Are you tired of driving to work or relying on a carpool? If you live in or near a city, there are several reasons why public transportation may be a great option for getting to work. Here are four good reasons to get out from behind the wheel:
Found Time
Public transportation is a great way to get more hours in the day. The time spent sitting on a bus, subway or commuter train can be time spent reading, working and even napping. If you have a long commute and you’re able to work while doing so, try to convince your boss to build that time into your workday.
Save the Earth—and Some Cash
By taking public transit, you’ll know that you are doing your part to cut down on CO2 emissions and the dependence on foreign oil. According to the American Public Transportation Association, public transit use saves the U.S. 4.2 billion gallons of gas and 37 million metric tons of CO2 annually. Plus, households that use public transit save more than $8,000 a year.
Employer Benefits
Many employers partially (or even fully) reimburse for transit passes, or offer a pre-tax deduction for the cost of a transit pass. Some employers are also going green and finding additional ways to incentivize or celebrate using public transit to get to work. It may earn you some brownie points – or green ones!
Market Research
One of the unique opportunities of taking public transit is the people watching. You may just find that the people milling around you on the platform or sitting next to you on the bus fit a demographic for something you are working on. Observe, take notes, perhaps even chat them up. You just may learn something.