Public or personal transportation
By dreamertink
@dfollin (25408)
United States
January 24, 2013 8:36pm CST
I live in northern Virginia in a suburb of our nations capital city,Washington,DC. Traffic is very busy in this area.They have been saying for years via commercials on tv,radios,magazines,newspapers and billboards for communters to take public transportation,leave the driving to them.
The subway system and main bus system is called Metro.The subways and bus routes run in town(Washington,DC) and to some areas in the suburbs that is limited.Some areas are even limited as far as day's and time's that they run.Some of the area's have local bus systems that run beyond those points and a lot of them are even limited to the day's and times.Which makes it hard to work if you do not own a car.
I do not have a car and was living with family about 3 miles west of here and the Metro does not run out there or here either.A local bus system run's here.But,down where we lived with them the buses only ran Monday through Friday mostly during rush hour times only.That made it hard to work jobs that were not "9 to 5" jobs.
So,my daughter and I decided to move closer to where the transportation was better run.Now,this is just 3 miles east,the same local bus company and these buses run to the shopping malls,hospital and gors 7 day's a week.However,still some limited hours.The shopping mall closes at 9:30 pm on Saturday's and 8:00 pm on Sunday's.But the last bus from the local service picks up there 7:15 pm on Saturday's and 6:15 pm on Sunday's.So,I couldn't get a job at stores there.
So,I went for an interview at a restaurant a mile from my house and he asked me questions,looked at my resume.Then he asked me how I was going to get there from the bus stop(1 block away)if it rained and I told him I would use an umbrella.The interview ended.I did get a job about 5 blocks from here and she asked me if it rained or snowed how would I get there.I gave her the same response.And the day after Christmas,we had icy rain and I went in,basically to show her that I was good to my word! Mistake! They closed early due to the weather.As I was leaving I slipped on ice and broke my foot.
Most places advertise that you MUST have your own reliable transportation and most of these places are right on the bus route! Tonight on the news they announced that the govener is considering adding a tax onto the allready high price of gas to earn money to build a new subway station and get more commuters to take public transportation.
A lot of people will be losing their jobs and causing them to lose their homes.I already am not going to be able to pay my rent next month.
Do you have transportation problems like this where you live?
The subway system and main bus system is called Metro.The subways and bus routes run in town(Washington,DC) and to some areas in the suburbs that is limited.Some areas are even limited as far as day's and time's that they run.Some of the area's have local bus systems that run beyond those points and a lot of them are even limited to the day's and times.Which makes it hard to work if you do not own a car.
I do not have a car and was living with family about 3 miles west of here and the Metro does not run out there or here either.A local bus system run's here.But,down where we lived with them the buses only ran Monday through Friday mostly during rush hour times only.That made it hard to work jobs that were not "9 to 5" jobs.
So,my daughter and I decided to move closer to where the transportation was better run.Now,this is just 3 miles east,the same local bus company and these buses run to the shopping malls,hospital and gors 7 day's a week.However,still some limited hours.The shopping mall closes at 9:30 pm on Saturday's and 8:00 pm on Sunday's.But the last bus from the local service picks up there 7:15 pm on Saturday's and 6:15 pm on Sunday's.So,I couldn't get a job at stores there.
So,I went for an interview at a restaurant a mile from my house and he asked me questions,looked at my resume.Then he asked me how I was going to get there from the bus stop(1 block away)if it rained and I told him I would use an umbrella.The interview ended.I did get a job about 5 blocks from here and she asked me if it rained or snowed how would I get there.I gave her the same response.And the day after Christmas,we had icy rain and I went in,basically to show her that I was good to my word! Mistake! They closed early due to the weather.As I was leaving I slipped on ice and broke my foot.
Most places advertise that you MUST have your own reliable transportation and most of these places are right on the bus route! Tonight on the news they announced that the govener is considering adding a tax onto the allready high price of gas to earn money to build a new subway station and get more commuters to take public transportation.
A lot of people will be losing their jobs and causing them to lose their homes.I already am not going to be able to pay my rent next month.
Do you have transportation problems like this where you live?2 people like this
11 responses
@GardenGerty (161426)
• United States
25 Jan 13
We do not have public transportation to speak of here. Some jobs mention that you must have a reliable form of transportation, but mostly they just mention that you need a valid driver's license. We have many low paying jobs and they are not very picky. You just have to get there however. I probably would have done like you did and tried to go to work in the bad weather anyway to show how determined I was to work and show up. I am sorry you have a broken foot.
2 people like this
@dfollin (25408)
• United States
25 Jan 13
Hi Garden Gerty,Thank you! It has sure messed up my finances though.
@heaytheblogger (2876)
• Philippines
25 Jan 13
It really depends on the situation where I am in with, for instance, if I am meeting someone or have an appointment, then it’s best to take private transportation because you will assure yourself that you won’t go late because you don’t need to pull stops on some routes.
But if I am not busy or don’t have any appointment, I like to take public transportation because it’s more fun and you see the places as people come on them. Also, it saves up money rather than filling your car’s tank.
1 person likes this
@dfollin (25408)
• United States
28 Jan 13
That's for sure!I met a woman last year that told me that she was raised and spent some of her early to mid twenties in New Jersey.She said that the stores were just a block down the street.And to do any major shopping,go to work,college,to the doctors office and such the took the ferry to New York.
Then when her younger siblings decided to go to college in the Washington,DC area her parents sold the house and they moved down here.She was so surprised that they had to buy a car just to go to the grocery store!
Then when her younger siblings decided to go to college in the Washington,DC area her parents sold the house and they moved down here.She was so surprised that they had to buy a car just to go to the grocery store!@heaytheblogger (2876)
• Philippines
25 Jan 13
Thanks for your response, well this does depends on your location though...
