Hop on the Bus
James Robertson has an interesting analysis of the economics behind purchasing a hybrid. I completely agree with James (or technically, his source) but it brought up a realization that I had about a month ago: we were between houses, staying with my in-laws in Berthoud (about 45 miles north of Denver). Unlike Phoenix, Denver has a very nice public transit system, including an express bus running from Longmont to Denver which runs $3.75, cash (discounted if you buy a monthly pass or a book of tickets). My car, a 1999 Toyota Camry, gets around 30 miles/gallon, so for 45 miles, that runs $4.50 for a one-way trip not counting maintenance costs and the indescribable joy of driving 30 mph on the stretch between 104th Ave. and downtown Denver. Talk about simple economics: even at a current average price of $2.80 / gallon, you are losing money (not to mention time and your mind) if you opt to drive instead of take the express bus. I wonder how long it will take RTD to get that message out, and I also wonder how long RTD can sustain the current fares with the current price of diesel.