The Good and Not-So-Good Aspects of Commuting Using Public Transportation

Standing on the Corner, Waiting for a Bus

When I moved to Minneapolis, I started working downtown and realized that many people opted to take public transportation rather than driving. A few years later, I also moved not far from the light rail train, so for a solid decade, I took the morning train, worked from 9-5 and then I took the train back home again. As job possibilities presented themselves, one of my ongoing requirements was being able to continue my easy train commute. 

Lightrail train in downtwn Minneapolis, Photo by John Watne

On a Downtown Train

After my position was eliminated at the end of last year,  I started a new job, and for the first time in 12 years, I am driving daily to and from work. I was reticent to make this change, but I also received an offer for a job that was a perfect fit for me, so driving to and from work seemed a small price to pay for a great career opportunity. The other day, I took the train downtown to meet a friend for coffee. It reminded me of the good, the bad, and the ugly about commuting to work my train.

Here' s a post-election protest I saw at Government Plaza in November of 2016. This is the best sign ever.

Why I Usually Loved My Train Commute

​For me, taking the train was quicker, safer, cheaper, easier and enabled me to have a smaller carbon footprint. What’s not to love? 

• Frequency. There is a train ever 10 minutes in the morning. On most days, this meant show up at the train station when I got there and I’d be at work 20-30 minutes later.
• Commute length. My actual commute took about the same amount of time regardless of rain or snow.
• Free time. Each day, I had 40 minutes of time where my only responsibility was to be transported to where I needed to go. I used the time to read, listen to music, check social media or just sit quietly.
• No car payment. Not driving to work = having to buy a car less often. When I left my last job, I had a 10-year-old car with less than 90,000 miles on it—and most of those were fun road trip miles.
• Cheaper than parking. Instead of paying $150 per month for parking (on the low end), an unlimited monthly train pass was $76 per month (not to mention less cost for gas, maintenance, etc).
• Less stress. Since I have no discernible sense of direction, and don’t particularly like traffic, driving downtown is a stressful experience. Getting to skip that part was better for my mental health.
• Happy hour. If I had a drink after work with colleagues, there was no “when can I drive home” planning involved.
• Exercise. Walking was built into my day. Sometimes I’d get off the train a stop or two early to walk more. Without much planning, I could easily get an extra 5,000 steps.
• Train theater. Being enmeshed with a broader cross-section of society is a good experience to consistently have. It's a good reminder that not everyone is like you--and can also be entertaining. "Train theater" included the guy challenging his buddy to a train pull-up contest, the guy who asks for request so he can pray for people on the train, the guy with all his possessions in a garbage bag who let me know which stores would give me ANYTHING for my food stamps, the teenager traveling with a lawnmower, the congressional candidate shaking hands on election day, a woman attempting (and failing repeatedly) to give her lost son directions on the phone, or the troubled man yelling racial epitaphs and mixing up common stereotypes for each ethnic group and, of course, the occasional mariachi band.

Here is photographic proof of the lawnmower on the train.

Why I Occasionally Disliked My Train Commute

Lower cost? Easier? What's not to like? Well, there are a few things...

• So very cold. When you use public transportation, you have a whole new relationship with outside. I upgraded my coat, hat and boots so waiting outside was more pleasant. (Other commuters are not as opening to snuggling up on the platform as one might think.)
• Big, giant backpack. Need something during the day? You better have it on your person in your bag and configure it in a way that it’s not a total pain to drag with you wherever you go.
• More planning. While the actual on-train time might be less than it would take to drive, there is always a little walking on both sides of a train trip and a little waiting in the middle. If you have to be somewhere at a certain time, it takes a little more planning to hit your target time.
• Other people. On the train, you sit wherever there is a seat. Sometimes you’re not so crazy about your neighbor whether it’s their loud, terrible music or their attempts at conversation. (Headphones are the best thing ever.)
• Special events. On game days, baseball fans overwhelm the trains. It ups the noise levels and sometimes how full the trains are making the commute less pleasant or significantly longer. Drunk, lost, loud commuters make for a more “eventful” commute.
• Train unavailability. The train is pretty consistently available. When it’s not, though, it’s a mess. Sometimes there are car/train or person/train accidents that mess things up completely. Then there are bus replacements (which take longer) or it’s time to figure out another option (Uber, having a friend pick you up, or an unanticipated walk) to try to get to or from work.
• Panhandlers. The train platform and the train itself are places where panhandlers work. Usually, a simple “no” works well, but occasionally there is an aggressive panhandler who needs more firm language to know to leave you alone.
• Personal safety. On the train, you are often hip deep in people. I am sure to scan my surroundings to be mindful of my personal safety. 
• Sudden changes of plans. If I did have to pick up a sick child from school or deal with a similar personal emergency, it feels like more of an order since I’d have to wait for a train, take the train home, then get my car and pick her up. It could be a 45-minute process.  

Riding the train on a consistent basis gets you up close and personal with the elements.

What Do You Think?

What are the good and bad parts of commuting to and from work using public transportation? Include your thoughts in the comments.

Learn More

• 9 To 5 (Morning Train) by Sheena Easton 
• Waiting for the Bus by Violent Femmes
• Downtown Train by Tom Waits (Covered later by Rod Stewart)
• Minneapolis Parking Guide
• How To Make Your Commute Suck Way Less