How much does it cost you to get to work? When asked this question, many people tend to do a quick mental calculation of their fuel, and sometimes toll, costs, and provide a response ranging from ’a few bucks a day’ to ‘about a hundred dollars a month, I guess.’
While gas and tolls certainly make up some of a commuters’ monthly expenses, there are less obvious (but very real) costs incurred by those that choose to drive alone to work. And they’re often higher than most people think.
AAA’s 2019 Your Driving Costs report estimates that when the hidden costs of driving – including insurance, licensing and registration, routine maintenance and repair, taxes, and depreciation – are included, it costs an average of 61.88 cents per mile driven. For reference, the IRS only allows independent contractors to write off 58 cents per mile driven for business purposes.
A recent survey of more than 2800 Legacy-area employees revealed that the typical commuter traveled just over 34 miles each day getting to and from the office, a round trip which took an average of 1 hour and 6 minutes to complete.
That adds up to $21.04 a day. Considering there are an average of 21 working days each month, that’s a $442 monthly expense. Yep, a whole $5,304 a year.
Of course, everyone’s situation is unique. If you're interested in figuring out exactly how much your own monthly commuting expense is, AAA offers a handy worksheet to help you calculate your exact costs.
Fear not. The good news is there are a number of ways to significantly reduce the amount you spend on commuting.
DART offers multiple express routes to the Legacy area, as well as the on-demand GoLink service which will get you around the area during the day. And a monthly DART pass is only $96, which is an estimated savings of $4,152 a year! (DART also offers an online calculator that will help you figure out how much you can save by using transit).
Carpooling is also an option that can save you hundreds of dollars a month, and it had gotten much easier to coordinate thanks to the help of ride-sharing technology such as the new TryParkingIt app.
Don’t be afraid to try out these commuting options and others. Don’t know where to start? Learn more at LegacyConnect, a new non-profit organization to improve Legacy's mobility, which can help you navigate your options and figure out what might work best for you.
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