Commuting to Work

By Glenn Dunphy

In past issues, I have looked at ways to save money by conserving energy within the confines of your new home or condo. If you look at your lifestyle as a whole, there are other ways to save money and energy that you should consider before you even buy.

How you get to and from work is a very important decision. The dreaded "commute" is a real, everyday consideration for the urbanite. Notwithstanding those who work from home, most of us go somewhere to work; it could be an office, a factory or a construction site. You should be considering how you will get to work, what it will cost in both time and money, and how it will impact your life. More and more people are spending hours upon hours of the day in cars or on trains and buses.

Couples moving from a downtown rental to a house in the suburbs can go from not having any car to needing one, maybe even two. A car for each person in the household is the most expensive option by far, yet that is what many people do. Doing some research before buying a new house or condo could save you tens of thousands of dollars you might have spent on a car, fuel, maintenance, insurance, and parking. Many of us (me included) cannot go without a vehicle entirely, but if you avoid driving to work or owning a second car you?ll save.

So what are the alternatives? We all know of the GO Train and TTC. Some condo developers are now offering public transit incentives to potential buyers. In the past, I've gone from paying $10 per day for parking to $4 per day on public transit. I might have lost 10 to 15 minutes in the morning but I also gained that time back during the afternoon commute, which proved faster on the TTC. Better still, I went from filling the car with gas once a week to twice a month!

I tried riding my bike to work a couple of times but I just couldn't deal with the "sweat" factor incurred from an uphill 16 kilometre ride, especially since that employer had no shower facilities. Walking that distance was out of the question but if you are going to live only three to four kilometres from work, why not try it? Test out a number of methods before you invest in a bicycle and don't test the commute on a Sunday morning. Do it on a Friday for full effect.

There is help out there for anyone examining transportation options too. Popping up across the GTA are various Smart Commute Associations. They assist in setting up rides that match carpooling, guaranteed ride home programs, employer vanpools, car sharing, shuttle services, and pedestrian/cycling programs. These groups can even work directly with employers to devise better commuting options for their employees. Two examples are the Smart Commute Association of Black Creek (www.sc-bc.ca) and the Smart Commute Association 404/7 (www.smartcommute404-7.ca ).

The location of your new home in relation to your workplace should be a factor. And when considering your transportation options, don't just "think outside the box", think "outside the car" too.