The many benefits of catching public transport to work

There are lots of ways you can easily incorporate more movement into your day-to-day life. One example is to catch public transport, which means walking to and from the bus stop or train station.

But apart from helping you burn calories and get healthier (which is a natural byproduct of regularly moving more), there are so many other reasons why it makes sense to catch public transport instead of taking your car to work. For a start, there’s the cost savings.

Firstly there's the price of petrol. Then there’s the cost of parking — which can be astronomical. Add the maintenance costs for all the wear and tear, plus the extra mileage on the clock which depreciates the value of your car, and it works out to be a very costly business driving your car to work.

On the other hand, public transport — like trains and buses — are a far less expensive alternative.

Then there are the time savings. One of the biggest hassles when you take your car to work, especially if you live in a built-up area, is traffic jams. Traffic jams not only waste your precious time, they’re also frustrating (and with growing population rates, traffic jams are just going to get worse and worse). But if you catch public transport to work, traffic jams will become a thing of the past.

Also, studies show that if you travel on a bus or train you’re far less likely to be involved in an accident than if you’re driving in a car.

And by catching public transport you’ll also be helping to reduce levels of pollution which, in turn, helps to save the environment.

However, I’m not saying it’s all wine and roses when you catch public transport. Instead of being in the privacy of your car (where it feels like you’re in your own little domain), you’ll be surrounded by strangers. But remember, everyone’s in the same position, and it’s certainly no different to being surrounded by strangers when you’re doing your grocery shopping. And the great thing is, because you’re not driving you don’t have to concentrate on the road, which means you can concentrate on other fun stuff — like doing a crossword, reading a book or magazine, or even playing a portable video game. I personally think this makes up for being in the company of strangers.

So, by catching public transport instead of using your car to go to work you’ll end up getting leaner and healthier, saving money, saving time and frustration, you’ll reduce your risk of accident and injury, and you’ll be doing your part to cut down pollution and help save the environment. And instead of concentrating on the road for hours each week, you can concentrate on doing fun stuff you enjoy.

When you add it all up, it really makes a lot of sense to leave your car at home and catch public transport to work instead. Or if you live close enough, simply walk or cycle.