Any practical reasons to use public transport instead of a car?

[Az]

Do you use public transport a lot, and if you do, is it because it's more economic than a car, or is it because you can't afford the purchase of a car right now?

I used to take the bus all of my life, since in School, there is no special busses that take kids to school. The city chips in for a part of a ride, but only if you live relatively far away. But we didn't have a car, so it didn't matter.

Now, my parents have bought a car, an old one. They don't use it much, so it would be money wasted on insurance, so I take it, by paying the gas bills.

What I have noticed:

My daily ride for the university is around 10 kms. For this car, it's about a liter of fuel, and considering that sometimes there is traffic, it's a bit more than a liter. A liter of gasoline costs 4.35 NIS. that means that the cost of such a ride is around 4.60 NIS. A ride on the public bus costs 5.20 NIS! even if you buy the "ride all month free" ticket, that costs some 250 NIS. since I go to the uni some, say 22 times a month, that makes 44 rides. that still leaves us with a the same bill per ride as ,250/44~4.68. Even if say that I ride a couple of more times say 60 rides (which I don't!) it makes a ride cost 4.16. At weekend nights, you can't take the bus. And a taxi costs a ****load: A similar ride that would cost around 9 shekels on a car would costs some 40 Shekels!

Now, we have to consider the costs of licensing and insurance:
a yearly cost of registration and ensurance would cost around 4000, that is 330 NIS per month (young driver. ). So, monthly, a car costs around: 700 NIS (including trips to neighbouring cities, which would cost a fortune on a friday night). while Bus+taxi fares would cost me some 450 NIS.

250 NIS a month: for that, I get half an hour a day of saved time, since I take the highway while the bus goes through the city, and obviously, complete freedom of movement. Plus, I can go with friends to the country on weekends, and they'll chip in for the ride.

So, please remind me, which should I take the bus?

[Eli]

You should also add the factor that Haifan busses have a tendency to blow up once every couple months.

[FrustratedPoet]

Mass Transit is comparitively environmentally friendly, just like Civ2 told us.

[Az]

You should also add the factor that Haifan busses have a tendency to blow up once every couple months.

If you'll remember the traffic accident stats, I am better off in a bus.

FP: not if the busses are diezel-fuel-munching monsters.

[Solly]

Once you've bought a car, the marginal costs are cheaper for car travel.

However, before you buy the car you need to work out what additional advantages you get from it (ie, door-to-door, image, pulling chicks) as it is undoubtedly more expensive in the long run.

If you ask me, we need to subsidise the cost of cars and recoup the cost by making individual journeys more expensive through higher tax on petrol.

That way the marginal cost of most journeys could be cheaper by public transport, and hence more people would use it.

[Eli]

Public Transport is a good idea, but the busses in Israel are very uncomfortable from the reasons you mentioned.
But that's because there is a monopoly on the bus system. Egged in most of the country and Dan in Gush Dan.
Half a year ago a private company took over the inter city routes here in Ashdod. The prices today are 60% cheaper.
In Tel Aviv, a private company took over some of the lines and Dan is already reducing prices.

So hopefully the monopolies will break and bus transport will get cheaper and better.

As a sidenote, trains are absolutely great. Netanyahu got my vote with his train expansion plan.

[Main_Brain]

Dont drink and Drive.
Also You can read while being on PT (okay I can)
Last but not Least mhh I forgot my last Point.

[Az]

There are problems with the several bus companies tho. You can't have a "Hofshi Hodshi" card for all of them.

[Zopperoni]

Azazel,

There do not seem to be other cost factors involved in your use of the car to uni.

Over here, however, we have to deal with parking fees as well, making the car potentially costly to use.

I usually take the bike myself.

[Zopperoni]

O, and I take PT (usually train or subway) when it's convenient, i.e. when the subway stops very near my destination.

[Solly]

Bus is £33 ($55) for a month ticket here and gets me to work and back every day

[Az]

Originally posted by Zopperoni
Azazel,

There do not seem to be other cost factors involved in your use of the car to uni.

Over here, however, we have to deal with parking fees as well, making the car potentially costly to use.

I usually take the bike myself.

A worthy notice. However I don't need to pay parking fees near my uni. In the city, they can cost some.

[Starchild]

I drive, people die. It's safer for all for me to use a bus.

[Al'Kimiya]

one practical reason is that you won't have to look for a parking spot.. however bus stops are often a bit away from where you want, sometimes a long way from.. which is why I haven't used a bus or other public transport system since I got my driver's license (except when the car was stolen or otherwise indisposable)

[Jon Miller]

cheaper

but than, I rarely need to use mass transit (usually ride a bike or walk)

Jon Miller