How We Roll celebrates Metro Transit employees who regularly ride transit and other forms of sustainable transportation. Read more How We Roll Q&As here.
How do you like to get around?
I live along the METRO D Line and am very grateful to have such convenient access to a route that comes every 10 to 15 minutes and gets me directly to and from work, among other destinations. If I want to change it up, I’ll commute on routes 5, 14, or take the 46 to the Blue Line. I also use transit to run errands, visit friends, and get to destinations for entertainment and dining in Uptown or downtown. I utilize carsharing (Evie or HOURCAR), carpooling, and biking when I need to get places I can’t easily get to on the bus or train. Sometimes I will combine a few modes, like bike and light rail, or carsharing and transit.
What do you enjoy most about getting around without using a personal vehicle?
It’s nice to sit down on a comfortable bus, zone out and read a book, or listen to a podcast. Driving requires a lot more attention and can be really stressful. Owning a car is also expensive. Since I wasn’t driving very much, I sold my 12-year-old car last fall. Saving money from selling my car and not keeping up with the costly maintenance has allowed me to put more money toward paying off my student loans. I’m glad I don't have to consider saving and preparing to purchase a new car, especially now that costs are going up. Thankfully, there are many more cost effective and sustainable modes of transportation for me to utilize.
Is it hard not having access to a personal vehicle?
I definitely have to do more trip planning, especially if it involves transferring, but there’s always a way to make it work. Recently, I had an appointment out in Lake Elmo and had to figure out how to get there without a personal vehicle. It’s pretty far from both my home and office. I used car share (Evie) to get to the Gold Line's Earl Street Station, rode the Gold Line to the Helmo Avenue Station, and then took Metro micro to my appointment, which dropped me off right at the front door. It took just under 45 minutes to get there and about an hour to get home. It may have taken a bit more time than only driving would have, but it’s worth it to me as it was a lot less stressful than driving across town (and dealing with I-94) and having to deal with parking.
Anything else you’d like to share?
A lot of people overlook transportation when they think about how to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Driving is seen as the most convenient option, but thankfully we live in a region where transit is becoming more frequent and accessible. Over the next decade, taking transit will become increasingly convenient for most people and I’d encourage (and maybe “challenge”) people to replace a few car trips with transit here and there.