1 person likes this
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
25 Jan 13
I live in St. Louis, MO and we have bus services, metro train, and lots of cabs if need be for getting places. I personally have my own car and I have never taken any of these forms of public transportation, but I know people who use them on a daily basis. The buses I know run every hour or several times an hour around here till pretty late at night. Except on Sundays there is a longer wait between buses and I think they stop earlier. Not really 100% sure since I do not use them.
1 person likes this
@dfollin (25408)
• United States
25 Jan 13
Hi Lilybug,Cab's around here are very expensive.And with the price of gas being so high the price keeps going up.And if this tax get's put on by the govener of Virginia then they will go up again.One time after I broke my foot I used my crutches and went to the store,nearby my work place and was exhausted!So,I took a cab back.....a bit over a mile and it was $11!
So,I took a cab back.....a bit over a mile and it was $11!@dfollin (25408)
• United States
25 Jan 13
Also my job was part time,15 hours a week and they only paid $7 an hour! So why would I even go to work?
@julyteen (13252)
• Davao, Philippines
25 Jan 13
If you are living in the Metro or the center of the business that most probably you will experience heavy traffic everyday, better to used public transport. Besides, you can also save the parking fee and the time finding to have a parking. If you are near to train station choose to used the train than any vehicles. You will save money and time
1 person likes this
@dfollin (25408)
• United States
28 Jan 13
Hi julyteen,Yes it would be better and you made some great points about saving money.However like I said,the bus schedules and routes do not take you to a lot of the office building area's and shopping mall's either at all or during all the day's and hour's that they are open.And even if they do,a lot of places will not hire you.
@changjiangzhibin89 (16814)
• China
25 Jan 13
I am sorry that you broke your foot.Nowadays it is difficult to find a job ,what is worse , the heavy traffic makes it even difficult.It is a good job I live in a small city.
1 person likes this
@sneha12 (46)
• Nepal
25 Jan 13
Yes! Not only have ,we have a lot transportation over here in Nepal. I have my private transportation means.In our country it is good option, i mean it is good then public transportation means.We have to suffer traffic jam problem a lot. Though new and nice road is on construction. We are hoping after completion of the new road we will have less problem in the capital city. But at present the situation is horrible.When there is traffic jam on the way we have to run our vehicles in the speed of 5.Sometime we have to spend 2 hours-3 hours in the jam. It gives us a lot of problems.
@dfollin (25408)
• United States
28 Jan 13
Hi snha, In this country also,in several area's there are major daily traffic jams,during certain hours.These time's are called rush hour,even though it is longer than an hour.The more people,businesses and cars came in this country through the years it started expanding to about 3 hours! Not fun!
@wilsongoddard (7291)
• United States
25 Jan 13
We own a car, so we don't have to worry about what sort of public transportation may be in any area in which we live. No matter the public transit system that may be in place in an area, I'm much more of an "own car" kind of person; my needs and desires cannot be bent to the shape of a schedule set out by a bus or train schedule.
1 person likes this
@dfollin (25408)
• United States
28 Jan 13
Hi wilsongoddard,You are lucky that you do not have to use public transportation.
@agent807 (751)
• United States
25 Jan 13
I live in Detroit, and the transportation system around here is terrible. There are two major bus systems, and both systems have their share of problems. Cutbacks have made the buses run very badly, which forces overcrowding. Routes have been eliminated altogether, and one of the systems, because of political turmoil, has made service very atrocious. There have been times where one would wait three hours for a bus. I used to have to depend on buses to get to school and work, but I lost my job thanks to buses constantly running late. Even when you try to compensate for the delay, they would always show up late, or breakdown. Because urban planning is at its finest, we have uncontrolled urban sprawl, with a rapidly shrinking public transportation system. One is forced to have a car around here.
1 person likes this
@dfollin (25408)
• United States
25 Jan 13
Hi agent 807,Oh gosh! I'm sorry you lost your job! I know the feeling. I can't afford to buy a car,the taxes,tags,insurance and gas! I can't even afford now to pay my rent.My landlord is going to be furrious and evict us!
The Metro service cancelled weekend buses on a main highway here!
I can't afford to buy a car,the taxes,tags,insurance and gas! I can't even afford now to pay my rent.My landlord is going to be furrious and evict us! The Metro service cancelled weekend buses on a main highway here!
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
29 Jan 13
Thanks for this discussion and sharing the situation in details. I live in india, now retired after teaching in colleges and universities for 4 decades, i have built 2 houses of our own, i have my own car and scooter that i normally use.
At times i hire taxi cabs too.
We don't have transportation problems.
@ShyBear88 (59347)
• Sterling, Virginia
25 Jan 13
I also live in Northern Virginia but everyone in my family has a cars. My parents have two, my brother and his wife have one, and me and my family has one as well. The close to the metro we close to is about and hour away there are a lot of buses that come around but most people where I live have far enough money to get a car even a bad car.
Thankfully I don't have any transportation problem.
1 person likes this
@dfollin (25408)
• United States
25 Jan 13
Hi ShyBear88, I am a widow and my teenage daughter and I live near Chantilly (mailing address is Fairfax).We are renting two bedrooms in a house,for now anyway.But,because of my loss in income we may be losing that too.I cannot afford to buy a car.....wish I could!
@mariaperalta (19073)
• Mexico
25 Jan 13
I only use public transportation her ein mexico city, mexico. We are like alittle new york city here. Cars dont move to fast around here. So a bus, train or taxi is best here. I usually take a taxi here.
