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Come Ride with Us
Driving a car consumes time and money, and produces stress. You know the drill, especially if you work in the city center and live in the suburbs: idling in traffic, circling the block for parking, stopping to fill up the tank. How do you and the region benefit when you ride TriMet rather then driving?
Driving less, saving more
Each time you drive, it’s money out of your pocket. Transportation is the second largest budget item for the typical American household. Operating costs add up quickly—gas, oil, parking fees, parking tickets and so much more.
Of course, the most costly part of driving is not operating a car; it’s owning one. Insurance, registration—they push the total cost of ownership to more than 52 cents per mile (2006 national average according to AAA). For a 15-mile daily round-trip commute, that's $163 per month—in addition to your monthly car payment.
How much could your household save with less driving or even one less car?
A sustainable use of your time
A recent study showed that public transit reduces congestion in the Portland area enough to save each rush-hour commuter 17 hours per year. You can enjoy a less stressful and less costly commute, while benefiting the region even more. Consider the convenience of taking a bus or MAX train:
- You'll most likely find a transit stop or a Park & Ride nearby.
- You'll find trains and Frequent Service buses arriving every 15 minutes or better. You'll know exactly when your ride will arrive, using TriMet's TransitTracker via phone or Internet.
- While on board, catch up on your reading instead of watching the road and then trolling for parking.
- You'll find a stop near your workplace, along with the freedom to run errands and get around town without parking and re-parking the car.
Here’s an added bonus, courtesy of the National Safety Council: On public transit, you’ll be up to 47 times less likely to be involved in an accident than if you drove.
Making a difference in global warming
Burning fossil fuels for transportation is one of the biggest contributors to global warming and the number-one cause of smog in the Portland area. TriMet’s bus fleet gets an average of 36 miles per gallon for each passenger—among the best in the industry. If you’re a solo commuter—even if you drive a small car—you’ll likely burn less fuel riding the bus. When MAX Light Rail is factored in, TriMet’s system averages the equivalent of more than 425 miles per gallon for each passenger—more than 10 times as efficient as the average car.