I flew home from my busy week in Las Vegas yesterday and I’m settling back into my usual routine. Normally that would mean grabbing my bike this morning for my preferred Caltrain + bike commute. But in the spirit of the Anything Goes Challenge I grabbed my scooter instead and pushed off for VTA Light Rail.
Since I’ve only taken tried scooter + light rail commute once, I didn’t think not fair to judge it yet. We’re biased toward what’s familiar and like any route planning, it takes a few times to work out the kinks and otherwise optimize the trip. Plus the Wi-Fi on the train would give me some time to work on this post.
When I started this challenge, I thought I could come up with an equation that would definitively choose the superior commute mode given specific data points. But since we all value things differently, creating a universal equation would be as short-sighted as the usual method of simply considering travel time and cost. We know there’s more that drives our preferences than that. Here’s my personal value equation:
- Time Wasted Score = overall time – (exercise time up to 45 min) – (50% reading time, 90% if Wi-Fi)
- Lifestyle Convenience Score = 1 pt for each positive answer (partial credit given)
- Determining Factor = A particular criteria that drives a particular choice.
Why didn’t I focus more on cost per trip? Because it’s not what drives me to choose one mode over another. I’m not strongly driven by environmental factors either. Except for driving, they are all equally good in my book.
To enter the Anything Goes Challenge: Take two or more distinct transportation modes to a specific destination you visit regularly (work, school, store, etc). Take the same mode a least twice to give it a fair shake. Collect data, tabulate your scorecard, and assess each mode according to your own value equation. Explain which mode works best for you and why.
Send your summary to [email protected] by April 30. Please include one or more photos that I can include in a post about you, as well as your scorecard data and your personal value equation. Selected stories will be featured on this blog throughout May for National Bike Month. If you’re private about things, just let me know and I’ll use your first name only or an alias of your choosing.
And while this is a challenge, not a contest, my buddy Richard of Cyclelicious is seeing what he can do to scrape up a prize or two. So you may get something more than just bragging rights for your efforts.
So get out there and scoot, ride, pedal, paddle, run or glide today! Take a watch, take photos and be creative.
djconnel
April 15, 2013 at 5:00 pm
Fantastic, Janet! Your analysis is excellent. I would disagree slightly only with the “lunch off-site” for riding in, although I suspect my clothing standards for lunch are tilted more towards bike-compatible than are yours. And since the first Caltrain rolls into MtView @ 6:03 am, that early meeting would need to be before 6:20 am to require driving in my case. There’s still reasons to drive, of course, but they’re generally way over-rated.
ladyfleur
April 15, 2013 at 5:46 pm
Thanks, Dan, I’m not surprised we have different standards for lunch-time apparel. My problem is it’s hard to ride my road/touring bike in a dress and I don’t want to have to change to bike clothes just to go out. As for the early meetings, call me a wimp. When I have 7am meetings it’s a lot easy to leave home at 6:35 am than at 5:45.
By the way, do you still do your running commutes? I’d love to feature your commute story which I’m guessing has a run vs bike vs VTA element.
Margaret
April 16, 2013 at 5:53 pm
“There’s still reasons to drive, of course, but they’re generally way over-rated.”
LOL, the only time I drive to work is for the office blood drive. Donating and then doing something active never bothered me when I was younger. But now, when the nurse says to avoid heavy lifting or exercise for the rest of the day, I listen!
Ladyfleur, I like the challenge idea. I’ve been toying with the idea of walking to work one day (4.5 miles o/w) and then take the bus home. Like you, I’m a wimp when it comes to waking up earlier than necessary. Currently I get up at 5:15 to bike into work.
ladyfleur
April 16, 2013 at 9:24 pm
Margaret, I’d love to hear your story for the challenge, especially if you walk to work. At 4.5 miles, it would take you 90 minutes, right? That’s about the distance to my previous job but I never considered walking it.
Many years ago, I walked 40 minutes to my first day at an internship in Berkeley, CA. I was so nervous about waiting in the wrong place for the shuttle I decided it would be better just to walk it!
Margaret
April 17, 2013 at 1:40 pm
Yep, 90 minutes is about right, although the last mile is all uphill…might slow me down. I might have to do a little training first ;) If I actually follow through on the challenge, I’ll be sure to send you a story.
Matt
April 21, 2013 at 12:01 pm
How do you calculate costs per trip? For car only, gas cost is easy. But do you add in other things, or do you use a cents-per-mile cost? How do you get $0.55 for “bike only”?
I recently moved, so I am 1.5 miles from Light Rail, which can take me to Caltrain, which drops just two blocks from my office.
ladyfleur
April 21, 2013 at 12:32 pm
For the car cost I used the Federal government’s reimbursement rate for business expenses, which is currently 56 cents/mile. It includes gas, maintenance and depreciation, but it’s still less than other estimates I’ve seen which are above $1/mile. http://www.irs.gov/uac/2013-Standard-Mileage-Rates-Up-1-Cent-per-Mile-for-Business,-Medical-and-Moving There’s no standard reimbursement for bikes, so I had to get creative. I found a site that put it at about 10 cents/mile with cars at $1.20/mile. Since their car estimate was double the standard, I halved their bike rate.
That’s great that you have good transit with your new move. Will you walk to Caltrain, ride a bike or scoot?
Matt
May 1, 2013 at 8:03 am
I rode to Caltrian (Tamien) for the first time yesterday. About 5 miles each way. Weather was perfect. Cherry to Curtner to Guadalupe River Trail to station. Didn’t take bike onto the train. Instead, I bought an eLocker card (a whopping $0.05 per hour!) and stored my bike at the train station.
It was warmer in the afternoon, and after the return home I had a HUGE sweat mark diagonally across my chest from my messenger bag strap! Luckily, it didn’t happen on the way to work. Riding in work clothes…. I was definitely the exception based on the other riders I saw. I can’t figure out how to carry work clothes/shoes in a separate bag; it’s too much to carry. Maybe take about 3 sets of clothes and just leave them at the office?
Maybe I’ll get a scooter and take that to Light Rail (2 miles) on hotter days and ride that to Caltrain. It might be worth the extra $4/day.
ladyfleur
May 1, 2013 at 8:10 am
Matt, if you can get the messenger bag off your back you’ll be a lot cooler. Your back doesn’t get any wind to cool you off so having a bag there adds a ton of heat. Do you have a bike with a rack?
The scooter could work, but I find I get as warm on it as on the bike.
I’ve never used the elockers. Need to try it. By the way, if you have a two zone or more Caltrain monthly pass, you get a free monthly VTA pass.
Margaret
April 25, 2013 at 4:38 pm
I did the challenge and sent my results to the e-mail you have listed in your post. I received a reply from ‘Lady Flowers’ advising me that I have the wrong email address. It’s the same address listed in your post above.
What is your email address?
ladyfleur
April 25, 2013 at 4:46 pm
Yikes! I’m so sorry about posting the wrong email. It’s relatively new so I screwed it up.
The correct email address is << note the 500
I just fixed it in the post so hopefully others won't have the experience you did. And thank you so much for entering the Challenge. I can't wait to read what you did.
Margaret
April 25, 2013 at 4:52 pm
Lady Flowers will have some interesting reading if others did send.
I’m sending email shortly.