Bay Area transit is cheaper than driving to work
By: Mike Aldax
Examiner Staff Writer
January 8, 2009
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| Getting around: A study has found that use of public transit such as Muni adds up to thousands of dollars in annual savings in several large cities, including San Francisco. (Examiner File Photo) |
SAN FRANCISCO — No matter how low gas prices go, it still doesn’t pay to drive to work in the Bay Area, a new study says.
On average, Bay Area drivers lose nearly $1,000 in monthly income — and more than $11,000 annually — by driving to work as opposed to riding BART, Muni or Caltrain, according to a new report from the American Public Transportation Association.
The nationwide study compares a horde of miscellaneous automobile fees drivers must pay — including depreciation, finance charges and license registration — to the monthly cost of riding their area’s local transit.
Nationally, public transit riders save on average $8,368 annually by not driving, which is almost one-third more than the average amount a household pays for food in a year, according to data from the Food Institute.
While the cost per gallon of unleaded gasoline is more than a dollar less than last year — down Wednesday to an average of $2.01 in The City — the San Francisco Bay Area is one of the nation’s most expensive urban regions in which to operate an automobile, particularly when it comes to gas prices, parking and maintenance costs, the study says.
Only in Boston ($1,024 per month) and New York ($1,021) can you save more by taking the bus rather than the car to work, the study said.
“I think what people tend to forget is that the cost of driving is more than just gasoline,” said APTA spokesman Mantill Williams.
Muni spokesman Judson True said the price of a monthly Muni pass has remained stable for years — while gasoline costs have spiked and fallen.
“We’re a great deal,” he said.
Economic travel
A new study said commuters save money by using public transportation rather than driving.
| City |
Monthly savings |
Annual savings |
| Boston |
$1,024 |
$12,285 |
| New York |
$1,021 |
$12,258 |
| S.F. |
$944 |
$11,325 |
| Chicago |
$871 |
$10,456 |
| Philadelphia |
$848 |
$10,171 |
| Seattle |
$844 |
$10,123 |
Source: American Public Transportation Association
