take the bus, because if they did, the roads during rush hour would be a lot less crowded.
Addition, March 12: I am moving later this month to a place in Bothell, so my commute is about to get worse. Checking Google maps, they say it takes anywhere from 27 minutes to over an hour to get to work. Lovely. I also checked for buses and I'd have to take multiple buses to get to work. That would take even longer, or at least I'd have to get up earlier for it. I may get a Good-To-Go pass so that I can travel in the toll lanes and travel along 405 much quicker. I'll have to see how it is first, so time will tell.
Addition, March 12: I am moving later this month to a place in Bothell, so my commute is about to get worse. Checking Google maps, they say it takes anywhere from 27 minutes to over an hour to get to work. Lovely. I also checked for buses and I'd have to take multiple buses to get to work. That would take even longer, or at least I'd have to get up earlier for it. I may get a Good-To-Go pass so that I can travel in the toll lanes and travel along 405 much quicker. I'll have to see how it is first, so time will tell.
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