Rider Tools
Commute Calculator
Have you ever wondered what your commute really costs?
Find out with our quick and easy commute calculator! Just enter a few details about your trip and let our calculator do its thing. You might be surprised by the cost of your ride!
What would it cost you to pick another method?
| Method | Monthly Cost |
| Walking | $0 |
|
Biking |
$25 |
|
Transit ORCA PugetPass allows access to Community Transit, Everett Transit, King County Metro Transit, King County Water Taxi, Kitsap Transit, Pierce Transit, Seattle Streetcar, and Sound Transit) |
$80 |
|
Vanpool for 6 passengers commuting 25 miles roundtrip in King County |
$81 |
Reasons Why
Want a good reason to take the bus, ride your bike, catch a train, or walk? We have plenty! From saving money to saving the planet, these transportation options can help.
Be Green
- Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Washington State, averaging around 50% for the last several years.
- Seventy percent of cancers caused by airborne pollutants come from diesel exhaust.
- At least 14 million pounds of toxic chemicals flow into Puget Sound every year including motor oil spill, drop, or runoff from paved-over areas.
- In Washington, driving accounts for almost 60% of air pollution.
- Each light rail train can carry 200 people in the space of 3 moving cars.
Save Time
- Work, read, or even nap on bus or train.
- Biking, walking, or taking transit avoids wasted time finding parking, dealing with parking tickets, or being towed.
- Trains and streetcars ar the safest and most reliable forms of transportation during inclement weather.
Be More Active
- One in three Washingtonians doesn’t get enough physical activity. .
- Walking and biking are good exercise and good for your health. They burn calories, build muscle tissue, strengthen the cardiovascular system and help control weight.
- People who take the bus or train are more likely to get their 30 minutes of recommended physical activity each day.
- 3.6 million americans 65 or older stay at home and are less mobile because they lack transportation options.
Be Safe
- In the US, riding a train is 20-30 times safer than driving, and riding the bus is about 60 times safer.
- Walking or biking is about 4 times safer than driving.
- Air pollution from cars has been linked with childhood asthma and stunted lung growth, along with cancer and other health impacts.
Save Money
- Transportation is the second largest household expense, only behind housing.
- Households that live further away from transit spend more than 45% of their budget on housing and transportation costs than households that have transit access.
- The percentage of a family’s income that is spent on transportation is highest for the lowest income earners: 8.2% for high-income and 15.7% for low-income.
- The annual economic impact of car crashes in the US is $277 billlion.
Transportation Resources by County
Select a County
King
Pacific
Whatcom
Skagit
Kitsap
Jefferson
Mason
Grays Harbor
Thurston
Wahkiakum
Cowlitz
Lewis
Clark
Skamania
Okanogan
Chelan
Walla Walla
Spokane
Pend Oreille
Stevens
Ferry
Lincoln
Adams
Franklin
Benton
Grant
Yakima
King (6)
Pacific (1)
Whatcom (1)
Skagit (1)
Snohomish (3)
Pierce (2)
Kitsap (1)
King (2)
Clallam (2)
Jefferson (1)
Mason (1)
Grays Harbor (1)
Thurston (1)
Wahkiakum (1)
Cowlitz (1)
Lewis (1)
Clark (1)
Skamania (1)
Okanogan (1)
Chelan (1)
Kittitas (2)
Asotin (1)
Columbia (1)
Walla Walla (1)
Whitman (2)
Spokane (1)
Pend Oreille (1)
Stevens (1)
Ferry (1)
Lincoln (1)
Adams (1)
Franklin (1)
Benton (1)
Grant (1)
Yakima (1)
Ways to Explore Washington State
You don’t need a car to explore the state! You can get from Seattle to the coast by taking public transportation. Here are some testimonials from people who’ve tried it and resources for you to start your own adventure.
News & Updates
Try Transit in Tacoma!
October is Try Transit Month in Tacoma, and our partners Downtown on the Go! have a series of fun activities lined up with activities such as riding the bus with the Mayor of Tacoma, Marilyn Strickland, a series of Citizen Advocacy 101, and a Friday Forum on...
The 2015 Legislative Session
The 2015 Washington State Legislature is no easy thing to predict, especially when it comes to transportation. What we know is the House is still controlled by pro-transit Democrats, the Senate is more strongly controlled by Republicans hailing from the suburbs and...
Good News For Buses!
It's been an uncertain time for transit in King County with bus cuts looming large. But things have started to look up. And we now have a chance to grow bus service in a big way! Many of you will rightfully ask, "How did we just go from saving buses to expanding...
Car-Free In Seattle? Here’s How Not To Do It.
Image courtesy: Sleepless in Turtle Island This is a guest post from our star volunteer Alison Turner Last week Danny Westneat wrote an article ($) about his attempt to go car-free this summer, and his experience riding this bus instead. His conclusion - being...
Better Street Design = Safer Streets In Pierce County
Being able to safely get from home to work, school, shopping centers, and health appointments provides opportunities for us to thrive economically, socially and physically. Transit cuts and high transportation costs limit our access to healthy food, employment,...
Thank You To Our Transit Heroes!
Last week, at our annual event, we recognized two “community transit heroes” for their efforts to preserve and grow transit service. We also welcomed two new members into our Transportation Choices Hall of Fame. King Council Councilmember Larry Phillips and King...
Live Car-Free Tip #3: Use Your Smartphone
Puget Sound Regional Council’s Regional Centers Framework Update draft is out for public comment. This framework identifies which jurisdictions - those identified as “centers” - are slated to accept the majority of the region’s growth over the next few decades, and...
Simple Idea to Radically Improve Public Transit
What if there was an easy and rational way to radically improve public transit across the country and state? What if this idea was free to implement? It sounds too good to be true right? Eric Jaffe of CityLab (formerly Atlantic Cities) is on the case, and his idea is...
What’s Next For Sound Transit?
Long-range transit planning is the “dreaming” part of transit planning. It is unrestricted by political and financial barriers. Long-range planning is a time for agency and advocates alike to put aside our perceptions of the next year, two, or three, and think big....
Transit City, Washington?
Blog post by Andrew Austin, policy director at Transportation Choices. Spokane is his "city in-law", and he loves it almost as much as he loves Bellingham, where he grew up, and his home of Tacoma. When he isn't at work, find him exploring the world by train, bus and...
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