Mass transit

Like most Americans, we haven't yet weaned ourselves away from taking the car on trips.

Buses

Bus ©Janet Allen
A Centro bus

Years ago, when we lived in our first house John would run to work in the morning (about 5 miles), shower at the YMCA, then take the bus back home.

After we moved, he reverted to car commuting for a few years, then he discovered bicycling.

When the weather wasn't conducive to bicycle commuting to work, John took the bus.

Sometimes, he would bike to work, then put his bike on the front of the bus home from work if it was rainy or, in the short days of winter, too dark.

Most of the last five years or more before retirement, our two cars were generally sitting in the driveway all day.

Since retirement, they've discontinued our bus route due to low ridership. And it's true: there were very few people on that big vehicle. It can't have been cost-effective to run it for so few people.

Trains

Amtrak ©Janet Allen
Amtrak station

We have an Amtrak station within less than a 15-minute drive. Still, though, we haven't used trains much.

Janet took the train to Washington, D.C. once for a conference, and John took the train to Durham, NC once, but generally, taking our car has been much more convenient, unfortunately.

Taking the train ©Janet Allen
Taking the train

Our children have taken the train more than we have, although sometimes it's just to get to a city where it's more convenient to catch the plane. (Plane travel is much cheaper from other cities than from Syracuse for some odd reason.)

They've also found that trains can sometimes be more convenient when traveling with children.

Air travel

Plane ©Janet Allen
A plane flying over our house

We don't fly.

Airplane travel has an enormous environmental impact.