Commuting via car or BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit)?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the commuting options for a student attending San Francisco State University (SFSU) while living in Concord. Participants explore the practicality and efficiency of commuting via BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) versus driving, considering factors such as time, cost, and the ability to utilize commute time productively.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant mentions a 2-hour commute involving BART and a shuttle, questioning if driving would be better.
  • Another participant points out that the initial analysis lacks a comparison of driving time and costs.
  • Some participants suggest that commuting by motorcycle could reduce travel time compared to a car.
  • Concerns are raised about the overall expenses associated with driving, including fuel, maintenance, and parking fees.
  • Several participants note that using public transportation allows for productive activities like reading or studying during the commute.
  • There is uncertainty about the actual commute time, with one participant recalling a shorter duration than initially stated.
  • Google Maps estimates driving time and BART travel time, with some participants preferring public transit for its productivity benefits.
  • Questions arise about the nearest BART station to SFSU and the convenience of living in Concord versus Berkeley.
  • Participants mention the toll cost for crossing the Bay Bridge as a factor in the decision-making process.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the efficiency and practicality of commuting by car versus BART, with no consensus reached on which option is definitively better. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the best commuting method.

Contextual Notes

Participants express varying assumptions about commute times and costs, and there is a lack of definitive data on traffic conditions and personal experiences that could influence the decision.

Lawrencel2
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I will be attending SFSU in the spring for my masters, but i will most likely reside in concord for a very cheap living arrangement.
I was told the whole commute including bart and the shuttle is roughly 2 hours one way...
Thats a bit intense no?
Would driving be any better??
 
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Making this decision requires comparing two pieces of information to each other (in the simplest analysis) and you only gave us one of them. So there isn't much we can do to help.
 
Lawrencel2 said:
I will be attending SFSU in the spring for my masters, but i will most likely reside in concord for a very cheap living arrangement.
I was told the whole commute including bart and the shuttle is roughly 2 hours one way...
Thats a bit intense no?
Would driving be any better??

Russ is right -- do you have friends in Concord who have ever tried to commute into SF on weekday mornings?

If you commute on a motorcycle, you can do much better than 2 hours from Concord into the City (you still have to cross the Bay Bridge, which is usually pretty backed up). If you commute in a cage, er, I mean a car, it will be a pretty ugly commute. At least on BART and on buses, you can get some work done during the commute.
 
How many days a week do you plan on commuting? That commute sounds absolutely terrible...
 
You also have to consider all of the expenses of driving: vehicle, fuel, maintenance, registration, driver's licence, insurance, parking fees, and others that might arise on a less regular basis such as tickets and collision repair. Is a bus or LRT cheaper?
 
Like berkeman said, at least on a train/bus you can read, so it's not totally wasted time. If you're behind the wheel, then it's completely wasted time.

Btw, are you sure it's 2 hours? I used to live there and although I didn't go into the city often, I don't remember it being that long.
 
Well, it shows about an hour on the BART planner, but i would also need to take the shuttle to the campus. I suppose they overestimated when they told me 2 hours.. I guess about an hour and a half should be ample time.
I'm used to a 30 minute commute so I really don't know what I'm in for.
Reading/studying is a great suggestion though..!
 
How long would it take to drive to school considering the traffic (huge factor)? Also, as others already said, it's probably much cheaper to use public transportation and you can utilize the time. According to Google Maps, you could get to SFSU from the Concord BART station in ~1hr10m.
 
lisab said:
Like berkeman said, at least on a train/bus you can read, so it's not totally wasted time. If you're behind the wheel, then it's completely wasted time.

Btw, are you sure it's 2 hours? I used to live there and although I didn't go into the city often, I don't remember it being that long.
For 3 or 4 years, my son did the park and ride 90% +, during the morning and evening ride he used the time for paper work, planning and learned to speak Spanish very well listening to Cd's.
 
  • #10
What BART station is nearest SFSU? I thought the campus was sort of in a more remote area. I knew people who lived in concord but they lived at berkeley during the semester because of inconvenience of travel.
 
  • #11
Keep in mind there is a $5 toll to cross bay bridge towards SFO.
 
  • #12
cyanical said:
How long would it take to drive to school considering the traffic (huge factor)? Also, as others already said, it's probably much cheaper to use public transportation and you can utilize the time. According to Google Maps, you could get to SFSU from the Concord BART station in ~1hr10m.

Right now (noon where I am, but 9 a.m. California time), Google Maps tells me the driving time is 1hr28m, with slow going through Lafayette, Orinda, Oakland and across the Bay Bridge; and 1hr31m via BART and bus. If it were me, I'd rather ride than drive, and get some reading or work done en route, or even take a nap. Even better would be to live closer somehow, so as not to have to take 3+ hours out of every day just going back and forth to school.
 

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