People Toss Their Car and Get a Bike
When you can't afford your car, try one of these alternatives
Victoria Gehman
Issue date: 10/19/09 Section: Energy
The economic decline has been affecting transportation. People are now riding their bikes or taking the bus in order to save money on transportation costs.
Riding a bike has proven to be a cheap and fun way for Jamie Dziewit to get to work in downtown Albany. Dziewit, a 25-year-old college graduate had trouble finding a job after school. She would drive all over Albany going to interviews and spent a lot of money on gas. After she could no longer afford the gas and repairs, Dziewit sold her car. “My car kept breaking down and I never had enough money for gas…I got rid of my car and now I ride my bike to work or I take the bus in the winter,” Dziewit said. “I love riding my bike. It’s fun and usually faster than driving. Best decision I ever made.”
According to Christopher DeConno, a 21-year-old college student at Saint Rose, riding the bus is a lot cheaper than owning a car. DeConno lives in downtown Albany and works in Guilderland. He used to have a car, but he gave it to his sister after he could no longer afford to keep it. “I don’t mind taking the bus. It’s free for college students, and it takes me all the way to work,” DeConno said. “I never spend $50 to fill my tank.”
The Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) was established in 1970. CDTA delivers a transit system that serves more than 800,000 people and transports more than 45,000 customers a day. Throughout the years, CDTA has had change in developmental patterns and travel trends, but their mission has always remained the same--"To Transport Customers Safely and Reliably at Reasonable Cost.”
In addition to riding a bike and taking the bus, people are simply walking wherever they need to go. Living in downtown Albany has its advantages when you cannot afford a car. Meg Abbot, a 23-year-old bartender, lives on Lark Street and works only a few blocks from her apartment. Abbot has never owned a car because of high prices. She is also a firm believer of global warming and would like a new hybrid car but cannot afford it. “Walking has never been an issue for me. I live close to work and all my friends…I was saving for a car a while back but decided against it once I saw how much gas and upkeep would be,” Abbot said.
Walking around Albany has its advantages, but what if you work more than 30 miles away? Douglas Vine, a 23-year-old psychiatric counselor, had to buy a car to get to work. “I used to walk everywhere with my friend Meg [Abbot], but I got a new job about half hour away and had to get a car,” Vine said. Although he enjoys having a car, Vine has learned that compared to walking, owning a car is quite expensive. “I had to get all new brakes and it cost $800!” Vine said. “I had to call my parents for help.”
Another alternative to owning a car is buying a motorcycle. Stephanie Adams, a 24-year-old bank teller, has owned a car and a motorcycle for three years and has saved hundreds of dollars every summer when it comes to buying gas. Her motorcycles gets about 60 miles per gallon, while her car only gets about 25 mpg. Adams uses her car in the winter and her motorcycle when the weather is permitting. “I wish I could just ride my motorcycle. It saves me so much money on gas and it is fun to ride,” Adams said. “I hate filling my tank in my car…it’s always over $40 and I never go as far as my motorcycle would take me.”
According to Jennifer Cosgrove, a 34-year-old restaurant manager in Clifton Park, a lot of people who still have cars have been carpooling to save money. A carpool is when a lot of people who work or travel to the same places use one car instead of four or five to get there. “I live in Albany near two of my co-workers, and we carpool almost every day,” Cosgrove said. “More people are less likely to part with their car, so carpooling is a logical alternative.”
These people did not get discouraged, and found alternative modes of transportation. Riding a bike, taking the bus, walking, motorcycles and carpooling are five affordable and easy ways to get them where they need to go.