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Which Mode of Travel Provides the Happiest Commute?


realizm

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Walkers, cyclists, and commuter-rail riders are much more satisfied than drivers and transit users.

 

For most people, a satisfying commute is not necessarily a happy one—a not-so-unhappy one will do. Yes, it's true that the ideal commute not absolutely zero commute; many of us can use the time to decompress or get some thinking done. But it's also true that beyond a certain point—roughly 15 minutes one-way, on average—we just want our lives and sanity back.

Even within that general framework of unpleasantness, some commutes are more enjoyable than others. A group of researchers at McGill University in Montreal recently tried to establish a clear hierarchy among the main six work-trip modes: driving, riding (bus and metro and commuter rail), walking, and cycling. They asked nearly 3,400 people who commuted to campus on a single mode to describe their typical trip in both winter and summer, and to rate their satisfaction with various aspects of that trip. The researchers then converted the ratings into a single satisfaction score for each of six commute modes.

We've charted the results below, but in case you can't wait that long, here are the raw (rounded) percentages: pedestrians (85 percent), train commuters (84 percent), cyclists (82 percent), drivers (77 percent), metro riders (76 percent), and bus riders (75.5 percent).

 

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Link: http://www.citylab.com/commute/2014/08/which-mode-of-travel-provides-the-happiest-commute/378673/

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For me the commuter rail could provide the happiest commute.  The problem is I can rarely get a seat unless I'm traveling off-peak and it seems that of late Metro-North trains are 5-10 minutes late in the mornings (for no particular reason either).  Given the fact that I always get a seat on the express bus and most of the year the commutes are tolerable, I'll give the express bus the edge, though during the snowy periods service can be shaky.

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Where did the people come from that were surveyed? If it was simply from Montreal or only Canada, the results make sense since Montreal is extremely walkable, especially with the underground city. The Metro is expensive and slow compared.

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Where did the people come from that were surveyed? If it was simply from Montreal or only Canada, the results make sense since Montreal is extremely walkable, especially with the underground city. The Metro is expensive and slow compared.

 

Apparently a group of college students and I guess teaching staff.

 

"A group of researchers at McGill University in Montreal recently tried to establish a clear hierarchy among the main six work-trip modes: driving, riding (bus and metro and commuter rail), walking, and cycling. They asked nearly 3,400 people who commuted to campus on a single mode to describe their typical trip in both winter and summer, and to rate their satisfaction with various aspects of that trip."

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Who would be happy on a 40-50 minute bus ride?

 

That seems to be the norm for many outside New York City unfortunately. The wait times on top of that... I mean its a bit absurd to have to even wait up to an hour for a bus, let alone riding on one for that long, given the demand necessitating better transit service.

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If this was based in New York and my opinions.

 

I'd be more happy to drive to commute in the summer, despite the traffic New York offers. Only because when you drive enough in a familiar area, you tend to discover short cuts and bypass roads to avoid traffic. (Gowanus Expressway -> 4th Avenue/9th Street)

 

In the winter though, despite some normal delays on subways, I rather commute by train. Only because of the fact my cars are currently RWD and even with snow tires, they are shit. Also that 80% of New York drivers can't drive in the snow anyway. I rather not want to deal with insurance companies because their clients can't drive for crap. And deal with just normal delays of a train.

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Where did the people come from that were surveyed? If it was simply from Montreal or only Canada, the results make sense since Montreal is extremely walkable, especially with the underground city. The Metro is expensive and slow compared.

I agree... I've always walked in Montréal and I've been several times to concerts, restaurants and the like.

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I read the very first sentence (surprised no one here admittedly so far picked up on the stupidity in it)....

Stopped reading the article, then commenced reading the replies (which were easily more tolerable).....

 

The way I see it, this (article) does nothing more than tries to convey that there's too much traffic on the roads, transit is too crowded for people's liking - but somehow commuter rail (which is still transit.... smfh) gets a pass... Can't piss off suburbanites; I meant, commuter rail riders, with this article... Nope....

 

Yes, I got that from that one opening statement.....This crap about happy commuters....

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