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"The big advantage of driving to work over taking the bus is time. A bus ride just takes longer: walking to the stop, waiting for the bus, picking up passengers
by timjahn 12y ago
"The big advantage of driving to work over taking the bus is time. A bus ride just takes longer: walking to the stop, waiting for the bus, picking up passengers, all while toughing out the same traffic as cars."
Generally, yes, driving will always beat a bus. Train is always the way to go, as there is no traffic on the tracks (a majority of the time).
To me, it's a common misconception that driving is quicker. In Chicago, driving is almost never quicker (due to traffic), and regardless, it's always wasted time. You can't DO anything while you're driving. Taking the bus or the L, at least you can work on what you need to work on.
- aylons 12y ago"all while toughing out the same traffic as cars." The point is, bus shouldn't need to share traffic with cars. A bus system should always flow in a dedicated lane, except for the most capillary streets in low-traffic areas. Not doing so is inefficient and, of course, will always hinder public transportation.
- greglindahl 12y agoYou're making the same point that the article, which of course you read before commenting, makes. The quoted text is from the intro, and the next sentence makes the suggested solution clear: A bus ride just takes longer: walking to the stop, waiting for the bus, picking up passengers, all while toughing out the same traffic as cars. But when transit is done well, the time gap shrinks, and when it's done really well—with frequent service, all-door boarding, and exclusive lanes—the gap can disappear entirely.
- monksy 12y agoWell this is true except for what happened last week: Rare occurrences can disrupt the train. Oh well, I'll still commute via train/bus. I don't miss commuting by car.
- selectodude 12y ago>In Chicago, driving is almost never quicker Come on, that's not even the slightest bit true.
- timjahn 12y agoNot sure where you live but I'm off the Kennedy and its absolutely true.
- faitswulff 12y agoThat is my least favorite stretch of highway.
- psychometry 12y agoOK, so that's a conclusion you've reached from a sample size of one. Try commuting on one of the LSD buses and you'd come to the opposite conclusion.
- selectodude 12y agoI live downtown. The Kennedy is a nightmare but I just take Elston during rush hour.
- faitswulff 12y agoAgreed. Driving in Chicago is generally twice as fast as taking public transit within or near the loop. The difference grows when you have to go further. You can get in a car and be almost anywhere interesting in 20 minutes without traffic, whereas you would need 5-10 minutes just to get to a CTA stop and wait for the bus/train. Public transit is only ever faster than driving during rush hours in heavily trafficked areas.
- larsberg 12y agoDo you not have to park? Or are you assuming Uber? Parking got quicker in Chicago since the metered fares went through the roof, but it can still easily dominate the total travel time, as leaving and entering large multi-floor parking structures downtown takes a really long time.