Unique Commuting Issue for DH...

[bisous]

DH's office is moving and will not longer have a bus that connects it to his train route. He'd definitely prefer to keep riding the train but now he'll have a 25 minute walk each way as well. He has back pain issues. Do you think one of those motorized scooters could be a solution to his commute issues? Or would it be a problem for his back? He brings a rather heavy laptop back with him each way. Do you think a folding bike would be easier? Or harder? We currently don't even have a car that could bring him to work and back so his solution needs to be rather robust. We could probably buy a car, but it would set our financial goals way back and he would prefer to spend the bulk of his commute on the train rather than in the car. WWYD? Uber and Lyft are an option too but it gets expensive. He bought his current car (super old and ugly) for $400. He says he doesn't want to spend more than his car on a bike/scooter, lol.

[AnnieW625]

I would go with a bike as I often see a lot of bikes on public transportation. I am surprised that his company isn’t providing a shuttle considering that their employees come from all over the area.

If he okay with a $400 car I would buy another one he could leave at the train station near his work.

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[twowhat?]

Have him initiate with his company a commuting option, especially if this office move affects multiple people!!! Some companies who can't justify adding a shuttle service for a specific route will cover uber/lyft expenses, a certain amount per month so check into that as well. I see motorized scooter commuters frequently in CA. That might be a cheaper option than a bike?? I dunno...either option would probably help his back as it would reduce the amount of the commute time.

[hbridge]

DH used a bike "rental" service for awhile. The bikes are just outside the station and there are many places to pick up/drop off in the city he works in.

The key would be safety and weather. I was always really concerned since DH didn't take a helmet on the train.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Bike share or car share services might be around. Research that.


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[California]

Some thoughts that come to mind:
Is there a vanpool or friend who'd be willing to pick him up/drop him off at the train station? If it's a 25 minute walk it would be an easy drive.

Would it be possible for his work to issue him a second laptop for home use? That would lighten his load and make the scooter/bike options easier to do.

My DS has a teacher who uses a scooter to get to work. She has an arrangement with other teachers to get a ride in case of rain.

[KpbS]

Scooter or bike with heavy laptop plus back issues seems like a no-go. Also a 25 min walk with the same seems like it is out of the question. That is way longer than a 5 or 10 min walk.

I like the second computer idea but he still has to get where he is going. Can he walk 25 min with a light backpack (no computer)? Would that be each way each day for almost an hour total? That would be good for fitness, but definitely change his total commute time.

[bisous]

Thanks all! There are some holidays deals on scooters that seem tempting but at the same time the move has changed locations a few times already and we're afraid to commit to buying a scooter or bike. I'm very concerned because although DH would like some exercise he's had some debilitating back pain in the past two weeks which makes me wonder if the scooter/bike will work at all. It certainly won't during a flare.

I'm sort of intrigued by the car idea. I wonder what it would look like to move his car to his work location and have him just transport it back from work to the train station weekly. It is in a very urban area and I'm wondering and think it is likely that there might be rules against stowing it for more than a few days at a time which may become an issue if he takes time off, etc. Maybe he stores it at work on those occasions and uses Lyft/Uber and/or the scooter? I don't think there are enough employees at this time to make a shuttle worth it in his little group. It is a huge company but this particular location is tiny.

Maybe I need to make another thread about electric scooters/bikes and deals for the holidays. I feel like if he bought one of the ones at Costco and ended up not really needing to use it it wouldn't be a terrible loss?

TIA!

[Philly Mom]

It is very common around here for people to leave their car at their destination train stop and then drive to work.


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[doberbrat]

Given how many people are falling off electric scooters and having broken bones from it, I would go with a bike over a scooter. Could even do a beat up bike that stays at the train station.

Having a 2nd car gets expensive. You still have to insure it, pay for gas and probably parking at the destination location. It might be the 'easiest' but is not without cost. Even if you get an old super cheap car.

[MMMommy]

I’m a little confused. How does he get from home to the train station? Can you clarify—does he drive to the train station, catch the train to work, then shuttles to work from that train station? And with that shuttle being discontinued, the mode of transport in question is only the point to and from the train station to work and from work to the train station, I assume.

If you are considering leaving a car at the destination train station that is a 25 minute walk to and from work, I don’t think you can leave it there indefinitely overnight like that. Namely, you would not be able to have this spare car at the destination train station each day overnight. Stowing it at his work overnight doesn’t make sense either bc he would need it upon arrival at the destination train station.

The norm of leaving a car at a train station would be just to leave it there during your work hours and then drive it home.

Correct me if I am misunderstanding the dynamics here.

[bisous]

It is very common around here for people to leave their car at their destination train stop and then drive to work.


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Interesting and good to hear!

[bisous]

I’m a little confused. How does he get from home to the train station? Can you clarify—does he drive to the train station, catch the train to work, then shuttles to work from that train station? And with that shuttle being discontinued, the mode of transport in question is only the point to and from the train station to work and from work to the train station, I assume.

If you are considering leaving a car at the destination train station that is a 25 minute walk to and from work, I don’t think you can leave it there indefinitely overnight like that. Namely, you would not be able to have this spare car at the destination train station each day overnight. Stowing it at his work overnight doesn’t make sense either bc he would need it upon arrival at the destination train station.

The norm of leaving a car at a train station would be just to leave it there during your work hours and then drive it home.

Correct me if I am misunderstanding the dynamics here.

I think you’ve got it. Currently he drives an old car 2 miles to the train station, rides the train in to the station near his work, boards a city bus that drops him off at his campus and does it in reverse at the end of the day. He’s moving to a small office (supposedly, location has already changed once!) that doesn’t have a bus connection.

[MMMommy]

I think you’ve got it. Currently he drives an old car 2 miles to the train station, rides the train in to the station near his work, boards a city bus that drops him off at his campus and does it in reverse at the end of the day. He’s moving to a small office (supposedly, location has already changed once!) that doesn’t have a bus connection.

Ok, so I did understand your situation correctly. I don't think it's typical or allowed (but I don't really know) to leave a "secondary" car long term or overnight at the destination train stop closest to your husband's work. By "secondary" car, I am referring to a car that he would buy to simply drive from Work Destination Train Stop (train stop nearest his work) to work and from work to Work Destination Train Stop. This is all while his old car (Primary Car) is parked at the train station two miles from your home. I think it's okay for him to leave his car all day while at work at the train station two miles from your home. But leaving one at Work Destination Train Stop overnight, every work night, probably isn't allowed.

[mommy111]

Ok, so I did understand your situation correctly. I don't think it's typical or allowed (but I don't really know) to leave a "secondary" car long term or overnight at the destination train stop closest to your husband's work. By "secondary" car, I am referring to a car that he would buy to simply drive from Work Destination Train Stop (train stop nearest his work) to work and from work to Work Destination Train Stop. This is all while his old car (Primary Car) is parked at the train station two miles from your home. I think it's okay for him to leave his car all day while at work at the train station two miles from your home. But leaving one at Work Destination Train Stop overnight, every work night, probably isn't allowed.
....although I bet you he may be able to get a parking space from someone around work train station. A house or a store
Op, I do think he should ask workplace for a travel allowance

[niccig]

Can he get a lift from someone he works with that’s diving by the train station? A colleague of DH’s would get the train in and then get picked up by someone driving on their way to work. DH picked him up sometimes if his regular ride wasn’t able to do it.


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